It’s been 19 months since New York-bred turf stalwart BANROCK (Go for Gin)
has visited the winner’s circle, but trainer Tom Bush hopes the eight-year-old
gelding’s fortunes will shift Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park as he faces seven
others in the 33rd running of the $100,000
Kingston S. The one-mile Kingston will be preceded by its sister race, the
$100,000
Mount Vernon S. for state-bred females, also run at a mile on the turf.
“I’m excited,” Bush said of Banrock’s start in the Kingston, his first race
in New York since a fourth-place effort in the West Point S. at Saratoga on
August 19. “I’m still glad I took him to Florida, I just probably shouldn’t have
run him the third time down there.”
Banrock, who in previous years has had the winter off, raced at Gulfstream
Park in 2011 after missing training and racing in the fall due to a
gastrointestinal ailment. The bay finished ninth in his return race, a one-mile
turf optional claimer at Gulfstream on January 8, and subsequently sixth and
ninth under similar conditions in February and March. Sent to a Keeneland
allowance in April, he rallied late to finish fifth behind the Grade 1-placed
Beau Choix (Elusive Quality).
“He got softer ground at Keeneland and he was closing in that race,” Bush
said. “He’s really had a great six or seven weeks here, he’s carrying weight
well and he’s enthusiastic. I hope I’m right.”
Bush has not lamented the rain in recent weeks, as Banrock prefers some give
in the ground. On Sunday the Nyala Farm colorbearer will have the services of
Javier Castellano, who rode him to his most recent victory, the Mohawk S. on New
York Showcase Day in October 2009. Winner of the Kingston in 2008 and 2009, a
third victory would make Banrock the first horse to win three editions of the
race.
Among Banrock’s challengers is UNCLE T SEVEN (Freud), who returns from a
short layoff to assume the 2-1 morning-line favorite’s role in the Kingston as
part of a coupled entry with PRETTY BOY FREUD (Freud).
“He breezed five-eighths (1:01) on May 20 and I blew him out three furlongs
(:36.62) this morning,” trainer John Kimmel said. “We’re testing the theory
about how well he’ll run fresh — he’s trained lightly up to this race, but he
also wasn’t off for that long. We’ll get a good start into him to use as a
springboard for the rest of the year.”
Uncle T Seven was fourth in his most recent start behind Grade 1 winner
Furthest Land (Smart Strike) in a one-mile turf optional claimer at Gulfstream
on February 12. His last victory came against fellow New York-breds in the
Ashley T. Cole S. at Belmont last September.
The morning-line second choice in the wagering at 3-1 is POCKET COWBOYS (Wild
Event), who was a well-beaten fifth in his 2011 debut, a 1 1/16-mile
off-the-turf allowance at Belmont on May 4. Runner-up in last year’s West Point
and Ashley T. Cole behind Straight Story (Giant’s Causeway) and Uncle T Seven,
respectively, Pocket Cowboys turned the tables on both on New York Showcase Day
in the Mohawk, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths.
Edgar Prado has the return call aboard Pocket Cowboys from post 6 for owner,
trainer and breeder Scott Schwartz.
In the Mount Vernon, CHORUS MUSIC (Strategic Mission) looks for her second
consecutive victory of 2011 as she exits a commanding 5 1/2-length victory in
the Irish Linnet overnight stakes over the Belmont turf on April 29, her season
debut.
“I don’t even think we had her as tight as she could be off the layoff,”
trainer John Terranova said. “She came off the farm and we gave her about five
easy breezes going into it. She was just fresh and feeling good, she loves the
soft ground and she really just exploded.”
Chorus Music closed her 2010 campaign with an easy allowance victory over the
turf at Aqueduct on November 21, following a runner-up effort in the Ticonderoga
S. on New York Showcase Day, October 23. The six-year-old chestnut is 3-2-1 from
seven career starts over the Belmont turf.
“To me she looks like she’s come back better as a six-year-old, and she’s
continued on great,” Terranova said. “The owners let us just turn her out each
winter and I think that’s why she’s lasted and come back strong. She knows when
it’s time to run and it seems like she’s just excited to get back out there.
She’s always been a nice filly, solid, and I think she’s really appreciated
getting a break every winter and going to the farm.”
Alex Solis has the call aboard the 2-1 morning-line favorite from post 1.
Also returning from the Irish Linnet is third-place finisher AKILINA
(Langfuhr), who came into the race off a two-month layoff.
“She’s getting older, but she’s very consistent,” trainer Christophe Clement
said. “She needed the race and I think she benefited from it — she’s training
very well and she looks tight.”
Irish Linnet runner-up EXCLUSIVE SCHEME (Saarland) completes the trio exiting
that race and will get the services of Ramon Dominguez on Sunday.
GITCHEE GOOMIE (City Zip) looks to return to her winning ways following a
neck defeat to Daveron (Ger) (Black Sam Bellamy) in the Beaugay S. (G3) on May
7. Alan Garcia, who rode the Richard Violette pupil to a victory in a turf
optional claimer at Gulfstream on April 2, has the call aboard the 5-2
morning-line second choice from post 5.