Race One:
There’s just too much early speed in this first-race claiming sprint, n3L, for me to latch onto a front-runner. Thus, I’m looking for horses that can come from off the pace. My tepid choice here is a M/L long-shot,
PROMISE ME ROSES. First, I’m partial to the riding skills of the Panamanian-born jockey, Jose Lezcano (I remember when Lezcano was an apprentice at Boston’s Suffolk Downs). Secondly, you can toss out this Lemon Drop Kid-bred filly’s most recent race, a turf route up at The Spa. That’s not this 4-year old's surface nor his distance. This Kingmambo-bred has won at this 6-panels distance, albeit against weaker, at Aqueduct. This filly’s trainer, Gary Gullo, does exceptionally well with horses that are going: sprint-route-sprint. And finally, this is this D’wildcat-bred’s 3rd start off a layoff. That, as I have stated previously, is one of my key racing angles. Others:
,
,
Race Two:
HONEY GRAEME gets my nod in this claiming sprint. This 4-year old bay filly returns from the Jersey Shore where she hardly “raised a gallop” as a 3-1 shot in a starter allowance. This Dehere-bred 4-year old now returns to the familiar surroundings of Elmont, NY where she has performed most ably. This Graeme Hall-bred picks up the services of one of “NYRA’s Finest,” Jose Ortiz. This filly’s trainer, Linda Rice, has gotten off to an uncharacteristically slow start. Yet, the Wisconsin native has a very good record with horses entered in claimers, sprints, and dirt starts. Others:
,
,
Race Three:
In the state-bred Bertram Bongard Stakes to be contested over the distance of 7 furlongs for a purse of 150k, I’ve landed on
MOONACHIE (I assume this chestnut gelding was named for that Jersey town across the Hudson near The Meadowlands). In any event, this 2-year old was slightly brushed at the start in her only race; yet, he took off like a bat out of Hades and won the race by an ever-increasing 10 lengths. Anything. I repeat…anything resembling that initial maiden-breaking effort and this gelding will be long gone and hard to find, that is until he graces the Belmont Park winner’s circle. Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico’s own, Jose Ortiz, reprises the ride for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. This gelding’s two morning works since his last race were both very good. Others:
,
,
Race Four:
We’re on The Inner in a 6-furlongs allowance race. I’ve selected
EBULLIENT. Yes, I’m up-beat about this bay filly's chances. I feel this Twirling Candy (Candy Ride)-bred has a solid chance of gracing the winner’s circle. Johnny V., the Hall of Famer, from Carolina, Puerto Rico, is this 3-year old filly’s pilot. In her last, this filly ran into more traffic than the L.I.E. (that’s the Long Island Expressway) during rush hour. Yet, she still managed to mount a closing charge that left her only a length and one-half off the winner. The most capable Mike Matz trains this daughter of Pileiton who, by the way, produced 4 winners and 2 turf winners from 5 starters. Others:
,
,
Race Five:
We remain on the turf in a starter allowance to be contested over the distance of one mile. My selection is
CLASSIC COVEY. Yes, I know…this Spring At Last-bred 5-year old gelding hasn’t raced in “a month of Sundays”; yet, I believe that if this Silver Deputy-bred is reasonably ready he’s a “contendah”. This Aldebran-bred has run very well at Belmont in the past. His dam, Walkabout Winner, produced 2 winners and 1 turf winner from 2 starters. The Hall-of-Fame trainer, Bill Mott, is this chestnut gelding’s conditioner. Mott does very well with horses that have been “on the bench” for prolonged periods of time. A sharp 3-panels morning-work bolsters confidence. Jo-el Rosario has the call. Others:
,
,
Race Six:
In this MSW sprint, I’m going with
COMIC. In races that feature several first-time starters, I tend to lean in the direction of horses that have a least one race under their belt. In this case, the aforementioned 3 Comic, fits the bill. I, for one, am looking for improvement. Serious improvement. This Distorted Humor-bred dueled early; however, as the field reached the top of the stretch, this Forty Niner-bred had “run out of gas”. Now, today, she faces relatively similar MSW company, but with a host of first-time starters. I believe “the pickings” are easier. Then too, this 3-year old chestnut is cutting back a half-panel; that should help. So too should the riding services of Jose Ortiz. Rodolphe Brisset trains. He does very well with horses making their 2nd career start. I suppose the “icing on the cake” is a recent 5-panels “bullet” work in which this filly “blitzed” five panels in :59.3, breezing. Others:
,
,
Race Seven:
We’re on The Inner in a starter allowance to be contested over the distance of one mile and one-eighth. My choice here is
MONARCHS GLEN (POE). This GB-bred bay gelding has competed against some of the best turf horses in the world. This 5-year old was last seen finishing 7th (he dueled early) in the Grade I United Nations at Monmouth. Prior to that, this gelding was 4th in the Grade II Monmouth. Class-wise, this gelding stands out like the proverbial “sore thumb”. This gelding shipped here to North America in the spring after campaigning both in GB and UAE. Bill Mott trains this Frankel-bred. Jose Lezcano, “
El Rey de La Hierba,” reprises the ride. Others:
,
Race Eight:
In the nightcap, a 6-furlongs MSW state-bred sprint on The Widener I’ve selected
DANTE’S FIRE. This Temple City-bred bay gelding got off slowly from his inside post in his last race up at The Spa in late August. Yet, this gelding came on in the stretch to finish 2nd as a 44-1 shot. Today, this Dynaformer-bred starts from the outside. He’ stretching out an additional half-panel; that should help. This Dixieland Band-bred has the riding services of Jo-el Rosario. Mike Maker is this gelding’s conditioner. Maker does reasonably well with horses making turf starts. I might add that this gelding’s broodmare, Kewland, had 3 winners and 2 turf winners from 7 starters. Others:
,
,
