Belmont Notebook

BELMONT NOTEBOOK

OCTOBER 13, 2011

by John Mucciolo

A trio of newly crowned Grade 1 winners took center stage this past weekend

at Belmont Park.

Champagne S. (G1): Chadds Ford Stable's UNION RAGS cemented his place

near the top of the divisional ranks with a professional 5 1/4-length romp for

trainer Michael Matz. The Kentucky-bred son of Dixie Union had nowhere to run

for much of the race, but exploded once clear beneath Javier Castellano. The

final time for the one-mile contest was 1:35 2/5.

Frizette S. (G1): Stonestreet Stables' homebred MY MISS AURELIA led at

every call and pulled away late to a fine 5 1/2-length win beneath Corey

Nakatani. The juvenile daughter of Smart Strike scampered one mile on the fast

main oval in 1:35 1/5 for conditioner Steve Asmussen.

Jamaica H. (G1): English invader WESTERN ARISTOCRAT took the lead soon

after the start and gamely inched clear to a one-length tally in this one for

trainer Jeremy Noseda. The three-year-old Mr. Greeley colt got nine panels on

the firm lawn in 1:50 1/5 under the guidance of Nakatani.

Track Stats

A total of 57 races were held over Elmont, New York venue, with favorites

winning at a 30 percent rate and the top two betting choices combining for 49

percent of the wins. From 29 races on the main oval, eight animals won in

wire-to-wire fashion (28 percent), and six runners led at every call on the lawn

from 28 races (21 percent).

We thought the main oval played fairly all week at Belmont; the right horse

on the lead can win and the same goes for runners from well back early. In

general, we'd prefer horses showing good tactical speed, maybe a few paths off

the rail.

Of the six turf wire jobs this week, three came on Saturday, four in route

races (two on both turf ovals) and a pair in sprints (one both on the inner and

outer).

Meet Totals

RACES:		219
DIRT:		134
TURF:		85
FAVORITES:		70 (32 percent)
2ND CHOICES:		52 (24 percent)
TURF WIRE:		13 (15 percent)
DIRT WIRE:		38 (28 percent)

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (10/5)

3RD -- AWESOME FEATHER, last year's champion two-year-old filly, made a nice

return to racing in her first start for trainer Chad Brown, drawing clear to a

two-length tally in this listed stakes event beneath Jeffrey Sanchez. By Awesome

of Course, the sophomore filly is now seven for seven overall and could have a

productive second half of the season and be a force in 2012 with steady

progression.

Friday (10/7)

6TH -- BELLAMY BREW came home in sharp fashion in a smart debut win for

trainer Bill Mott, getting his final half-mile in :48. The Bellamy Road colt

beat a few useful prospects in here and should improve for a conditioner whose

runners get better with experience.

Saturday (10/8)

1ST -- TAPIZAR took a stakes-quality field gate-to-wire in here in his first

start since February for trainer Asmussen. By Tapit, the sophomore colt finished

off seven-eighths in a swift 1:21 1/5 and should be back on the stakes scene

very soon.

8TH --  STOPSHOPPINGMARIA was pretty hard ridden in this one but

impressed with her second-place showing here, a race that should set her up well

for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The Todd Pletcher-trained daughter

of More Than Ready should improve going two turns.

MISS NETTA was out of the picture screen after an horrific start, but the

filly closed well to be third and who knows how much closer she would have been

with a clean break.

9TH -- Union Rags is really good!

The effort by third-place finisher by RIGHT TO VOTE was a bit overlooked in

this one due to the impressive winner, but we liked how the Eoin Harty charge

dug in to finish more than four lengths clear of his nearest foe. The $20,000

juvenile purchase has speed and has never run a bad one; we would not sleep on

the Political Force colt in the future.

Monday (10/10)

3RD -- The Dale Romans-trained NEWS PENDING ran a big one in here and the son

of Harlan's Holiday shouldn't be a maiden for long after this good second-place

showing. The juvenile colt came home fast after showing good speed and looms

large in his return.

A Look Ahead

Saturday's $100,000 Athenia Stakes and $100,000 Knickerbocker Handicap, both

Grade 3 events, are the top draws this weekend at Belmont Park.