richiebee Wrote:
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> Already looking forward to checking out Belmont on
> the Friday before the big event.
> While most of stakes activity is concentrated on
> Belmont Day, Friday will have as
> features the 6 furlong True North and the first
> running of something called the
> Belmont Gold Cup Invitational to be run at 2 miles
> on the Widener turf.
Actually VERY short and long, as Friday\'s card begins with a MSW 5 furlong
turf dash. Seeing as there is no track record listed for this distance, safe
to assume that this will be the first 5f turf race ever run at Belmont.
With regards to the 2 mile Belmont Gold Cup Invitational, run as the final
race on the card, Racing Director Martin Panza owes H.Graham Motion a few
favors as Motion has 3 entrants in the 12 horse field. The highweights in the
field are Twilight Eclipse (121) and Charming Kitten (119).
Also of interest in the 2 miler is Irish Mission, a filly who will be coming
back in 12 days off a strange effort in the Sheepshead Bay where she pressed
the pace of loose on the lead eventual winner Riposte for 3/4s of a mile,
dropped seemingly out of contention, then surged in the lane for third. If she
goes will be interesting to see how close I. Ortiz can come to making the 110
pound weight assignment. Have to respect Clement\'s trainer intent if this one
comes back on short rest versus males.
To add to the intrique, James Day has Spy in the Sky, a steeplechaser who has
not finished the course in his last two efforts over jumps and comes out of a
2 mile training race. In olden times jump trainers, especially Janet Elliot
and Jonathan Sheppard, were known to put over the occasional high priced
winner who showed very little form in flat races.
All in all a great late P4 featuring full fields and the 2 stakes races.
Weather high 78 with a very slight chance of rain.
Further turf note-- on Saturday the temp turf rails were placed at the maximum
setting, 35 feet on the inner, 27 feet on the Widener. Watching from Living
Room Downs, when the fields turned for home, it appeared as if they were
racing in a cattle pen. Would imagine that Bellsbendboy, who watches temp rail
placement closely, was taking detailed notes, looking for a bet back who might
have had their chances compromised by the narrow courses.
