After surprising at Keeneland, Trendsetter is going for the Peter Pan Stakes

The son of Modernist is a candidate for the traditional preparatory race for the Belmont Stakes, the closing leg of the Triple Crown

SOUTH OZONE PARK, New York (Special to Turf Diario).— The road to the Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga begins to take shape this Saturday at the Aqueduct track with the running of the Peter Pan Stakes (G3). With a purse of $200,000 and a distance of 1,800 meters, the competition offers not only prestige but also a golden incentive: NYRA will waive the entry fees for the Test of the Champions for the top three finishers.

In the center of the scene appears Trendsetter, a Ben Colebrook trainee coming off a massive upset in the Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland at 32-1 odds. That victory marked his successful debut over two turns on the dirt, proving that distance is his best ally. Under the guidance of Kazushi Kimura, the son of Modernist recorded a Beyer of 85 and arrives following a spectacular 800-meter breeze in 47s80/100, confirming he is in peak physical form.

However, the path will not be easy. The lineup features strong challengers, such as Bull by the Horns (Essential Quality). The gray trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. seeks to validate his victory in the Rushaway, where he precisely relegated Trendsetter to third place. Although his performance in the Fountain of Youth (G2) was lackluster, his team is confident that his powerful closing kick—which allowed him to win at Turfway after running last—will successfully translate to the New York dirt.

Azam will provide a dose of royal pedigree. The José D’Angelo pupil is a half-brother to Magnitude (Not This Time), the recent hero of the Dubai World Cup (G1). After breaking his maiden convincingly at Gulfstream Park, the son of McKinzie faces his first two-turn challenge with the goal of emulating his older brother's greatness.

Growth Equity represents the ever-present Chad Brown. This son of Nyquist arrives backed by a commanding victory of more than 4 lengths at this same venue, where he stopped the clock in 1m36s71/100 for the mile.

Talk to Me Jimmy is the local hope for Rudy Rodríguez, seeking redemption after a respectable run in the Wood Memorial (G2). Winner of the Withers (L) by 11 lengths earlier this year, the son of Modernist will attempt to use his initial speed to put the field to sleep from the jump.

Completing the field is Gulfy (Constitution), who arrives with the experience of having won his last two outings at Aqueduct and who, according to his jockey, Kendrick Carmouche, will find his ideal scenario in the increased distance.