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Dunkirk could have rematch with Bird rivals in Travers Belmont S. (G1) second-place finisher and early pacesetter DUNKIRK (Unbridled's Song) showed no signs of fatigue Sunday morning at trainer Todd Pletcher's barn. Dunkirk set the pace through a mile before dropping back, then coming back again to finish ahead of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone) by a neck in Saturday's 1 1/2-mile test. "He put in a big effort and was tired after the race," Pletcher said. "His energy levels seem to be up. He was bright and alert this morning. I was proud of his determination. It looked like at the quarter-pole he was going to be surrounded by the (Kentucky) Derby winner and the Peter Pan (G2) winner (Charitable Man), but he fought back. I have to give him a lot of credit for doing something like that." The Belmont was the fifth start for the $3.7 million Keeneland September yearling purchase. Since winning his debut less than five months ago in Florida, Dunkirk won an allowance race and ran a game second to Quality Road (Elusive Quality) in the Florida Derby (G1). "We felt back as far as November he was a top-class horse," Pletcher said. "When he broke his maiden in January, we were thinking about races like this. He's still probably a race behind his schedule." Pletcher's goal for Dunkirk is Saratoga Race Course's marquee race of the meet -- the August 29 Travers (G1) -- as well as the August 1 Jim Dandy (G2). The gray three-year-old could possibly have a rematch with Belmont winner Summer Bird (Birdstone) as well as Mine That Bird in those two events. "The Travers is a key race for us," he said. "The question is how we are going to get there. It's going to be either the Jim Dandy or the Haskell (G1). We think it's ideal to give him two months of spacing in between races. The three-year-old picture is still open. We'll have to see if someone steps up and strings a couple of victories together." Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, though disappointed with the fourth-place finish of CHARITABLE MAN (Lemon Drop Kid) in the Belmont, said the horse came back in relatively good shape. "He got nicked up a little, but otherwise, he's OK," McLaughlin said. "I said before the race that I wouldn't trade places with anyone, and I still feel that way. He is a nice horse. I think the race track had a speed bias and the complexion (of the race) changed a lot when Dunkirk went to the lead." McLaughlin said he would regroup and look to races like the Jim Dandy at nine furlongs, the Travers going 1 1/4 miles or possibly Monmouth Park's Haskell Invitational set for 1 1/8 miles on August 2. Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito said that both of his Belmont Stakes runners -- seventh-place finisher BRAVE VICTORY (Lion Heart) and 10th-place finisher MINER'S ESCAPE (Mineshaft) -- were doing well this morning, although he admits that Brave Victory was particularly lucky. "He got jumped on, and there is a gash on the back of his knee," said Zito holding his thumb and index finger about an inch apart. "He missed nicking his tendon by this much. "Miner's Escape never had a chance. He stumbled and got squeezed at the start and Dunkirk got the jump on him. I don't know if we're ready for the big races later this summer, but those are the ones we like to run in. We'll give them some time and see where they take us." Trainer Eoin Harty was still disappointed in the eighth-place finish of MR. HOT STUFF (Tiznow) in the Belmont. Mr. Hot Stuff, who showed promise with third-place finishes in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and the Sham S. (G3), raced close to the pace before fading after a mile. "It didn't work out to what we had expected," Harty said. "We'll take him back to California, start him easy, and see if he shows up again." Jerry Hollendorfer, trainer of ninth-place Belmont finisher CHOCOLATE CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]), has already returned to California but reports that the horse is doing well. Chocolate Candy is scheduled to ship out of Belmont on Monday.
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