Already looking forward to checking out Belmont on the Friday before the big event.
While most of stakes activity is concentrated on Belmont Day, Friday will have as
features the 6 furlong True North and the first running of something called the
Belmont Gold Cup Invitational to be run at 2 miles on the Widener turf.
THIS Saturday at Belmont a NY bred Showcase day. The pick 5 is an interesting
sequence beginning with a field of NYB 20K claimers followed by four stakes races,
including the Mike Lee, where Uncle Sigh, still eligible for NW2 LT after competing
in the Withers, Gotham, Wood and Ky Derby, cuts back to 7 furlongs and picks up Joe
L. Rosario.
richiebee Wrote:
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> Already looking forward to checking out Belmont on
> the Friday before the big event.
> While most of stakes activity is concentrated on
> Belmont Day, Friday will have as
> features the 6 furlong True North and the first
> running of something called the
> Belmont Gold Cup Invitational to be run at 2 miles
> on the Widener turf.
Actually VERY short and long, as Friday\'s card begins with a MSW 5 furlong
turf dash. Seeing as there is no track record listed for this distance, safe
to assume that this will be the first 5f turf race ever run at Belmont.
With regards to the 2 mile Belmont Gold Cup Invitational, run as the final
race on the card, Racing Director Martin Panza owes H.Graham Motion a few
favors as Motion has 3 entrants in the 12 horse field. The highweights in the
field are Twilight Eclipse (121) and Charming Kitten (119).
Also of interest in the 2 miler is Irish Mission, a filly who will be coming
back in 12 days off a strange effort in the Sheepshead Bay where she pressed
the pace of loose on the lead eventual winner Riposte for 3/4s of a mile,
dropped seemingly out of contention, then surged in the lane for third. If she
goes will be interesting to see how close I. Ortiz can come to making the 110
pound weight assignment. Have to respect Clement\'s trainer intent if this one
comes back on short rest versus males.
To add to the intrique, James Day has Spy in the Sky, a steeplechaser who has
not finished the course in his last two efforts over jumps and comes out of a
2 mile training race. In olden times jump trainers, especially Janet Elliot
and Jonathan Sheppard, were known to put over the occasional high priced
winner who showed very little form in flat races.
All in all a great late P4 featuring full fields and the 2 stakes races.
Weather high 78 with a very slight chance of rain.
Further turf note-- on Saturday the temp turf rails were placed at the maximum
setting, 35 feet on the inner, 27 feet on the Widener. Watching from Living
Room Downs, when the fields turned for home, it appeared as if they were
racing in a cattle pen. Would imagine that Bellsbendboy, who watches temp rail
placement closely, was taking detailed notes, looking for a bet back who might
have had their chances compromised by the narrow courses.
Hear Social Inclusion \"bugged out\" in the gate, got washy and went a little nuts.
Seems he is far more likely to go in the Woody Stevens than the Belmont.SI needs to gate school again on Wed, owner said to be concerned that SI will bug out if he faces roar of crowd in front of stands if entered in Belmont.
No SI in Belmont creates a murky early pace situation esp with only possible speed Samraat ridden by a \"no send\" styled rider.
CC may try to wire now if newly found early gas that Tonalist displayed on wet fast Peter Pan surface does not show on Sat.
Back to the drawing board for me.
Don\'t know about his chances to be hanging around late but General A Rod will be sitting 1-2-3 early.
Big,
Looking at the Preakness, I saw Castellano really after GAR early asking for speed. Don\'t know if tough racing campaign has dulled him a bit early.
Mike
Mike,
No SI in the race and the puzzle of Tonalist makes this race tougher by the minute. SI will never in a million years get 12 furlongs with the moron who trains him; I tossed him in the Preakness. What a waste of what really could be a very talented horse.
Many thought Tonalist was the best 3 yr old in Florida this winter and Clemont as good as they get. As the old timers used to say; NO Foot NO Horse, the time he missed, having to train in bar shoes and his coast to coast breeze in the slop could have been the perfect storm for sore feet. The Peter Pan winner is always considered a wise guy horse so I\'m assuming there will be no great value on him.
Ride On Curlin and The General just have not shown me enough although both have the grinding stalking trip in them that is a positive in this race. If CC turns for home after 1:14 & a heavy 1:39 mile he will be very tough to reel in by anyone unless he loses his nasal strip!
I wish I had you take on CC before the Derby; the end result would have had 5 zero\'s in it for me.
I\'m thinking my play into the Belmont will be strictly horizontal and looking for some value in the previous 3 legs of the pick 4.
Good luck and we know it will be 75-80 degrees on Saturday without much chance of rain at this early point.
Frank D.
Okay, out of curiosity, and I have plenty of other reservations about this horse. But can someone point out the last top dirt horse Clement trained? Can someone show me a dirt horse he had that put in two consecutive tops, stake level or otherwise?
Perhaps big time money burner DYNEVER !! Hals Hope/Dubai World Cup ...
TGJB,
I\'ll bite Clement on dirt is like Zito with a turf horse, NADA. He is a turf specialist. The horse is not there yet on your numbers for sure, just know lot\'s of folks really talked him him up this winter.
Sore feet and 7 or 8/1 he won\'t get my money.
Funny Moon the filly his only Grade 1 dirt winner.
In Summation -- really fast sprinter with 11 stakes wins mostly out west. Not template for 1 1/2 winner though.
Frank D,
Weather looks better every time I look.Best Belmont in recent memory.Lots of horses with a punchers chance.Tonalist,big brute,scary with mad dog Rosario.
Too bad you are leaving quickly otherwise would return the favor with a great Italian Restaurant recommendation in the area.
Good Luck
Mike
If I can pry you and Jimbo out of your off track hole?
I\'ll be at Monmouth on July 6th; $ 200 contest, $100 live bankroll format, (Woodbine & Monmouth) Dual Qualifier for BC & NHC for winner,NHC for 2nd place, UN Handicap and Salvator Mile. I\'m going to spend a few days at the shore afterwards.
Frank D.
JB,
I\'m more of the opinion that the horse puts in consecutive tops rather than the trainer.For example at both CC\'s and WS\'S barns they are trying to stay out of the horses way.Art Sherman, as you may know,not even there.Trainers role way over-rated imo.
Tonalist MUST have a forward look on your stuff or my name aint Mike.
Mike
Not a direct answer to your question, but Clement won the Withers Stakes in 1995
with Blu Tsunami (Jose Santos) and in 1997 with Statesmanship (\"Hollywood\" Herb
McCauley).
Do not recall him having much other success w/ dirt 3YOs...
Last two works for Tonalist have been meh at best. Looked like the jock had to rouse him to keep up with his stablemate this week.
That said, the horse doesn\'t seem like fast-worker generally, and they still have the shoes on him so . . ..
The saga continues:Welsch
Social Inclusion trained w/out Belmont towel this a.m. but owner says Belmont start possible all depends on how he gate schools in a.m.
Miff, I am curious. Who would supply them with this towel? The Track or does the Barn get one to keep for the week?
The reason I bring this up is almost seems to me that the Track Officials might not want this horse running in the Belmont. Why might you ask? He acted up pretty badly at Pimlico. This is going to be a very visible show on Saturday at 6:30 with literally millions watching. God forbid there is any type of incident.
Silver,
If SI gets a gate pass tomorrow, he can run in any race the connections choose, if not, he can\'t run at a NYRA track until he gets one.Gate crew would work to correct any issue to get SI a gate pass.
Connections a little tough to read.Two stories around, one SI worked too fast to go 12f, two they are concerned SI will bug out due to noise of large crowd if loaded in front of stands for Belmont.
SI very key player as to the outcome of the Belmont,imo, if he runs.
Mike
Woody Stephens for SI
https://twitter.com/StableRontos/status/474018998225367040
Agree on that last work for Tonalist, his workmate Life in Shambles (stakes placed in 4 starts - 2nd in Sir Barton at Pimlico) had to be restrained down the lane as to not overtake him while Tonalist was under encouragement, even after starting out several lengths in front. Obviously not the strongest worker if Clement felt the need to give him company but not how I like my horses to move in their last pre-race workout.