BELMONT PARK NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER 8, 2009
by Albie Johnson
Super Saturday at Belmont changed dramatically when the heavens opened up
and turned the main track into a sea of slop and the turf into a very
soft course. The weather certainly was a factor in the way the stakes were run
and was probably a factor in the biggest upset of the day.
The day’s featured event, the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), was contested
on the sloppy main surface and featured Belmont S. (G1) and Travers S. (G1)
winner SUMMER BIRD (Birdstone) as he tried to complete this highly unusual
triple.
The sophomore runner showed great versatility and determination in this
appearance as rider Kent Desormeaux asked him to be much closer early to a
slow pace set by Tizway (Tiznow) and Quality Road (Elusive Quality), who was
positioned just off the leader. Summer Bird was well out in the track and moved at the same time
as Quality
Road, who assumed command midway through the turn. With that runner to his inside,
Summer Bird wore him down by the eighth-pole and had to be kept busy late to win
by a full length, with Tizway another 4 1/2 lengths back in third.
Summer Bird has exhibited great versatility in his three major wins this season, though this one was the most impressive. Great job by trainer Tim Ice to
keep him at this championship level all season and it was a very heady ride by
Desormeaux.
Of the others, Quality Road ran a big, and if not for Summer Bird being at his best, winning race. Macho Again (Macho Uno), who had finished a head behind Rachel Alexandra
(Medaglia d’Oro) in the Woodward S. (G1) in his last start, had his chances
compromised by the off going.
Backtracking on the card, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) was run a race
earlier on the card and the very soft turf course was a factor in the day’s
biggest upset. The Contest was headed by Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat), who was
seeking his fifth consecutive triumph in a Grade 1 contest.
As expected, the pace was a dawdling one with INTERPATATION (Langfuhr) on the
front end with Gio Ponti in the clear running about two-to-three lengths off the pace. He
began a strong run midway through the turn and, as he drew even with the
pacesetter, it looked like he would go right by him. However, after reaching the front
Interpatation dug in, battled back and was actually drawing away from his
younger rival to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
The strange result was most likely a factor of the conditions but nonetheless,
it was a nice ride by Robby Albarado and a big win for his veteran New York-based
trainer Bob Barbara.
Under the same conditions on the turf, the Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) was
contested one race earlier and again the pace was very slow with Criticism (GB) (Machiavellian) taking over midway through the final turn and opening a
clear advantage at that point. Farther back, PURE CLAN (Pure Prize) had been
racing comfortably and
accelerated readily when asked. She quickly assumed the attending position
turning for home and went by Criticism in midstretch to win by 2 3/4 lengths,
scoring as much the best under the adverse conditions.
Pure Clan was a very good runner on the dirt, but has become a much better one
since veteran trainer Bob Holthus moved her to the grass in June of 2008. She’s
8-4-2-1 since that point and has many more seasons and opportunities ahead of
her if they keep her racing.
The major disappointment of the Flower Bowl was defending champion Dynaforce (Dynaformer),
who never
did any running. It’s best to forgive her this one under the circumstances.
The Vosburgh (G1) was contested on the sloppy main track, with the field
being reduced to four with Grade 1 scorer Fabulous Strike (Smart Strike)
heading the quartet.
As expected Go Go Shoot (Songandaprayer) rushed up to take command from his
inside with Fabulous Strike racing just to his outside followed by the sophomore Munnings
(Speightstown) and KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse). Turning for home Fabulous Strike had
moved up to take command with only Kodiak Kowboy making any headway. After Fabulous
Strike drew
clear by the eighth-pole, Kodiak Kowboy came with a strong late charge on the
outside to get by the leader in the last 100 yards too win by a half-length.
Kodiak Kowboy is trained by Steve Asmussen and Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard.
The bay colt has been a solid performer his entire career and was coming into
this off a solid second-place finish in the Forego (G1) at Saratoga.
The menu of Grade 1 events started with the Beldame S. (G1), and it was run before
the start of the heavy rain, which began soon after this contest was completed.
The field here was very weak for the level, and the race appeared to belong
to
MUSIC NOTE (A.P. Indy). There wasn’t much to the running with
Unbridled Belle (Broken Vow) setting the pace as expected with Music Note not far
behind. The favorite swung out midway through the turn and, after an anxious
moment or two, went by the leader at the eighth-pole and was kept busy by rider
Rajiv Maragh to win going away by 2 1/4 lengths
Music Note continued a hot hand for the Godolphin Stable and their trainer Saeed
bin Suroor.
Although the rain subsided overnight, the deluge forced all three of the
following day’s turf stakes to the main track and the ensuing scratches left
some very small fields.
The Kelso H. (G3) was reduced to a field of three when it was switched to the
dirt and the crowd settled on Ready’s Echo (More Than Ready) as the favorite
based on his prior main track form. As is his habit, Ready’s Echo was tardy from the
gate and trailed the pace set by Yield Bogey (Langfuhr), with eventual winner LE
GRAND CRU (Dynaformer) racing in between that pair. Le Grand Cru took over before
the head of the stretch and held Ready’s Echo safe under heavy left-handed
pressure from Jose Lezcano.
Le Grand Cru is trained by Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens, who by his standards
has had a pretty lean season.
Another field of three faced the starter later on the program in the Miss
Grillo S., a contest for juvenile fillies that was shortened-up to a mile after
being switched to the main track.
The heavy favorite, Tapitsfly (Tapit), had broken her maiden at Saratoga on the
dirt before winning the P. G. Johnson S. on the grass last out. For whatever
reason, Albarado sent her up along the inside, which was the worst part of the
track on the day, to battle inside of Fuzzy Britches (Pollard’s Vision) and it
took her until the last 70 yards to wear her down by a neck. In the meantime,
the maiden DAD’S CRAZY (Langfuhr) had easily gone by them both to win going away
by 3 1/4 lengths.
It was a nice ride by Julien Leparoux, as he just sat off the embattled leaders before
going by them on the outside turning for home. Dad’s Crazy is in the Todd Pletcher barn
and he would be back in the winner’s circle three races later.
Two-year-old colts took to the track in the day’s final stakes, the Pilgrim,
another contest that came off the turf and was switched to a mile on the dirt.
A field of five faced the starter with the betting public landing on recent
Monmouth maiden winner Western Flyer (More Than Ready) as the favorite. The colt
set/pressed the pace but could not withstand the late rally of the maiden ESKENDEREYA (Giant’s Causeway) who used the same come-from-behind tactics that
his stablemate Dad’s Crazy had used earlier in her victory.
Eskendereya gave Pletcher a sweep of the juvenile events on the card.
TRACK STATS
Wednesday through Friday, the main track was fast and turf firm, and that’s the way things started on
Saturday. However, conditioners quickly deteriorated to sloppy and soft with the
deluge of rain. Sunday, as noted before, saw off-the-turf conditions with the main surface listed sloppy and sealed to start
the day. It was upgraded to good later in the card.
The track played fairly on the first three days, with Saturday favoring speed
for the most part on both surfaces. Sunday’s main track favored those coming
from off the pace and the inside was to be avoided as much as possible.
HORSES TO WATCH
Wednesday (9/30)
7TH — Nice performance by CHANGING SKIES (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) as she
rallied from off the pace in this entry-level allowance to win going away. The
effort was her first in this country and only her second since the fall
of 2008. The bay lass is in the Bill Mott barn and looks like a useful sort.
Changing Skies was chased home in this spot by the lightly raced GRAN APPEAL (Successful
Appeal), who started her career in Chile last year and has
raced well here for Seth Benzel.
Thursday (10/1)
3RD — SPRITELY (Touch Gold) found this overnight stakes much more to her
liking after finishing second in the First Flight H. (G2) and the Molly Pitcher
S. (G2) and recently running third in the Go for Wand (G1) at
Saratoga. Heavily favored, she tracked early, swept by turning for home and won
by 2 3/4 lengths over her uncoupled stablemate Sea Chanter (War Chant).
5TH — Nice debut by the state-bred filly MY SIRE’S FIRE (Hook and Ladder) as
she stalked early after breaking from an outside post, surged to the front
turning for home and weakened slightly to finish third, beaten a half-length and
a head. Next time.
Friday (10/2)
3RD — The talented HAYNESFIELD (Speightstown) came up just a bit shy in
his return from a long layoff. The chestnut had last appeared in the Gotham S. (G3) this
past spring and had shown some talent during the winter at Aqueduct, beating
open company in a pair of stakes — the Whirlaway and the Count
Fleet. He’ll have a big winter around these parts.
Saturday (10/3)
3RD — Making his first start since finishing second in his debut
last December at Calder, SKY’S THE LIMIT (Sky Mesa) went right to the front in
this mile contest, set fast fractions and turned back a bid by Jayden’s Hope
(Northern Afleet) turning for home, holding that rival safe by 3 1/4 lengths in
a very sharp performance. The runner-up was making his first start
since June 11 and his dirt debut. Nice runs by both.
Sunday (10/4)
5TH — MUHAAWARA (Unbridled’s Song), who had finished second in her
debut at Saratoga, was favored in this mile event but appeared skittish going
into the gate and raced a bit greenly once away, offering no rally from a nice
position. Give her another chance.
UPCOMING STAKES
Juveniles will be in the spotlight Saturday as the Champagne (G1) and
Frizette (G1) will send two-year-olds one mile. The Jamaica (G1) will give
three-year-old turf runners a share of the attention, while on Sunday main-track
sophomores will line up in the Jerome H. (G2).
Have a nice week!