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Flat Out puts flawless Belmont record on line in Met Mile

Flat Out seeks to become the first horse since Forego to add the Met Mile to a prior victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Horsephotos.com) Flat Out can flat out run at Belmont Park, and the connections of his eight rivals in the Grade 1, $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap will have to be mindful of that when they attempt to depose the current king of "Big Sandy" in the 120th running of the one-mile dash on Memorial Day. Colloquially known as the Met Mile, the antique test has long been cherished by horsemen and breeders for its ability to reveal future stallion prospects. The door toward a lucrative post-racing career might finally open for the seven-year-old Flat Out if he can push his Belmont record to five-for-five with a win Monday. With placings in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Woodward, Whitney Handicap and Clark Handicap, Flat Out has been a competent player in the handicap ranks all over the country. On Long Island, however, the Bill Mott-trained son of Flatter is a beast. Winner of the past two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flat Out also owns hardware from scores in the Suburban Handicap and the Westchester.

The bay's versatility was on display for the latter victory, on April 27. After making a wide rally on the far turn, Flat Out eventually wore down a loose-on-the lead Cross Traffic in the final strides to win by a head. The final time for a mile, 1:32 4/5, was only three-fifths of a second off the track record.

Cross Traffic, who was making only his third career start in the Westchester, is back to re-oppose. The Todd Pletcher trained son of Unbridled's Song captured his first two starts at Gulfstream over the winter and was an even-money favorite in the Westchester, but simply tired late after setting demanding splits of :22 3/5, :45 1/5 and 1:08 4/5. The gray will have to be on his toes as he drew post 1 in the Metropolitan, and with plenty of other speed to his outside.

"It's pretty rare that you see a horse who has come that far in such a short time," Pletcher said. "He was an unraced four-year-old at the start of the year. He ran a huge race in the Westchester. He just lost to a tough, seasoned veteran who seems to love Belmont. We were very pleased with his race, and he's doing just as well or even better than he came into (the Westchester)."

Another fast pace could aid Carter Handicap winner Swagger Jack (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photgraphy) The first four from the April 6 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct are back for the holiday feature. The seven-furlong Carter was another race where closers benefited from a swift pace, none more so than Swagger Jack. The Calder-based five-year-old registered the 15-1 upset that day under Irad Ortiz Jr., with California invader Sahara Sky also making a serious late charge for the place. While Swagger Jack was winning his first stakes, Sahara Sky was proving his earlier upsets of the Palos Verdes and San Carlos at Santa Anita were hardly flukes. Discreet Dancer, the even-money favorite for the Carter and another Pletcher trainee, came up empty in the stretch of after being perhaps a bit too close to the pace. Hero of the Gulfstream Park Handicap two back, the lightly-raced four-year-old has never finished out of the money and will be one of the ones aiming for stablemate Cross Traffic. Fort Loudon did not falter badly in the Carter, finishing only two lengths behind Swagger Jack after rating in second through the opening quarter-mile. The Nick Zito pupil has never won beyond seven furlongs, however, and has only won the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship in nine races for the Hall of Fame conditioner.

Mark Valeski returns to the site of one of his biggest wins, the 2012 Peter Pan 12 over 1 1/8 miles. Unfortunately sidelined the for the remainder of the year, the Proud Citizen colt won the Mineshaft Handicap and placed in the Louisiana and New Orleans handicaps during a busy winter campaign at Fair Grounds. The Larry Jones trainee could be sitting on a big race following two recent bullet works at Churchill Downs.

"He handled the track real well (in the Peter Pan), and even though the race was a mile and an eighth he showed he liked the one turn," trainer Larry Jones said. "He broke his maiden in a sprint, and he has more speed to burn than we normally let him use. They'll be churning and burning out there, so he'll have more pace to run at, but he blew out well the other day and showed he's sharp."

Fed Biz, who represents Bob Baffert, has early foot but can also rate if the pace gets too heated. The Giant's Causeway colt registered his biggest win to date in January when taking the 1 1/16-mile San Fernando in wire-to-wire fashion.

The Met Mile field is completed by Handsome Mike, whose form has been generally lackadaisical since his upset of the Pennsylvania Derby last September.

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