Belmont Notebook

BELMONT NOTEBOOK

SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

by John Mucciolo

There was no graded racing during the opening weekend of the Fall Meeting at

Belmont Park.

Track Stats

A total of 29 races were held at the Elmont, New York venue, with favorites

winning at a 28 percent rate and the top two betting choices combining for 52

percent of the wins during the week. From 13 races on the main oval, two animals

won in wire-to-wire fashion (15 percent), while four of the 16 races on the lawn

were taken all the way on the front (25 percent).

It's too early to speak of biases on these ovals from just a small sample

size. Turf speed held fairly well we'd say, with a pair of wire jobs on the

green coming in sprint runs, and the other two going long.

Inside posts did most of the damage on the dirt, with nine of the 13 races

taken by runners breaking from the three innermost post slots. But we saw all

kinds of horses thriving on the main strip and don't think the post positions

have been much of an issue to this point.

Meet Totals

RACES:		29
DIRT:		13
TURF:		16
FAVORITES:		8 (28 percent)
2ND CHOICES:		7 (24 percent)
TURF WIRE:		4 (25 percent)
DIRT WIRE:		2 (15 percent)

HORSES TO WATCH

Friday (9/5)

3RD -- ASLAN (A.P. Indy) ran another good one for trainer Tom Albertrani and

will surely break through soon with even slight improvement. The sophomore colt

tracked the pacesetter, took a lead in the lane and was just out-finished in a

fine runner-up performance beneath Junior Alvarado.

8TH -- It was good to see GOLDEN TICKET (Speightstown) get up for a stakes

win under Joel Rosario, as the Ken McPeek trainee was among the better milers in

the U.S. last campaign. Here's hoping he gets back to his best in the second

half of this season.

Saturday (9/6)

3RD -- We loved the win by LAILA'S JAZZ (Smooth Jazz) for trainer Chris

Englehart as the gelding tracked a loose leader, took the lead in the lane and

was all heart late under Cornelio Velasquez. The four-year-old will be very

tough right back.

5TH -- Trainer Chad Brown has CANDIR (Candy Ride) going very well right now

and he was a pretty easy and popular winner of this turf allowance tilt. The

sophomore colt flew home in a wicked :29 4/5 for his final five-sixteenths and

we expect the Kentucky-bred to get a stakes run next time out.

Sunday (9/7)

5TH -- PULLING G'S (Curlin) pressed the winner every step of the way and was

superb in finishing more than 10 lengths clear of third in a fine debut with

Alvarado. The John Shirreffs pupil lost to a more experienced colt who is

supposed to be a good one, so he loses nothing in defeat to us. Tab the gelding

to graduate next time.

6TH -- MISS CHATELAINE (Pulpit) tracked a slow pace in third, swept to the

front past the midstretch mark and pulled away powerfully in a sensational debut

score. The Christophe Clement-trained juvenile filly is bred to run all day and

could evolve into a very good one with more seasoning.

8TH -- WRITTEN IN STARS (Northern Afleet) was last behind a dawdling pace but

showed good late energy to split this group in a route debut under Edgar Prado.

The juvenile miss from the barn of John Terranova could be a major player next

time with one under her belt at a price.

A Look Ahead

Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Sands Point Stakes and Grade 3, $200,000 Noble

Damsel Stakes top the weekend racing at Belmont.