JC / Railbird

Undercard

Quick Links, Impressions

– Back for one day only, Blinkers Off reports on the Joe Hirsch memorial held today at Belmont and the Thursday visit of Woolley and Borel to the NYSE.

– Google seems to be sending many people here in search of Belmont undercard information: For more on those five intriguing races, please visit Foolish Pleasure and Superfecta, both of whom have written superb round-ups of the racing this Friday and Saturday.

– Other than the Belmont Stakes, the two races I’m most interested in are the Manhattan Handicap, in which Better Talk Now, winless since the 2007 Manhattan, attempts to become the first 10-year-old to score a G1 victory, and the Woody Stephens, which has drawn a deep field of interesting 3-year-old sprinters, including two undefeated starters (Hull and Everyday Heroes), Hello Broadway (running blinkers off again), and Regal Ransom, making his first start since finishing eighth in the Derby. With its likely compressed odds, this might be more of a race to watch then play for me. Regal Ransom, one of my Derby picks, is coupled with Everyday Heroes and little tempts as a 2-1 morning line favorite; Munnings, making his second start following a sharp second-place finish in a Churchill Downs allowance, is a sound alternate pick, but probably not at 4-1.

– As for the Belmont, like Steve Haskin, I’ve become smitten with Mine That Bird, the little gelding who left me stunned and confused on the first Saturday in May. Watching the Derby winner at Belmont this rainy morning confirmed for me he’s ready to run again. Not only did he appear to glide smoothly over the sloppy surface, he looked fresh (especially as he came off the track), as though the rigors of the past five weeks have left him untouched. And while he was for the most part well behaved as he was being bathed and walked, Mine That Bird couldn’t resist a bit of playful bucking as he was led around the shedrow. “It’ll take a good horse to beat him this Saturday,” jockey Calvin Borel said on Thursday, and I saw nothing today to make me doubt the rider’s words.

– Chip Woolley, who hasn’t followed his rider’s lead in making any bold predictions, was also looking well this morning, at ease with the media crowd and speaking confidently about tomorrow. “I got a great colt and he shows up every time,” said the trainer. “We’re ready.”

– Is it possible that Mine That Bird will go post not as the favorite? Or better than 2-1? In at least one poll, the Derby winner is tied with Charitable Man.

Posted in Announcements, Racing on June 5, 2009 / Tagged Belmont Stakes, Manhattan Stakes, Mine That Bird, Undercard, Woody Stephens

Belmont Undercard

Shaping up well, according to NYRA notes:

True North Handicap: Desert Key, Disco’s Son, Fabulous Strike, Kodiak Kowboy, Per Incanto, Silver Edition and Sixthirteen.

Just A Game Stakes (turf): Captain’s Lover (SAF), Carribean Sunset (IRE), Diamondrella (GB), Forever Together, Modern Look (GB) and My Princess Jess.

Acorn Stakes: Be Fair, Devotee, Doremifasollatido, Dream Play, Funny Moon, Just Jenda and Justwhistledixie.

Woody Stephens Stakes: Hello Broadway, Hull, Mr. Fantasy, Munnings, Regal Ransom and This Ones For Phil.

Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (inner turf): Better Talk Now, Court Vision, Cowboy Cal, Gio Ponti, Grand Couturier (GB), Interpatation, Lauro (GER) and Premium Gold.

Interesting to see Hello Broadway pop up as a possible for the Woody Stephens following the Peter Pan, a race in which he set wild fractions of :44.89 and 1:08.93 before finishing fourth. (“Who would have thought he would run off like that?” said trainer Barclay Tagg after. “In every race, it’s always been something with him.” Wonder what he’ll do this start?)

Posted in Racing on May 28, 2009 / Tagged Belmont Park, Belmont Stakes, Hello Broadway, Undercard