$100,000 John Morrissey Stakes Draws Field of Eight New York-Breds

Palace headlines the field as the morning line favorite at odds of 6-5 for trainer Linda Rice. A six-year-old son of City Zip, he has been on the board in nineteen of his 24 starts and is an eleven-time winner. A multiple graded stakes winner, he will be making his second start of the year after a fifth-place finish in the Carter (G1) at Aqueduct off of a five-month layoff. Regular rider Cornelio Velasquez will be aboard and they will break from post four.

Noble Cornerstone returning off of a layoff

Second choice at 4-1 on the morning line is Noble Cornerstone for trainer Thomas Morley. Bred and owned by My Meadowview Farm, the four-year-old son of Noble Causeway has won five of his eleven starts and will be trying to earn the first stakes victory of his career. He won his first start of the year last time out in an optional claiming race off of an eight-month hiatus. Joel Rosario will be in the irons and they will break from the outside post.

Moonlight Song training sharply for return

Also in the field at morning line odds of 5-1 is Moonlight Song for trainer Charleton Baker. An eight-year-old gelding by Unbridled’s Song, he has won seven of his sixteen starts and will be making his first start since winning the Hudson Handicap against state-bred competition at Belmont Park in October. He has been training steadily with a recent bullet workout and will have Jose Ortiz as he tries to improve off of a fifth-place finish in the John Morrissey last year.