By Ray Paulick
Belmont Park offers five Grade 1 races today, beginning with the Beldame (you remember, the race where TVG boosted the purse in hopes of getting Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra, connections for neither of which appeared to take very seriously). I’ll be writing a live blog providing results of Belmont’s races (following the Beldame is the Vosburgh for sprinters, the Flower Bowl for fillies and mares on turf, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational for male turf horses, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which pits the top-class 3-year-olds Summer Bird and Quality Road against Macho Again, who nearly caught Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward Stakes. I’ll provide some of the other day’s graded stakes activity from Hawthorne, where the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup is being run, as the serious final prep races for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships get under way.
(All photos by Eric Kalet.)
Here is a link to today’s Belmont Park Equibase charts.
Post time for the Beldame is 3:23 p.m. Eastern.
The rains came midway through the Belmont card, and though the main track was still called fast when Music Note entered the gate as the 1-5 favorite in the Beldame, it was a very wet, fast track. Music Note may have had a few nervous moments, as track announcer Tom Durkin said, when she was pinned down on the rail in the long run down the backstretch while tracking pacesetter Unbridled Belle. But jockey Rajiv Muragh, moved the daughter of A.P. Indy to the outside around the turn and she wore down Unbridled Belle to get the win by 2 1/4 lengths, covering the distance in 1:48.49. Unbridled Belle (who set soft fractions of :24.24, :47.99 and 1:11.66) held second, with Copper State third and Captain’s Lover fourth in the five-horse field. Captain’s Lover and Unbridled Belle were coupled, and Captain’s Lover and John Velazquez did their best to keep Music Note down on the rail, but Captain’s Lover couldn’t keep up after five furlongs.
Music Note was winning for the seventh time in 11 starts for Godolphin. This was just her third start of the year, following a fifth-place finish in the Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park and a victory in Saratoga’s Ballerina. She finished third behind Zenyatta and stablemate Cocoa Beach in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (formerly the Distaff). The Saeed bin Suroor-trained filly paid $2.50 for the win.
Couple of college football notes: Michigan State upset previously unbeaten Michigan, 26-20, in overtime. Alabama crushed the University of Kentucky Wildcasts 38-20.
3:58 p.m. … The rain at Belmont has gotten worse, making it tough to even pick up the horses on the television feed. Good luck Tom Durkin, though the fact the Vosburgh is a four-horse field makes it a lot easier for him.
Kodiak Kowboy got up in the final strides to beat odds-on favorite Fabulous Strike by a half-length in the six-furlong Vosburgh under Shaun Bridgmohan. The 4-year-old son of Posse owned by Rick Porter Fox Hill Farms and Tom Simon’s Vinery Stables was back in the care of trainer Steve Asmussen for the Vosburgh after being transferred from Asmussen to Larry Jones a little over a year ago.
Fabulous Strike got a stalking trip, settling just off the pace of Go Go Shoot, with Munnings in third and Kodiak Kowboy the trailer. Go Go Shoot went a quick opening quarter-mile in :22.33 over a very rain-soaked track. Fabulous Strike moved to the lead on the turn under Ramon Dominquez, but Kodiak Kowboy was beginning his rally before straightening out for the stretch run. He appeared to have all the momentum, but hesitated when he was getting the muddy kickback from Fabulous Strike. Bridgmohan shifted Kodiak Kowboy to the outside and he quickly regained his best stride and went on to win by a half length. Munning was third after never really threatening.
This was the 10th win from 22 starts for Kodiak Kowboy and the second in a Grade 1 race, following his victory earlier this year in the Carter Handicap at Aqueduct. He had finished second to Pyro in the Forego and third behind Fabulous Strike and Go Go Shoot in the Aflred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in his previous two starts. Kodiak Kowboy ran third for Jones in last year’s Vosburgh.
Kodiak Kowboy covered the six furlongs on a sloppy main track in 1:10.08 and paid $11.60.
4:15 p.m. … When Matt Carothers sings Happy Birthday to Ken Rudulph on TVG, that can mean one of two things: mute button or HRTV. We’ll go for the latter. I have a feeling I’m not alone.
4:30 p.m. … Congrats to Equibase for putting together a useful late changes/scratches service. I won’t ask what took so long. Here is the link to Belmont’s late changes. Presious Passion wasn’t listed as a scratch from the Joe Hirsch last time I looked, but that was the word from the television talking heads. Carribean Sunset has been scratched from the Flower Bowl, while Gio Ponti’s entrymate Winchester and Ready’s Echo have been scratched from the Hirsch.
The rains are still falling heavily at Belmont Park as the field of fillies and mares heads toward the gate for the Flower Bowl.
4:40 p.m. … Julien Leparoux gave the ever-consistent Pure Clan a perfectly timed ride in the Flower Bowl, getting up in the final sixteenth of a mile, then pulling away to beat Criticism by 2 3/4 lengths over a boggy Belmont turf course. Queen of Hearts was third and Moneycantbuymelove fourth.
Leamington took the early lead in the Flower Bowl, putting up very slow splits of :26.81 for the quarter, :53.81 for the half-mile and 1:20.43 for six furlongs on the soft turf, with Criticism tracking her. Leparoux had Pure Clan in good position in fifth, then rallied on the final turn and took dead aim at Criticism and jockey Javiar Castellano.
It was the eighth victory in 15 starts and 14th 1-2-3 finish for the Lakland Farm runner trained by Bob Holthus. The daughter of the Storm Cat stallion Pure Prize was coming off a third in the Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington and had one previous Grade 1 victory in last year’s American Oaks on the Hollywood Park turf course. Pure Clan was never a factor in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita.
Final time of the 1 1/4 mile Flower Bowl was 2:12.43 after a mile fraction of 1:46.63. It was a bog out there, but Pure Clan didn’t seem to mind it one bit.
5:08 p.m. … It’s true that you don’t see the Phipps Stable silks at Thistledown that often, but the trip by Gone Astray from Belmont Park to Cleveland was well worth it as the son of Dixie Union sat off the early pace set by War Fighter, moved to the lead at midstretch and drew away impressively by 2 1/4 lengths. The Shug McGaughey-trained colt was coming off a big win in the Pennsylvania Derby. Gone Astray covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.56 War Fighter was second, with Ice Road third. Gone Astray was the 2-5 favorite.
5:15 p.m. … Gio Ponti looked like a winner in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational when he cruised up alongside pacesetter Interpatation at the top of the stretch, but the Bobby Barbara-trained 7-year-old gelding by Langfuhr found a second wind in the final furlong and rerallied to beat Gio Ponti by 1 3/4 lengths on an extremely soft turf course.
Robbie Albarado rode the winner, who was getting just his sixth career win from 50 starts for owner Elliot Mavorah. He set all the fractions of :26.01, :54.22, 1:22.20 and 1:48.77 for the opening mile After a mile and a quarter time of 2:14.59, Interpatation completed the 1 1/2 miles in 2:41.22, about 17 seconds slower than the course record.
Interpatation hadn’t finished in the top three in his last seven starts. His last in the money finish came when second to Grand Couturier in the 2008 Joe Hirsch Turf Invitational. Gio Ponti, on the other hand, came into the Joe Hirsch off four consecutive Grade 1 victories, but the 1 1/2 miles of the race and the soft conditions may have exposed the 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat’s distance limitations, as he had never raced farther than 1 3/8 miles.
Interpatation paid $89.50 on a $2 wager to win. Telling, the original third-place finisher, was disqualified and placed fourth behind Grand Couturier for interference.
5:30 p.m. … Awesome Gem and David Flores ran down Nite Light to win the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup going away at Hawthorne Park, giving West Point Thoroughbreds the first leg of a big potential parlay that could culminate with a victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup only a few minutes from now with Macho Again. Going Ballistic was third and You and I Forever fourth in the mile and a quarter Gold Cup, a Grade 2 event.
5:50 p.m. … The rain has subsided as the field entered the gate for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which begins midway around the clubhouse turn on this 1 1/2 mile oval.
Summer Bird and Quality Road put on a show, racing together the length stretch while well off the rail, but Summer Bird prevailed by one length to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup on a sloppy dirt track. Pacesetting Tizway was third, with Macho Again never really getting untracked and finishing fourth.
Summer Bird only has four career victories to his credit, beginning with a maiden win at Oaklawn Park in March. But the son of Gainesway stallion Birdstone, owned and bred by Drs. K.K. and Devi Jayaraman and trained by Tim Ice, has built quite a resume with the other three victories, all Grade 1–the Belmont Stakes in June, the Travers in August, and now the Jockey Club Gold Cup in early October–to make him the clear leader for an Eclipse Award in the 3-year-old male division.
Kent Desormeaux allowed Summer Bird to settle off the early pace set first by Tizway through the opening quarter mile in :24.96 and then by Quality Road through a half mile in :49.73 and six furlongs in 1:13.12. Sensing that Quality Road might have it too easy on the front end, Desormeaux moved Summer Bird toward the lead before hitting the far turn, and engaged Quality Road in earnest when the pair hit the top of the stretch, the mile in 1:37.62. With Summer Bird on the outside, the pair raced together to the final sixteenth, when Summer Bird edged away gradually for the win, the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.51 on the sloppy track.
There were plenty of other races on the day that I didn’t blog about, but George Jacob and Jill Baffert’s Misremembered won the Grade 2 Indiana Derby, which offered a $500,000 purse. Victor Espinosa rode the winner, a son of Candy Ride. Giant Oak finished second, a half length back, with Karama third. Win Willy, the slight favorite over Misremembered, finished fifth.
POST RACE COMMENTS, COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
BELDAME QUOTES
Saeed bin Suroor winning trainer of favored Music Note (No. 2): "She was really happy, relaxed, in condition. She showed her good turn of foot. I was waiting for him to take her outside. When he did, I was happy. We’ll take her to the Breeders’ Cup. Nine furlongs (in the Ladies Classic) will suit her. She looked better than ever."
Rick Mettee, assistant to winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor of favored Music Note (No. 2): "It was good race riding on the part of the entry’s riders. It wasn’t unexpected, but luckily she got separation off the turn. I was a little concerned about how well Unbridled Belle was traveling. When they got head-to-head, Ramon (Dominguez, jockey on Unbridled Belle) had gone to the stick and Rajiv (Maragh, jockey on Music Note) had not. This is the fifth Grade 1 for this filly and four of them are here (at Belmont)."
Rajiv Maragh, winning rider aboard favored Music Note (No. 2): "I was comfortable because I didn’t want to go too early. I wanted to get my filly to relax. Once I was behind the horses, she was getting into a nice, high cruising speed. I was pretty happy. I knew they were going to spread out at some point in the race. Once they did, that’s when I made a move to get clear. There was a lot of racetrack left by the time I got open."
Ramon Dominguez, rider aboard runner-up Unbridled Belle (No. 1a): "I had a good trip. My filly was relaxed and the other filly was just much the best."
VOSBURGH QUOTES
Scott Blasi, assistant to winning trainer Steve Asmussen, of Kodiak Kowboy (No. 4): "It set up great for him. There was plenty of speed up front. He’s been such a top horse his whole career."
Shaun Bridgmohan, winning jockey aboard Kodiak Kowboy (No. 4): "I was on him when he won the Saratoga Special. He was a pro even back then. When he was transferred to Steve Asmussen’s barn, I was excited because I knew I had a shot at getting back on him. Today, when I hit him left-handed, he really dug in gamely."
Todd Beattie, trainer of favored runner-up Fabulous Strike (No. 5): "We’re disappointed with the way he broke through the gate. I thought we were home free until Kodiak Cowboy caught him. Kodiak Cowboy is a tough customer. We have been battling with him for quite a long time. It was obvious he ran well today. You cannot knock my horse’s effort. He made a good, solid effort. I knew he handled the off going. I was surprised they finished in 1:10. I will have to talk to the owner about the Breeders’ Cup."
Ramon Dominguez, rider aboard favored runner-up Fabulous Strike (No. 5): "Tough beat, unfortunately it didn’t work out our way today. We had an ideal trip. I sat right off [Go Go Shoot] in front and made the lead with ease when I wanted, I just couldn’t hold off the winner."
FLOWER BOWL QUOTES
Bob Holthus, winning trainer, Pure Clan (No. 3): "She ran a great race. I’m glad it’s over. She showed more speed today than normal. She was in the race all the way. [Jockey] Julien [Leparoux] had confidence. It’s always good to get Grade 1’s."
Julien Leparoux, winning rider aboard Pure Clan (No. 3): "She ran well today. We wanted her behind the pace so she would make a big run at the end. The turf course was really soft and she had to work hard at it in the stretch. Still, she got the job done."
Tom Albertrani, trainer of runner-up Criticism (No. 5): ""We were pleased with her. She came back to her previous races [and] found her best stride. We were really happy with the way she had been coming into this race since she was training so well. Today, she fired her shot. She is definitely better going longer. We are considering bringing bring her to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf."
Javier Castellano, runner-up jockey, Criticism (No. 5): "I’m very satisfied with the way she ran. She was stalking, just like we wanted. Unfortunately, she was second best, but I’m very happy."
JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC QUOTES
Bobby Barbara, winning trainer, Interpatation (No. 3): "It was great. Great! I just loved the way he looked going down the backside. In front of me, over here, he was just galloping on the lead and Robby just said he was having fun doing it. I was waiting for him one day to pick his head up and do it right. He did it right, on the perfect day. This horse made $700,000 the hard way, and now he’s over a million in one day! I don’t know what’s next for him."
Robby Albarado, winning rider aboard Interpatation (No. 3): "I had never ridden him before. Bobby said in the paddock, he’s a stayer. He said a mile and a half is his distance, he ran his best race here last year, when he was second. I had the intention of being forwardly placed, and I ended up on the lead, galloping, in a canter. At every point, I had plenty of horse. When Gio Ponti ran up to me, I thought, ‘Gee, maybe I can get second.’ But he didn’t get away from me, and my horse hit his stride."
Christophe Clement, trainer of beaten favorite and runner-up Gio Ponti (No. 1): "Second best in that one, but I thought he ran a very good race - he really tried. The idea is to go from there to the Breeders’ Cup, use the race and move on."
Ramon Dominguez, jockey aboard beaten favorite and runner-up Gio Ponti (No. 1): "He handled the going well. He just got a little tired at the end."
JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP QUOTES
Tim Ice, winning trainer of Summer Bird (No. 3): "When Kent swung him to the outside I knew he had the spot he wanted. He had said in the paddock the inside wasn’t that good so he wanted him about four or five off the rail. When Summer Bird took the lead I was very confident that no one was going to get in front of him. Summer Bird was hanging a little bit on him; Kent said it was easier than it looked. He was in no doubt he was going to win the race. [The last sixteenth] I was thinking no one was going to get by him. He’s that kind of a racehorse. He’s going to dig back in. I was feeling pretty confident."
"It means a lot to win the three races in New York. It’s been 20 years since a three-year-old won the Belmont Stakes, the Travers, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. I think it puts him in an elite group and he should be named [champion] three-year-old colt."
"The goal is the Breeders’ Cup [Classic]. We’ll take a couple of days and see how he is."
Kent Desormeaux, winning rider aboard Summer Bird (No. 3): "Unlike the Travers, he was completely off the bridle, just cruising along. Once I positioned him, he was floating, completely turned off. I think he was idling in the stretch. At the quarter pole, he spit past Quality Road and he was idling. He’s trying to be the best horse I’ve ever ridden. [Best effort yet?] "By far. He was awesome today. He pulled up quietly like nothing had ever happened."
Todd Pletcher, trainer of runner-up Quality Road (No. 7): "He ran well. I don’t think [his acting up] before the start had any bearing on the race. I think he’s better on fast track. Summer Bird relishes this kind of surface. [Breeders' Cup?] We will talk with Mr. [Edward] Evans. It’s run on synthetic so we have some thinking to do."
John Velazquez, rider aboard runner-up Quality Road (No. 7): ""He put in a good effort. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet. I’m not knocking the other horse [Summer Bird]. The other horse ran a great race, too. I think my horse is better on a dry track. I would like to see both horses on a dry track to see which one is the best horse. [Summer Bird] had an advantage over my horse. He had been running all summer long. My horse was stopped twice and came back at 6 1/2 [furlongs] then went to a mile and a quarter over a wet track. I’m not frustrated. I just think my horse is better than [he was today]."
H. James Bond, trainer of third-place finisher Tizway (No. 4): "A good effort. The other horse just loves the mud."
Rajiv Maragh, rider aboard third-place finisher Tizway (No. 4): "My horse earned respect for finishing third. We had a clear shot with a nice pace. The race really took off at the half-mile pole and he couldn’t keep up with the top two. We were clearly third best. This was a good group of horses. To be third-best in this race, it’s not disappointing because there were good horses behind us."
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
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