Monday, July 16 2012

DOMINGUEZ, DUTROW, RAMSEYS WIN BELMONT MEET TITLES

ELMONT, N.Y. – Two-time reigning Eclipse champion jockey Ramon Dominguez won the Belmont Park spring/summer riding title for the fourth straight year, bringing home 70 winners during the 56-day meet that concluded Sunday.

Dominguez, the leading rider on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit this year, rode winners of more than $4.5 million during the meet and won seven stakes, including Grade 1 victories aboard Tapitsfly in the Longines Just a Game and Desert Blanc in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan on Belmont Stakes day.

Thursday, July 12 2012

POINT OF ENTRY TESTS DEEPER WATERS IN MAN O’ WAR

ELMONT, N.Y. – Point of Entry, winner of two straight, will make his first Grade 1 start when he competes in Saturday’s $600,000 Man o’ War at Belmont Park.

After beginning his career with a record of 1-2-1 in seven starts, Point of Entry cleared the first allowance condition in his final start of 2011, a 1 3/8-mile turf race in December at Gulfstream Park. The Phipps Stable homebred was fourth when cut back to 1 1/8 miles for a Gulfstream optional claimer in February, then won a pair of 1 ½-mile races at Keeneland during a 15-day span. The 4-year-old closed from 26 lengths out to win an April 12 allowance race by 1 ¼ lengths, then came back to win the Grade 2 Elkhorn, his graded stakes debut, by 1 ½ lengths on April 27.

Monday, July 09 2012

BELMONT PARK NOTES: Sunday, July 8, 2012

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Kathy Ritvo said Sunday that Mucho Macho Man emerged from his impressive victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Suburban in good order and was relaxing at the Spa.

“We’re already back in Saratoga and everything’s great,” said Ritvo, who trains the colt for Dean and Patti Reeves. “He came out of it very good.”

Sunday, July 08 2012

JERKENS, 83, SADDLES EMMA’S ENCORE ($80) TO G3 VICTORY RIDE UPSET

ELMONT, N.Y. – Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens bolstered his reputation as the “Giant Killer” at Belmont Park Saturday afternoon, sending out 39-1 Emma’s Encore to upset previously undefeated Agave Kiss in the Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride.

After breaking alertly, Emma’s Encore settled into fifth as favored Agave Kiss dueled with Jamaican Smoke through a blistering opening quarter-mile in 21.46. Jamaican Smoke headed the favorite to run a half-mile in 44 flat as Emma’s Encore began to gain momentum. Third at the top of the stretch, Emma’s Encore kicked clear through the final sixteenth of a mile to win by 2 ¾ lengths. Her final time for six furlongs was 1:08.89 and she returned $80 as the longest shot in the field of six sophomore fillies.

MUCHO MACHO MAN SIZZLES IN SUBURBAN

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mucho Macho Man established himself as a major player in his division Saturday, taking the lead on the far turn and leaving a stellar field in his wake en route to 2 ½-length victory over Hymn Book in the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.

Under his new jockey, Hall of Famer Mike Smith, the 4-year-old Macho Uno colt shadowed Trickmeister through early fractions of 23.06 and 45.68 seconds, with 7-5 choice To Honor and Serve in hot pursuit. Moving up on the far turn in tandem with the favorite, Mucho Macho Man stuck a nose in front approaching the quarter-pole and never looked back as he opened up on his six rivals through the stretch, hitting the wire in 1:46.58 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Saturday, July 07 2012

BELMONT PARK NOTES: Friday, July 6, 2012

ELMONT, N.Y. – Carried Interest, a half-length winner of a deep 2-year-old maiden special weight on Thursday at Belmont Park, is likely to make his second start in either the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on August 12 or the Grade 2 Three Chimneys Hopeful on September 3, trainer Rick Violette said.

“We’ll see how he comes out of this race and follow his lead,” added Violette.

Friday, July 06 2012

$195K PICK 6 CARRYOVER ADDS SPICE TO ‘PARTY AT THE PARK’ FRIDAY

ELMONT, N.Y. – In addition to live music and a beverage koozie giveaway, Friday’s “Party at the Park” twilight racing card at Belmont Park will include a two-day Pick 6 carryover of $194,905.

Belmont will offer a special first-race post time of 3 p.m. on Friday, and the Pick 6 will get underway 90 minutes later with race 4. All six races in the sequence attracted at least seven betting interests before scratches, with 10 or more horses entered in the second, third, fourth, and sixth legs.

Thursday, July 05 2012

MILLIONAIRES TO HONOR AND SERVE, STAY THIRSTY, MUCHO MACHO MAN TOP FIELD FOR SUBURBAN

ELMONT, N.Y. – A versatile and accomplished group of older horses will assemble Saturday at Belmont Park for the 127th running of the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Handicap, one of the oldest and most venerated races in the country.

Topping the field for the 1 1/8-mile race are Grade 1 winners To Honor and Serve and Stay Thirsty, who between them have won eight graded stakes and more than $2.8 million. Another eight graded stakes and $4.1 million in earnings is divvied up among the remaining six entrants, including 4-1 third choice Mucho Macho Man.

Saturday, June 30 2012

RIGHT ONE READY TO DEAL IN POKER

ELMONT, N.Y. – Right One, never outside the top three in four starts on the Widener turf course, heads a field of 10 horses entered in the Grade 3, $150,000 Poker, a one-mile turf race that will serve as the Independence Day feature at Belmont Park.

Last year, Right One took the Grade 3 Jaipur and Island Sun overnight stakes and was third in the Poker during the spring/summer meet. After finishing third in his 2012 debut, the Grade 2 Commonwealth on Keeneland’s artificial surface in April, the Ghislaine Head color-bearer made a five-wide rally to finish second by a diminishing three-quarters of a length in the seven-furlong Jaipur on June 8.

Thursday, June 28 2012

C C’S PAL VS. SIX IN G3 BED O’ ROSES

ELMONT, N.Y. – C C’s Pal goes for her second straight graded stakes victory Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park as she faces six seasoned sprinters in the 56th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at seven furlongs.

Privately purchased by Eric Fein after she was third behind Schoolyard Dreams – also owned by Fein – in an allowance at Tampa Bay Downs in January, 2010, the now 5-year-old daughter of Alex’s Pal went on to win at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. More recently, with an eye toward the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Fein and trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. have been focusing on one-turn events and the results have been gratifying.

ARUNA TO FACE EXPENSIVE EURO IMPORT BANIMPIRE IN NEW YORK STAKES

ELMONT, N.Y. – After winning one race in five starts in France, Aruna traveled across the Atlantic in 2010 and has since won four graded stakes, including the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay on May 26. In Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 New York for turf fillies and mares, Aruna will take on another European import, Banimpire, a five-time group stakes winner who will be making her first start since being purchased for approximately $3.1 million at auction in Ireland last October.

Acknowledging the fresh, stiff competition, Aruna’s trainer, H. Graham Motion, said his mare will have to retain her top form if she is going to sweep the Sheepshead Bay and the 1 ¼-mile New York, most recently accomplished by Mauralakana.

SEVEN SOPHOMORES DUEL IN DWYER

ELMONT, N.Y. – The 2012 Triple Crown is in the record books, but Saturday at Belmont Park seven 3-year-olds hoping to make a splash in the division this summer and fall will line up for the 95th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer.

Heading the field is Teeth of the Dog, who won the $100,000 Easy Goer overnight stakes at the Dwyer distance of 1 1/16 miles on the Belmont Stakes undercard a few short hours before his stablemate, Union Rags, closed out the spring classics with a rousing victory over Paynter.