Peter Pan - Brisnet

Last updated: 5/28/05 10:07 PM

Oratory made some noise at Belmont Park
(Uli Seit/Horsephotos.com)

Darley Stable’s ORATORY (Pulpit) dueled with fellow pacesetter Reverberate
(Thunder Gulch) throughout Saturday’s $200,000
Peter Pan S. (G2) at Belmont
Park, but eventually put that rival away and pulled off for an easy 4 3/4-length
win under Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey. The Tom Albertrani-trained bay was sent
off the 5-1 third pick in the eight-horse field and paid $12.80, $5.80 and
$4.20.

Gorbash (Grindstone) broke on top, but it was Oratory and Reverberate who
shot to the lead, with the former getting the opening quarter in :24. His rival managed
to get a head in front past a half and three-quarters in :47 2/5 and 1:11,
respectively, but Reverberate wasn’t able to maintain his advantage as they
entered the stretch. Oratory simply pulled away once taking command, getting the
mile in 1:34 3/5 before stopping the clock in a stakes record 1:46 1/5 for nine furlongs on the
fast track.

“Right from the beginning, he put himself in the race — which is unusual,”
Albertrani said. “He always likes to be a few lengths behind the leader. He
never shows that much interest early on. The first quarter in :24 stands to
reason why he was there. I was just happy to see him there after the first
quarter.”

Reverberate left his rail position in the stretch run, and was easily the
best of the rest, coming in 6 1/2 lengths in front of Golden Man (Suave
Prospect). As the 9-1 fifth choice, he returned $8.80 and $5.10 while ending the
$77 exacta. Golden Man was worth $4.90 while finishing the $396 trifecta (8-7-5)
at nearly 6-1. Chekhov (Pulpit), the 3-2 favorite, came in another length back
in fourth and was followed under the wire by Robador (Robannier), Sir Greeley
(Mr. Greeley), Gorbash and Mr Sword (Rizzi).

Oratory was making his stakes debut in this one, and moved his line to
5-3-2-0 with $189,000 in lifetime earnings. The sophomore is out of the multiple
stakes-winning Arrested Dreams (Dehere), who is also the dam of two Thunder
Gulch fillies, a juvenile and a yearling.

Oratory was bred in Kentucky by Louie Roussel III and sold for $100,000 as a
Keeneland September yearling.

Albertrani said a run in the June 11 Belmont S. (G1) for Oratory is unlikely,
but that Sheikh Mohammed would make the final decision.

Favored Chekhov was bumped, according to trainer Patrick Biancone.

“He got bumped at the start,” Biancone said. “He’s a big baby and he got a
little scared. Lack of maturity might have hurt today. He’s a big baby and he
ran like a baby today. We’ll see how he comes back, and we’ll talk with my
people about the Belmont.”