Buttah looking smooth before G3 Vosburgh

Eddie F’s Racing’s New York-bred stakes-winner Buttah is on a two-race win streak entering Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont Park. 

The Vosburgh is a “Win and You’re In” event for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in October at Keeneland.

Buttah has made three starts for trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci after 16 outings for retired trainer Gary Sciacca. In that trio of outings, the 4-year-old Leofric gray was a head second in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance in May at Belmont at the Big A before winning an allowance that distance on June 6 Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga Race Course. 

The one-length score at the Spa was bolstered by third-place finisher Local Knowledge returning to win the Grade 2 Amsterdam there, fourth-place Yo Banana Boy capturing the Leon Reed next out at Finger Lakes Racetrack, and fifth-place Sea Strike exiting to dominate the local Listed Curlin presented by Casamigos. 

Buttah further franked the key race’s form with a 1 1/2-length score over Doc Sullivan in the state-bred seven-furlong John Morrissey on August 6 at Saratoga. He was piloted to both recent victories by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano. 

“I’m going to tell Javier, ‘Do whatever you want,’ because as he knows, this horse is very good and I don’t want to make any one plan or make it confusing,” Kantarmaci said. “I’m going to tell him, ‘Hi, how are you? Good luck.’” 

Kantarmaci seeks his first graded stakes victory in his own name. He previously assisted his father Tuncay, a successful trainer in Turkey, and brother Mertkan in the states, so he’s been around graded wins before. 

“When I was an assistant for my dad a long time ago, we won a lot of graded stakes races,” Kantarmaci said. “In the last couple of years, I went under my own name. Of course, it would still be great if I win, still exciting. You always still feel proud and excited about a graded win.” 

Kantarmaci is based at Belmont Park and expressed excitement towards the new facility. 

“It’s beautiful. It looks amazing. There’s nothing better than this one,” Kantarmaci said. “Everybody loves it, and we are excited. Let’s see how it goes. I hope we get lucky. I think Buttah is ready. Hopefully, he likes the track and can do it again.”

Buttah [post 9, Javier Castellano] is out of the Chief Seattle mare Salty Little Sis, whose other progeny include Eddie F’s color-bearers Lobsta – a dual stakes-winner that banked more than $350,000 – and stakes-winner Chowda. All three of the siblings were bred in the Empire State by Fedwell Farms.

Kantarmaci also entered El Grande O [post 2, Antonio Fresu], who he co-owns with Sanford Goldfarb and the Estate of Ira Davis. The 5-year-old Take Charge Indy dark bay was haltered by Kantarmaci for $110,000 out of a nose score last out sprinting seven furlongs on September 2 at the Spa. He was trained through his 23-9-5-3 record by Linda Rice, including two state-bred stakes wins and a pair of graded placings. 

“I really like him and think he’s another good New York-bred horse,” Kantarmaci said. 

Bred by Stonewall Farm, El Grande O, a half-brother to graded stakes-placed Meal Ticket, is out of the stakes-placed Unbridled’s Song mare Rainbow’s Song.

Lucky Hat Racing and EGL-One Racing’s Contrary Thinking [post 8, Dylan Davis] made three encouraging starts in dirt sprint optional claimers this summer at Saratoga. Those were the 6-year-old Into Mischief gelding’s first three outings for trainer Amelia Green after being purchased for $130,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale in May.

Contrary Thinking was second by a nose to returning rival Senior Officer in June, earning a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure, and second to graded stakes-winner Whatchatalkinabout in July ahead of a 2 1/2-length score last out over next-out winner Commuted on August 14 with another 99 Beyer. 

“I’m happy for him and happy for the owners,” Green said. “He got back into the winner’s circle and is proving that he’s a nice racehorse.”

Green also sends out Tristar Farm’s New York-bred Doc Sullivan [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], who has been second in two starts for his current trainer after campaigns for conditioners Mike Miceli and John Ortiz. Last out, after a slow-starting second to Buttah in the Morrissey, the 5-year-old Solomini dark bay was nailed by a nose by Wynstock going one mile in open optional claiming company on September 5 at the Spa.

“I thought both times he ran too good to get beat, but especially last time,” said Green. “Wynstock, to me at least, looked like he was never in front apart from his nose at the wire. Cutting back to seven furlongs is my only question, but he’s got good form at seven.” 

Doc Sullivan is 9-3-2-1 at seven furlongs, all of those wins coming in restricted stakes. He was fourth at the distance in the Grade 1 Forego and Grade 3 Vosburgh last year.

Donna Wright and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s dual Grade 1-placed Crazy Mason [post 7, Manny Franco] seeks his first win in his 10th start since capturing the Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets last April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trained by Gregg Sacco, the 5-year-old Coal Front horse enters from a close fourth in the Grade 1 Forego on August 29 at Saratoga, which he was third in last year. At the top level, the late-running gray was also third in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Churchill Downs in May. 

Qatar Racing’s Senior Officer [post 3, Flavien Prat] also enters from the Forego, where he dead-heated with returning rival T Kraft for a three-quarter-length second to Hymn. Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding was making his stakes debut off a three race win streak, which included a pair of dirt sprint scores earlier this summer at the Spa. 

Rounding out the field are Grade 1-placed Moonlight [post 1, Jose Ortiz] for conditioner Peter Miller and T Kraft [post 10, Junior Alvarado] for Hall of Famer Bill Mott; Grade 3-winner Bring the Smoke [post 5, Edgard Zayas] for trainer Whit Beckman; and stakes-placed Ignite the Light [post 6, John Velazquez] for conditioner Rick Dutrow, Jr.

The Vosburgh is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 11-race card, which includes the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic [Race 10], the Grade 2 Flower Bowl [Race 11] – a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf – and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom [Race 4]. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern. 

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