Discovery Handicap Top Contenders

by Patricia Woo | Nov 15 2010

Stormy's Majesty, Teaks North and Golden Moka are all expected for the 66th edition of the $100,000 Gr. 3 Discovery Handicap. The 1 1/8 mile race for 3-year-olds will be held at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday, Nov. 20.

A son of Stormy Atlantic, Stormy's Majesty has had a rollercoaster 3-year-old year. His first try at a graded stakes race was a disappointment – last in the Gr. 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 31. But a month later, he returned to the Saratoga Racetrack and won the Albany Stakes. He then shipped to Belmont Park and ran second in the Star of Cozzene Stakes on Oct. 2 but followed up that race with a last-place performance in the Empire Classic on Oct. 23. Trained by Dominic Galluscio for Majesty Stud, this New York-bred will require a clean trip to top the board and improve upon his 7-4-1-0 career record and add to his $153,732 in earnings.

Justin Sallusto has a versatile colt in Teaks North, a 3-year-old son of Northern Afleet. Though he started his career with a maiden-breaking victory over the dirt track at Calder Racecourse on Jan. 1, his next four starts were on turf. Two of four were victories, including the Restoration Stakes at Monmouth Park on Aug. 28. But one race – the Gr. 1 Jamaica Handicap on Oct. 9 – resulted in a disappointing fifth-place finish. So Teaks North returned to dirt for the Big Brown Stakes at Monmouth Park on Oct. 30 and won. Sallusto will be hoping that another dirt start will result in another dirt win for his trainee, who has a 9-4-1-0 career record and $168,400 in earnings.

Golden Moka has a unique resume: he won three straight sprints in Panama at the end of 2009 before winning the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Racetrack in Canada as his 3-year-old debut on July 25. The 3-year-old son of Golden Missile will be going into the Discovery Handicap off a fifth-place finish in the Gr. 2 Super Derby on Sept. 25 at Louisiana Downs, his first try at a graded stakes race. Trained by Brian Lynch, Golden Moka has a 5-4-0-0 career record and $327,135 in earnings; he has been training at Woodbine Racetrack where he posted a 5 furlong breeze in 1:00.80 on Nov. 14.

Al Muhtasib (who won an allowance race last out), Dominant Jeannes (who recently broke his maiden) and Overcommunication (looking for his first win in three starts) are also expected for Saturday's race.

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