Teeth of the Dog tops Dwyer; New York has Aruna

Teeth of the Dog romped in the Easy Goer Stakes while making his Belmont debut last out (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

Belmont Park will offer a pair of Grade 2 stakes on Saturday, the $200,000
Dwyer for
three-year-olds and the $200,000
New York
for fillies and mares, and both races have attracted seven runners.

Teeth of the Dog, who notched his first stakes victory when posting an easy 3
3/4-length score in the Easy Goer on the Belmont Stakes undercard, is the horse
to beat in the 1 1/16-mile Dwyer. After breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park
in early February, the Michael Matz-trained colt was not seen again for two
months, returning with a respectable third in his stakes debut, the Grade 1 Wood
Memorial. The bay son of Bluegrass Cat then finished fifth in the Grade 1
Preakness.

Teeth of the Dog registered a field-best 99 BRIS Speed rating last time and
will retain the services of Joel Rosario.

Zetterholm, who exits a fourth in the Preakness, rates as a threat for
trainer Richard Dutrow. The Silver Train colt posted a convincing victory over
New York-bred rivals in the Patsyprospect at Aquedut two starts back, and Junior
Alvarado has the call. Unstoppable U opened his racing career with two
consecutive wins, including an April 27 allowance/optional claiming event at
Belmont, and did not disgrace himself when finishing sixth in the Belmont
Stakes. The cutback in distance should favor the gray son of Exchange Rate and
the Kenny McPeek pupil will pick up the services of Javier Castellano.

Aruna brings a two-for-two Belmont record into the New York Stakes (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

The New York, which will be contested at 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf,
brings back the top four finishers from Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay on May 26. Grade
1 winner Aruna proved best that afternoon, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths, and the
five-year-old mare will be seeking her sixth career stakes tally Saturday.
Leading rider Ramon Dominguez has the call for Graham Motion.

Sheepshead Bay runner-up Hit it Rich merits respect. The five-year-old mare
has never been better for Shug McGaughey, finishing either first or second in
her last five starts, including a pair of Grade 3 wins, and Castellano will be
up. Mystical Star crossed the wire third in the Sheepshead Bay, but was
disqualified and placed eighth after opening her stall door prematurely at the
break. However, the four-year-old filly completely missed the start due to that
incident and turned in a terrific showing for Christophe Clement while making
her second appearance of the season. Principal Role, who finished third when
making her U.S. debut in the Grade 3 Beaugay two back, will look to improve upon
her fourth in the Sheepshead Bay for conditioner Bill Mott.