Breeders’ Cup Marathon hero Calidoscopio, a nonthreatening fifth in his debut
for Mike Puype at Santa Anita, ships to Belmont Park in hopes of a rebound in
Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000
Brooklyn
Handicap. Previously based in Argentina, the 10-year-old veteran will meet
another South American — former Chilean Horse of the Year Quick Casablanca —
as well as such proven Belmont performers as Ruler on Ice, Birdrun, Percussion
and Fast Falcon in the 1 1/2-mile test.
Calidoscopio was a Group 1 winner in his homeland back in 2009, and last
season, he captured the Clasico General Belgrano to earn an automatic berth in
the Marathon. Overlooked at 17-1 in his U.S. premiere, the Guillermo Frenkel
charge lagged far back early, but exploded late to win going away by 4 1/4
lengths. Calidoscopio remained stateside and joined Puype, in hopes of a tilt at
the Santa Anita Handicap. Various setbacks frustrated those plans, and he
instead reappeared in the March 23 Tokyo City Cup, where he didn’t get involved
from off the pace. The senior citizen is entitled to do better with a run under
his belt, and keeps Aaron Gryder aboard as the 122-pound highweight.
Ruler on Ice sprang a 24-1 surprise in the 2011 Belmont Stakes over this
track and trip, and rounded out his promising sophomore campaign with placings
in the Haskell, Pennsylvania Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic. Yet to recover
that form as an older horse, the Kelly Breen trainee might have turned the
corner with a smart second in the May 25 Majestic Light at Monmouth, and could
fire again at the scene of his biggest triumph.
The Bill Mott-trained Birdrun, who wired the 2011 running of the Brooklyn,
has not crossed the wire first in his seven ensuing starts. Awarded the victory
in the 2011 Greenwood Cup via the disqualification of A. U. Miner, the son of
Birdstone has raced sparingly since his second in that year’s Breeders’ Cup
Marathon. His title defense in the 2012 Brooklyn went awry after a disastrous
start, and he ended up a remote ninth. Sidelined for nearly a year, Birdrun
resurfaced in the May 12 Albert the Great and checked in a distant third to
Percussion and Fast Falcon. The seven-year-old must engineer a form reversal of
almost 14 lengths with those two here.
Percussion has been in the form of his life since switching to Todd Pletcher
over the winter. Three-for-four for his new barn, the Bluegrass Cat gelding was
not disgraced when fourth to the likes of Game on Dude, Clubhouse Ride and Ron
the Greek in the April 20 Charles Town Classic. Percussion came right back to
take the 1 1/8-mile Albert the Great in front-running fashion, gamely fending
off Fast Falcon after a protracted duel. He faces a big question over the added
three furlongs in the Brooklyn.
Fast Falcon, on the other hand, should profit from the step up in trip. The
Nick Zito pupil was a fast-finishing, near-miss third in last summer’s Travers
at Saratoga, and turned in several other creditable efforts in defeat here at
three, including a pair of seconds in the Dwyer and Easy Goer and a fifth in the
Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Quick Casablanca ranked as Horse of the Year in his native Chile for the
2011-12 season, chiefly through victories in the El Derby on turf and the Gran
Premio Asociacion Latinoamericana on dirt. Out of action for a year after his
importation, he made a solid debut for Christophe Clement when third in the May
15 Good Reward over 1 1/4 grassy miles, and should prefer the added ground.
Rounding out the field of eight are class climbers Keep Me Informed and
Flashy Sunrise.
Also on Friday’s card, Mr. Commons seeks to snap his losing streak in the
Grade 3, $150,000
Jaipur,
marking the first stakes runner for trainer John Shirreffs since he set up shop
at Belmont this spring.
Mr. Commons, who last visited the winner’s circle after the 2012 Arcadia at
Santa Anita, has run consistently well in the interim and deserves to get his
head back in front. A whisker short of catching Obviously in a course
record-setting renewal of the Del Mar Mile in August, he was beaten three
lengths by Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and in the April
12 Maker’s 46 Mile last out. The slight cutback to seven furlongs on the Widener
turf could also help his cause, given the likelihood of a fast pace, and he
picks up the hot-riding Luis Saez.
Clement will send out Summer Breezing, a course-and-distance winner of the
Tiller last year, and most recently successful in an allowance over Keeneland’s
Polytrack. Beau Choix, likewise a stakes victor in these conditions, comes off
placings in the Canadian Turf (to Data Link) and Appleton (to Za Approval).
Trainer Bruce Brown is double-handed with the speedy Spring to the Sky and
the closer Night Officer. Spring to the Sky was just caught late by Ben’s Cat in
the May 17 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, while Night Officer was up in time in the
Around the Cape at Belmont the day before.
Next Question warrants respect as the winner of the Nearctic at Woodbine last
October, and trainer Mike Trombetta adds blinkers to the equation after a pair
of losses this campaign. Fifth in a blanket finish to the Shakertown, the New
York-bred tired to third behind Night Officer in the Around the Cape.
With rain in the forecast, a trio of main-track-only entrants hope for a
surface switch — smashing allowance rompers Souper Speedy and Reload as well as
Politicallycorrect.
The stakes action on Belmont Stakes Eve gets under way with the $100,000
Mariensky, for fillies and mares who have not won a graded stakes on turf in
2013. Top contenders in the 1 1/16-mile inner turf affair include Naples Bay,
last September’s Noble Damsel winner, and stablemate Team from the Clement barn;
Beaugay runner-up Peace Preserver; and Silver Screamer. Shug McGaughey has his
options covered with Scampering, who shortens up off a seventh in the 1 1/2-mile
Bewitch, and the main-track-only Sea Island, who continued her seconditis with a
runner-up effort in the Allaire duPont Distaff.
NYRA is offering a Secretariat poster giveaway on Friday, in celebration of
the 40th anniversary of Big Red’s amazing 31-length romp in the Belmont,
completing a Triple Crown sweep.
Posters will be handed out at the paddock, backyard and clubhouse gates, free
with paid admission, while supplies last.
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