Lea Seeks to Repeat in $500,000 Donn Handicap

The 2013 champion, Lea, will try to defend his title in the Don and tops the field as the morning line favorite at 9-5 for trainer Bill Mott. A homebred for Adele B. Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm, the six-year-old son of First Samurai returned off of an eleven-month layoff to win the Hal’s Hope (G3) as the favorite, the same race that propelled him to victory in the Donn last year.  Joel Rosario will be aboard and they will break from post position four.

Constitution returns to site of marquee victory

Constitution, one of three horses in the race trained by Todd Pletcher, is the second choice at 7-2 on the morning line. A four-year-old son of Tapit purchased for $400,000 as a yearling, he won the first three starts of his career including the Florida Derby (G1) before being sidelined with an injury. He returned to action in the fall and was last seen finishing third in the Clark (G1) behind repeat winner Hoppertunity. Javier Castellano will be aboard from the rail.

Commissioner rounding back to winning form

Also in the field from the Pletcher barn is Commissioner at 4-1 on the morning line. Bred and owned by Winstar Farm, the four-year-old colt is from the final crop of prolific sire A.P. Indy and finished second in last year’s Belmont Stakes (G1). He was on the shelf for seven-months following that effort and finished third in his comeback race as the favorite. John Velazquez will be aboard and they are scheduled to break from post position two.