Weekend Notes
– A speedy Songster dazzled in his first start off a nine month layoff, wiring the Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont in 1:08.8 (DRF) and earning a new Beyer high of 109 for the effort.
– Also at Belmont: Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s hot streak continued with second-time starter Daheer in the fourth, who paid $27.00 to win and was one of two longshots that jockey Alan Garcia brought home on Saturday. The other was career maiden Gold Pageantry, out of Howard Tesher’s barn, in the second, who finally found a field he couldn’t lose against and paid $35.60 to win. Daheer’s a full brother to Grade 1 winner Spun Sugar, who was retired early this year (NTRA). McLaughlin’s won with three of his last four starters and is now sitting on top of Belmont’s trainer standings with a 6-for-10 record since the meet’s opening.
– In the Hilltop Stakes, “Street Sounds essentially got paid for a one-mile workout at Pimlico on Saturday” (DRF). The Street Cry filly, coming off a dominating win at 9-1 in the Grade 2 Beaumont at Keeneland last month, was sent to post as the 1-5 favorite and earned a 94 Beyer.
– Slew’s Tizzy could be headed to the Belmont, following a 1 3/4 lengths win over a sloppy track in the Lone Star Derby (Blood-Horse).
– At Hollywood, Sunday: Longshot Ashley’s Kitty came from off the pace and three wide to win the Railbird Stakes, beating favorite Silver Swallow to the wire by a nose. The race was apprentice Joe Talamo’s third win of the day and his first graded stakes score. Sindy With an S, coming off an allowance win and getting her first big class test, dueled with Storm Queen for the early lead as the two set fast, fast fractions of :21.61 and :43.98 for the first half. Sindy With an S finished third; Storm Queen faded badly to sixth.
