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BELMONT PARK NOTEBOOK MAY 4, 2011 by John Mucciolo A single graded race kicked off the meeting at Belmont Park. Westchester S. (G3): Mike Repole's CAIXA ELECTRONICA (Arromanches) sat in third behind a dueling pair, moved to the front in early stretch and strode home a powerful, three-length winner in this one for Todd Pletcher. The six-year-old finished off the one-mile feature in a sharp 1:34 1/5 under Cornelio Velasquez. Track Stats A total of 29 races were held over Elmont, New York venue, with favorites winning at a 41 percent rate and the top two betting choices combining for 62 percent of the wins. From 17 races on the main oval, four animals won in wire-to-wire fashion (24 percent), and three runners led at every call on the lawn from 12 races (25 percent). The main oval played to all types of running styles during the opening weekend, with early leaders, pace pressers and late runners all successful. Horses breaking from the rail have endured some hard times in the past at Big Sandy, so we will monitor that closely as the weeks carry on. The top two betting choices combined for eight of the nine wins on Friday, and eight more betting choices cashed in over Saturday and Sunday. This meet is customarily good to the top betting option. Meet Totals
HORSES TO WATCH Friday (4/29) 4TH -- CHORUS MUSIC (Strategic Mission) handled her six-year-old debut and a yielding oval with ease on this occasion, streaking home by 5 1/2 lengths in an impressive tally for trainer John Terranova. The Empire State-bred mare came home in :23 3/5 under Alex Solis. 8TH -- The Robert Barbara-trained AVENGING SPIRIT (Tapit) ran into a good one when second at Gulfstream last out, and appreciated the ship up north as his 2 1/4-length would indicate. The speedy gelding led at every call without being pressed beneath Jose Lezcano. Saturday (4/30) 4TH -- GLOBAL POWER (Pulpit) was a game winner in this one, being passed in upper stretch and battling gamely to the wire for Chad Brown. We loved the debut by this one and the follow up win in here, and tab the sophomore for big things with improvement. We wouldn't be surprised to see this one thrive on the lawn, either. BOLD WARRIOR (Bernardini) couldn't do much more without picking up the win at first asking for Allen Jerkens, and this one should be a winner in the very near future. The very well-bred colt could be any type in the future. Sunday (5/1) 4TH -- The well-bred SAFETY CHECK (Empire Maker) made his four-year-old debut a good one, scampering home a daylight winner under Ramon Dominguez. The Alan Goldberg trainee finished up 6 1/2 panels in a useful 1:16 2/5 and improvement is expected next time. A LOOK AHEAD The $100,000 Fort Marcy H. (G3) and $100,000 Beaugay H. (G3), both on Saturday on the lawn, lead the action this week at Belmont.
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