Belmont Notebook

BELMONT PARK NOTEBOOK

JUNE 22, 2006

by Bernard T. Moore

TAKE D'TOUR (Tour d'Or) remained unbeaten, and virtually untested over the

Belmont Park main track, as she dispensed another fine performance while

annexing the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) on Saturday. Dispatched at odds of 3-1, the

five-year-old mare rated kindly on the lead for jockey Cornelio Velasquez.

Receiving token pressure while on the front end lead from eventual second-place

finisher Nothing But Fun (Dixie Union), Take d'Tour easily disposed of that

rival in early stretch and went on to score a comfortable 5 1/2-length victory.

Balletto (UAE) (Timber Country) was a well-beaten third, getting the show by a

neck over the heavily favored Spun Sugar (Awesome Again), who was a nondescript

fourth.

On Sunday, hopeless would have been the proper adjective to describe

SABELLINA's (Langfuhr) chances of winning the Mount Vernon H. as the field

turned into the stretch. She had been outrun for the better part of the race

and, as she tried to improve her position toward the inside leaving the far

turn, was forced to steady a bit as she was placed in tight quarters. In a

never-say-die effort, Sabellina proceeded to unleash an electrifying stretch

run, closing like a runaway train as she picked off the competition one by one

with giant strides. She was maneuvered off the inside upon encountering traffic

in deep stretch and subsequently overhauled an unlucky Finlandia (Royal

Anthem), who appeared to have the race in her back pocket, and emerged

victorious by a well-deserved neck.

The runner-up, who raced in the second flight of runners down the

backstretch, rallied while racing wide around the far turn and into the stretch.

She reeled in Rahys' Appeal (Rahy) to gain an advantage in midstretch, but was

run down in the final yards by the winner. Rahys' Appeal stalked the pace before

assuming a tenuous lead at the eighth pole, and then tired slowly late in a

strong showing off a prolonged layoff. Elisa's Energy (Chester House), the 5-2

favorite in the wagering, was saddled with a tough outside post and had to be

hard used by jockey Edgar Prado around the first turn to get position for her

run down the backstretch. She tracked the pacesetters to the far turn, but was

basically finished while racing in and among rivals in early stretch and wound

up finishing 10th in a disappointing effort.

Eibar Coa leads Velasquez in the jockey standings, with Prado dropping into

third-place last week. Gary Contessa gained sole possession of the top spot in

the trainer standings, with Richard Dutrow Jr. holding down second-place. Todd

Pletcher completes the top three.

Early speed runners fared well on the main track over the weekend. There were

no discernible path biases last week on dirt. Both grass courses appeared to

play uniformly all week.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (6/14)

3RD – GOLD LIKE U (Gold Token) put forth a strong effort returning from a

freshening. She was clearly second best chasing a superior pace rival throughout

in a race that finished up well late. She is definitely is at her best when able

to settle and make one run.

8TH – INDIAN WAR DANCE (Cherokee Run) put forth an encouraging return race

off nearly a two-year layoff. The bay carved out a very lively pace to the

stretch before giving way in a race he clearly needed. He should have derived

beneficial conditioning from this effort.

Thursday (6/15)

2ND – BIANCA'S JEWEL (Wheaton) was an improved third on the drop and

returning to the main track. She finished with good energy late as the race

quickened and might be most effective on dirt over a middle distance of ground.

9TH – DOUBLE DOWN DIXIE (Dixie Union) ran "sneaky well" off the shelf. She

finished evenly late after chasing the pace in a much needed effort and should

obviously be much fitter in her second start off the layoff. The bay miss has

room to move forward, especially if kept at her current class level.

Friday (6/16)

3RD – SURVIVALIST (Danzig) continues to flourish at a middle distance of

ground around one turn. The dark bay colt easily registered his fourth such

victory under those conditions, which seems to fit him like the proverbial

glove.

7TH – QUICKFIRE (GB) (Dubai Millennium) had every chance to win in the

stretch after a sitting a good stalking trip, but simply was outfinished late.

The bay miss might be better suited to a sprint.

9TH – UPTOTHECHALLENGE (Western Expression) outran her 83-1 posttime odds

while making her grass debut. She closed well late to be third best in a race

that was fast throughout and appears to have found her niche on the turf.

Saturday (6/17)

1ST – UNBRIDLED VOW (Broken Vow) regressed off a career-best effort in his

prior start while returning from a freshening. He raced three-wide chasing a

fast pace and subsequently tired as a result. The chestnut will need some time

to regroup off this effort.

3RD – MISS ANNIE M (Tale of the Cat) responded willing to come from behind

tactics making her turf debut. She closed well for third in a race that

quickened noticeably late. The chestnut filly has a half-sister who won four

races over grass, but not her debut effort on the lawn.

Sunday (6/18)

5TH – ELLE BELLE (El Prado [Ire]) showed dramatic form reversal switching to

the lawn and adding blinkers. She demonstrated new found speed to vie for the

lead and held gamely to the finish, relinquishing the place in the final yards.

She appears to have found a home on the grass with the hood on.

7TH – SYMPHONY OF PSALMS (Stravinsky) proved that the dirt experiment was a

big bust. She flashed speed for a half-mile and dropped backed steadily

thereafter. Definitely is better suited to the turf and to a grass course with

some "give" to it.