Belmont Notebook

BELMONT NOTEBOOK

JULY 16, 2015

by John Mucciolo

There was no graded racing this week at Belmont Park.

Track Stats

A total of 47 races were held at the Elmont, New York venue, with favorites

winning at a 30 percent rate and the top two betting choices combining for 51

percent of the wins during the week. From 22 races on the main oval, six animals

won in wire-to-wire fashion (27 percent), while seven of the 25 grassy races

were taken all the way on the lead (28 percent).

We thought the racing all around was fair this past week. We witnessed

runners on the main oval win from up top and rally from last, both along the

fence and when wide. All six of the wire-to-wire winners on the main strip came

in sprint runs.

The turf was superb in our view, as we also witnessed last-to-first winners,

as well as wire jobs. From seven who led at every call on the green, a trio came

in sprint runs and four going long.

Meet Totals

RACES:		506
DIRT:		267
TURF:		239
FAVORITES:		192 (38 percent)
2ND CHOICES:		111 (22 percent)
TURF WIRE:		47 (20 percent)
DIRT WIRE:		65 (24 percent)

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (7/8)

3RD -- IRONICUS (Distorted Humor) continued his consistently good run on the

turf with a facile allowance tally for trainer Shug McGaughey. The four-year-old

Grade 2 hero has never finished out of the money on the green and is evolving

into one of the better grass runners on the coast.

7TH -- INDIAN TRAIL (Indian Charlie) tracked close to a fast pace, took a

short lead near midstretch and gamely held well in the lane to be a clear second

under John Velazquez. The Todd Pletcher pupil won't be a maiden for long.

8TH -- SPEEDING COMET (Sky Mesa) broke slowest from the rail in this

allowance and never had smooth sailing until late, surging near the line to get

third with a real tricky voyage for John Toscano Jr. The four-year-old colt

looks like a heady claim because he seems to belong at this level.

Thursday (7/9)

3RD -- Trainer Kenny McPeek doesn't saddle too many first-out juvenile

winners, so when WONDERMENT (Cosmonaut) came home best in this dash, we took

notice. Tab this New York-bred filly as one to watch with expected improvement.

7TH -- BULLHEADED BOY (Bullsbay) was last to the top of the lane but put in a

sharp rally in the lane to win by a length beneath Irad Ortiz Jr. The Pletcher

trainee has won two in a row since adding blinkers and sports a 3-2-1-0 line

overall on the turf -- a surface he seems better upon.

Friday (7/10)

6TH -- TOKEN OF LOVE (Cape Cross) sat in last behind a fast early pace before

rolling to a 2 1/2-length decision for conditioner Graham Motion. The

four-year-old import ran easily her best race since coming to the U.S. and might

be stakes bound once again after this showing.

Saturday (7/11)

2ND -- TANGO TIME (Danehill Dancer) was stuck behind a dawdling early pace

but still ran well in the lane to be fourth, an effort that is better than it

appears on paper. The Pletcher trainee, who was off for more than one year,

should build upon this going forward.

3RD -- PROVEN COMMODITY (Bernardini) sped to the front soon after the break

and left no doubt in a powerful graduating run for trainer Tom Albertrani. The

sophomore colt didn't beat the best field ever assembled, perhaps, but looked

good in victory, nonetheless.

9TH -- Grade 1 star WICKED STRONG (Tapit) ran a bit spotty in his grassy

debut but still showed life once clear, finishing second to a sharp winner, and could have a future on the lawn with

more experience. The classy four-year-old deserves another chance on the turf in

our view.

Sunday (7/12)

6TH -- MIDNIGHT CITRA (Midnight Lute) was impressive in this graduating

performance for Bill Mott, running down the odds-on choice who was clear in the

lane. The three-year-old miss showed no rust off the break since December and

will be very tough with winners in her subsequent outing.

A Look Ahead

There is no graded racing on tap at Belmont this week.