After sustaining his first setback in five starts at Belmont Park, Flat Out
will attempt to make amends in Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000
Suburban
Handicap. Installed as the even-money choice on the morning line, the Bill Mott-trained horse will face only four rivals in the 1
1/8-mile event.
The seven-year-old recorded his first win at Belmont in the 2011 Suburban,
scoring by 6 1/2 lengths as the longest shot among six starters, and went on to
add the prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup to his ledger that fall. The son of
Flatter was transferred to Mott early last year and successfully defended his
Gold Cup title before concluding the season with a third in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic at Santa Anita.
Flat Out opened 2013 with a couple of unplaced finishes at Gulfstream Park
and Fair Grounds, but rebounded when returning to Belmont for the Grade 3
Westchester on April 27, getting up to win at a one-mile distance that was
considered less than optimal. That performance resulted in him being favored in
the May 27 Metropolitan Handicap, but Flat Out could not re-produce the magic at
eight furlongs and wound up a non-threatening third.
“We didn’t get it done in the Met Mile, which we wanted to, and maybe we’d
give him another opportunity here,” said Mott, who trains Flat Out for Preston
Stables. “I would think the Suburban might not be as tough as the Met Mile was.
If we were to wait for the Whitney (on August 3 at Saratoga) we’d have to wait
another month and I’m not sure the horse needs another month.”
The Florida-bred retains the services of Junior Alvarado.
Last Gunfighter is the main opponent. The four-year-old has won six straight
since breaking his maiden at Belmont Park last October, including a convincing 4
1/4-length tally most recently in the May 17 Pimlico Special. The Chad Brown
trainee netted a 108 BRIS Speed rating for the effort but similar to his
previous wins in the Excelsior and Evening Attire over Aqueduct’s inner track,
the First Samurai colt did not beat an accomplished field last time. Last
Gunfighter will receive his first serious class check and Javier
Castellano rides.
“There are a lot of nice horses in the race and we hope that he keeps inching
forward,” Brown said. “If he does, he should be competitive.”
The Suburban marks the U.S. return for Alpha, last year’s dead-heat Travers
winner who opened this season with a pair of unplaced finishes in Dubai.
Percussion and Fast Falcon, the second- and third-place finishers from the June
7 Brooklyn at 1 1/2 miles, round out the short field.
One race after the Suburban, the Grade 2, $200,000
Dwyer for
three-year-olds will be offered. Peter Pan runner-up Saint Vigeur and graded
stakes-placed Abraham are leading contenders in the 1 1/16-mile test.
Saint Vigeur reeled off back-to-back wins for Brown, taking a maiden special
weight at Gulfstream and an Aqueduct optional claimer, before a non-threatening
second behind Freedom Child in the May 11 Peter Pan. The dark bay son of Smart
Strike is a viable candidate to keep improving off his initial stakes appearance
and Castellano will be back in the saddle.
Abraham jumped immediately to stakes company following his maiden special
weight victory at Gulfstream, finishing a respectable third in the Grade 3
Sunland Derby, but took a step back with a fourth in the Illinois Derby
following a bad start. The Todd Pletcher charge missed third by a nose in the
Peter Pan last time and will receive a rider switch to Alvarado Saturday.
Pletcher is also responsible for Battier, who posted his first stakes tally
in the overnight Fit Stakes at Aqueduct on April 7 before a third in the May 22
Gygistar at Belmont. Completing the six-horse field are stakes-placed For
Greater Glory, last-out optional claiming winner Make Your Move and recent
maiden scorer Moreno.
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