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HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS JUNE 9, 2006 by Dick Powell Triple Crown 2006 is coming to an end and it looks like it saved the best for last. The Derby (G1) was rife with incidents of traffic problems for most of the field and the Preakness S. (G1) will always be remembered for gallant BARBARO (Dynaformer) fighting for his life. But even with the end of Barbaro's racing career and BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) skipping the Belmont S. (G1), the "Test of the Champion" has come up as a terrific race to watch and wager on. How it catches on with the general public might be another story. Twelve three-year-olds will go to the gate on Saturday for their one and only attempt at 1 1/2 miles on Belmont's expansive main track. This year's Belmont has four major contenders and some live longshots in the mix. The morning line favorite at 3-1, BLUEGRASS CAT (Storm Cat), ran second in the Derby when he got a clean trip from post 13 under Ramon Dominguez. Regular rider John Velazquez has recovered from his injuries and gets back aboard Saturday. The question with Bluegrass Cat is was his second-place finish in the Derby a sign that he has recovered last year's juvenile form or did he luck into a clean trip? Bluegrass Cat certainly has the pedigree, being by Storm Cat out of an A.P. Indy mare. Storm Cat has already sired a Belmont winner - Tabasco Cat - and A.P. Indy won the Belmont himself. Trainer Todd Pletcher is very underrated -- if that's possible for someone winning with 30 percent of his starters -- in stretching horses out and he has had a steady pattern of breezes at Belmont to get him ready for Saturday. Next in the morning line quartet of contenders at 4-1 is SUNRIVER (Saint Ballado), winner of the Peter Pan S. (G2) in his last start. I have a warm spot for this colt and if he was able to get into the Derby field five weeks ago, it would have been hard for me not to pick him. A full brother to the great filly Ashado, Sunriver flew home to win the Peter Pan going away over a very strange main track at Belmont that was very tiring in the stretch but seemed to favor front runners. The May 20 program at Belmont saw many horses stagger home in the stretch with slow final fractions but still hold on. Sunriver came flying on the outside with Rafael Bejarano to get up in time by a neck. Sunriver earned a solid BRIS speed figure of 103 in the Peter Pan and his Late Pace figure of 118 is outstanding. He is also trained by Pletcher, draws an inside post from where Bejarano can save ground, and he had distinguished himself in the Florida Derby (G1) when he was the only horse to make up any ground in the latter part of the race. At 9-2 morning line odds is STEPPENWOLFER (Aptitude), the third-place finisher in the Derby. Like Bluegrass Cat, he skipped the Preakness to train up to the Belmont and has had some brilliant workouts at Belmont for Dan Peitz. He ran well in the Derby considering how much traffic he encountered and his long stride should fit well at Belmont Park. The negative on Steppenwolfer is that he's never won a stakes race. He's been graded stakes-placed in his last three starts and has improved as the races have gotten longer, but it's hard for me to believe that he is ready for a break-out performance in his seventh start of the year. Peitz is a top horsemen and it looks like he has him ready to peak on Saturday at the marathon distance. I can't put him on top, but Steppenwolfer is a must-use underneath in the exotics. BOB AND JOHN (Seeking the Gold) was my choice for the Derby, but like a harness race where your horse breaks stride at the start, his race was over as soon as it began. Slammed and pinched back at the start then bumped again less than a furlong into the race, the Wood Memorial (G1) winner raced in between horses for the rest of the trip and Garrett Gomez did not persevere with him. Sent back to his home base at Santa Anita, Bob and John has continued to train up a storm for Bob Baffert. He's 5-1 on the morning line, but it's unlikely we'll get that price since the expected wet track will knock down his odds for all those that saw him win the Wood in the slop. Garrett Gomez has been riding at Belmont full time as a replacement for the injured John Velazquez aboard the Pletcher juggernaut horses so he is more familiar with the quirks of Belmont than most California riders. Baffert has a win in the Belmont with Point Given and two heart-breaking losses with Silver Charm and Real Quiet. This time he has a rested horse. Bob and John has a terrific running style for the Belmont that resembles A.P. Indy. He gallops along with his head low in a very efficient stride while conserving energy. His pedigree is superb being by Seeking the Gold out of a stakes-winning mare that is by Deputy Minister. Her dam is a half-sister to the great stayer Exceller, who not only won the 1 1/2-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) over Seattle Slew but won numerous Group 1s in Europe going long, including the marathon 1 7/8-mile Prix Royal Oak (Fr-G1). With some natural foot speed, the ability to cruise along and a stout pedigree, Bob and John is my pick to win this year's 138th running of the Belmont S. He's worth a solid win bet. Underneath, a horse that intrigues me is HIGH FINANCE (Talk Is Money). He's won his last two in impressive fashion and like Bernardini, he'll be making his two-turn debut. His allowance win at Belmont last out going a mile in a fast time was ultra-impressive since he was on the lead but came home blazing fast. His pedigree is suspect since his unraced dam is a half-sister to the blazing fast Five Star Day, but a wet track should move him up. High Finance looks like the type of horse that you look up turning for home and he's still in the race. We'll box Bob and John, Sunriver, Steppenwolfer and High Finance in a trifecta box and then key Bob and John over those three as well as Bluegrass Cat in a superfecta box wheel. 1. BOB AND JOHN
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