BROCK SHERIDAN
St. Elias Stables homebred Rated by Merit makes his second start of the year off his first career loss when he goes to the post for the Grade 1, $1 million Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Mile Handicap for seven 3-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course Saturday.
A victory by Rated by Merit would also earn Vincent and Teresa Viola’s St Elias Stable a $7,500 Export Incentive check as breeders paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Ranked as the fastest 2-year-old of 2024 with his 99 Beyer Speed Figure earned in a three-and-three-quarter lengths victory in the $200,000 Affirmed division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, Rated by Merit ended his freshman year with four wins and no losses. He kept his perfect record intact with one start last year, a length-and-a-quarter score in the $121,000 Discovery in October during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct, before losing for the first time when fourth in the seven-furlong Carter (G2) in April of this year at Aqueduct.
Rated by Merit is trained by Chad Brown and has $486,750 in career earnings from his six races. He is by Battalion Runner our of Banner Waving, by Speightstown.
Dylan Davis will ride Rated by Merit for the first time and they have post five and are 10-1 on the morning line.
The star-studded Met Mile field is headed by the Bob Baffert-trained Nysos with last year’s Preakness (G1)-winner Journalism also entered.
A winner of winner of seven of nine lifetime races, Nysos won his first three starts, including the Grade 3 Bob Hope at Del Mar in 2023 and the Grade 3 Robert Lewis at Santa Anita in 2024. He did not start again until May of last year when he experienced his first loss when second by a neck to winner Mindframe in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes over a sloppy seven furlongs.
He then rattled off four straight graded stakes victories in the Triple Bend (G3) at Santa Anita in May, the San Diego Handicap (G2) and Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in July and November respectively at Del Mar and in the Laffit Pincay Jr. back at Santa Anita in December.
In one start this year, Nysos was second to Forever Young (Jpn) in the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on February 14.
By Nyquist, Nysos has earned $4,738,500 for Susan and Charles Chu’s Baoma and Mr. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith. He is the 9-5 program favorite and will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post one.
Journalism also sports healthy revenues of $4,470,755 for John and Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm in Ocala in partnership with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Don Alberto Stable, Robert V. LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith.
Journalism has won half of his 12 career starts including the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in 2024 and the DK Horse San Felipe (G2), Santa Anita Derby (G1) and NYRA Bets Haskell Invitational (G1) last year. He was also second three times last year, losing to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and in the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, and to Fierceness in the Pacific Classic (G1). He finished last year with a fourth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
Journalism also makes his second start of 2026 after finishing third in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at Oaklawn Park on April 18.
Trainer Michael McCarthy will give a leg up on Journalism to Jose Ortiz who rides from post seven. Journalism is 5-2 on the morning line.
Others set to line up for the Met Mile are Vibe with Luis Saez in the saddle, Antiquarian has John Velazquez taking the riding chores, Irad Ortiz Jr. will take the reins on Saudi Crown and Knightsbridge with jockey Junior Alvarado.
Return to the June 5 issue of Wire to Wire
