AMERICAN GRADED STAKES
PREVIEWS
| WESTCHESTER
H. (G3), 8TH-BEL, $100,000, 3YO/UP, 1M, 4:40PM, 5-3 |
|
| 1 |
BLAZING PURRSUIT, 5, h, by Tale of the Cat—Blazing Kadie, by Our Native O-Nicholson Patricia E Nicholson Rona; B-C. H. O. & Ronnie Nicholson (Ky) |
| 2 |
SIR GREELEY, 4, G, by Mr. Greeley—Worry Not, by Concern O-Walsh Mrs Thomas J Timber Bay Farm; B-Fred W. Hertrich & Brilliant Stables (Ky) |
| 3 |
LITTLE THUNDER, 4, c, by Sword Dance (Ire)—Beaties for Real, by Unreal Zeal O-Haynes C Robert; B-Gilbert G. Campbell (Fl) |
| 4 |
GYGISTAR, 7, h, by Prospector’s Music—Starr County, by Ogygian O/B-Edward P. Evans (Ky) |
| 5 |
KENNEL UP, 5, h, by Joyeux Danseur—Delighted, by Eastern Echo O/B-Joseph V. Shields Jr. (Fl) |
| 6 |
HAPPY HUNTING, 5, h, by Seeking the Gold—Furlough, by Easy Goer O.B-Phipps Stable (Ky) |
| 7 |
LOVE OF MONEY, 5, h, by Not for Love—Mescalina, by Smarten O-Jay Em Ess Stable; B-Bowman, Sutton & Higgins (Md) |
A short field of seven will line up for the $100,000 Westchester H. (G3) at
one mile, the feature race for Belmont Park’s opening day on Wednesday.
SIR GREELEY (Mr. Greeley) exits two close finishes, losing by a neck in the
Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup Sprint Championship H. (G2) before coming home
second by another neck in the Carter H. (G1) last out in the slop at Aqueduct.
He makes a jockey switch to jockey Eibar Coa, who guided the four-year-old
gelding to the winner’s circle last year, and the James Jerkens trainee should do
well at a distance which he has shown an affinity for in the past (three for
four).
GYGISTAR (Prospector’s Music) is winless since defeating allowance company
over this same surface in September of last year, but he did capture the
Westchester in sharp fashion last year. Overall, the seven-year-old
gelding has annexed five of nine here at Belmont and compiled a 9-4-1-3
record at a mile. Gygistar came home third in his opener this year to fellow
rival LITTLE THUNDER (Sword Dance [Ire]) in the Artax S. at Gulfstream Park in
April, but he needed that race and should improve in his second start off the
layoff. Javier Castellano has the call.
Little Thunder’s last race at a mile was an 8 1/4-length romp over allowance
foes. The Dale Capuano-trained dark bay won six of his last seven, including his five-lengths score in the Artax last out. A winner
in four of five at the distance,
Little Thunder will most likely be off the early pace and has a good late kick
which should get him into contention in the latter stages of the race. Jeremy
Rose will ride.
LOVE OF MONEY (Not for Love) is coming off a near one-year layoff when he
finished last in the Metropolitan H. (G1) to Ghostzapper. The five-year-old dark
bay has good early speed and is a threat to take this one-wire-to-wire. Although we will give him a race for now, keep in mind for the exotics.
BLAZING PURRSUIT (Tale of the Cat) came home a winner in four-straight
appearances before running just off the board in the Artax. A winner and placer
in two starts at Belmont, the four-year-old chestnut could surprise at long odds
for conditioner James Toner. Cornelio Velasquez replaces injured jockey John
Velazquez. HAPPY HUNTING (Seeking the Gold) didn’t take to the slop in the
Carter, but could improve while returning to the main track. KENNEL UP (Joyeux
Danseur) displayed a good turn of foot in a allowance/optional claiming prep in
April, just missing under Mike Smith. Kennel Up has fared well against lesser
company, but might be a little too overmatched in this position to cross the
wire in front.