Hardacre Farm’s Kiss the Kid, who has won on both dirt and turf at Monmouth, returns to the green here Saturday when he goes in the $70,000 Bob Harding Stakes at one mile. The race is a prep for the $150,000 Oceanport Stakes (G3) on Aug. 3.

“I want him to get a graded stakes win,” said owner-trainer Amy Tarrant, “and he’s better on the turf.”

Kiss the Kid, a son of Lemon Drop Kid * Black Tie Kiss, by Danzig, finished second in last year’s running of the Oceanport, and this year was third in both the Grade 1 Donn Handicap and Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, both on the main track.

Tarrant feels the Harding is a good prep for Kiss the Kid’s Oceanport try because of the one-mile distance.

“He has the speed for the mile race,” she said. “He breaks sharp and can stay right with them.

“And the Oceanport is at a mile and an eighth, which is probably his best distance.”