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Better Talk Now surges late to take Manhattan

Better Talk Now (inside) is still going strong at age eight (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com) For the second straight year, the $400,000 Manhattan H. (G1) on Belmont Day featured a climactic, four-way finish. In Saturday's renewal, the deep-closing BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man) overcame a dawdling early pace, darted through along the inside and got his head down at the wire. The Graham Motion-trained eight-year-old reeled off 1 1/4 miles in 2:02 1/5 on Belmont Park's firm inner turf to notch his 10th career stakes tally. Regular pilot Ramon Dominguez rode a patient race aboard Better Talk Now, allowing him to lope along at his own steady rhythm near the tail of the field. At the head of affairs, Red Zipper (City Zip) waltzed through fractions :25, :50 2/5 and 1:14 4/5, with Cosmonaut (Lemon Drop Kid) glued to his side. Cosmonaut put his head in front while clocking 1:38 3/5 for the mile and then opened up a 1 1/2-length lead in the stretch, but three of his rivals were rapidly erasing the deficit. English Channel (Smart Strike), who had stalked the early pace, made a bid on the outside, along with Shakis (Ire) (Machiavellian). Better Talk Now came to life and charged forward energetically on the inside, and after a mad scramble in deep stretch, got up in time by a head.

"It's hard to believe, but this horse is getting better," Motion said of his veteran. "He's more settled and more relaxed. He really shouldn't have been able to close like that into those fractions. He is an unbelievable horse. Ramon rode him beautifully today. He has so much confidence in him."

Sent off as the second choice at 3-1, Better Talk Now returned $8.70, $3.90 and $2.90. English Channel nosed out Shakis for second, paying $3.50 and $2.60 as the 3-2 favorite. The 9-1 Shakis rewarded his backers with $4.70 to show for finishing a half-length ahead of Cosmonaut. The exotics were worth $19.60 (exacta), $108 (trifecta) and $225.50 (7-2-6-8 superfecta). It was another 4 3/4 lengths back to Red Zipper, followed by Minister's Joy (Deputy Minister), Kiss the Kid (Lemon Drop Kid) and Steppenwolfer (Aptitude). Sky Conqueror (Sky Classic) was withdrawn.

Better Talk Now has amassed a bankroll of $3,819,788 from his 39-14-6-2 mark. The dark bay gelding has four other Grade 1 tallies on his resume -- the 2004 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) and Sword Dancer Invitational H. (G1) as well as the 2005 United Nations S. (G1) and Man o' War S. (G1). Last year, he captured the Dixie S. (G2) and Sky Classic S. (Can-G2) and was a narrowly-beaten second in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf. Better Talk Now kicked off his 2007 campaign with a troubled fourth in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1).

Bred by Wimborne Farm in Kentucky, Better Talk Now went through the auction ring as a weanling, RNA'ing for $10,500 at the 1999 Keeneland November sale. His dam, the stakes-placed Bendita (Baldski), has also produced stakes winner and Grade 2-placed B. A. Way (Lasting Approval), Grade 3-placed Beat the Play (Defensive Play), an unraced juvenile filly named Talkin Indian (Indian Charlie) and a 2007 filly by Songandaprayer.

Better Talk Now's itinerary will look familiar, as Motion indicated that the July 7 United Nations and the August 11 Sword Dancer are his likely near-term targets.

More Graded Recaps:

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