Belmont or Blue Grass ahead for Sole Volante after successful allowance prep

A hot pace set things up perfectly for Sole Volante to capture Wednesday's featured $46,000 allowance at Gulfstream Park, potentially setting up a quick turnaround for the 3-year-old colt to contest the Belmont S. (G1) on June 20.

Rating at the back of the six-horse field under Luca Panici as stablemate Ete Indien and Shivaree dueled fractions of :23.09, :45.10, and 1:09.20, Sole Volante commenced his rally around the far turn and wore down both longshot Jesus' Team and Shivaree with a wide rally inside the final sixteenth and won by three parts of a length. Ete Indien weakened to fourth after conceding the lead to Shivaree approaching the quarter pole.

Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone, Sole Volante paid $6.40 as second choice in the wagering to 7-10 favorite Ete Indien. The final time for one mile on a fast track was a snappy 1:34.80.

"We'll see how he bounces back from the race, how he fits," said trainer Patrick Biancone in regards to Sole Volante's possible inclusion in the 1 1/8-mile Belmont. "If we see any sign that he's tired, we'll wait for the Blue Grass ([G2] at Keeneland on July 11)."

The Belmont is worth 150 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points to the winner while the Blue Grass awards 100 to its winner. Sole Volante currently has 30 points courtesy of his victory in the Sam F. Davis (G3) in February and second-place effort in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his most recent start on Mar. 7. Prior to those tries, Sole Volante had captured his debut and the Pulptit S., both on turf, and run third in the Mucho Macho Man S.

Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings and a $20,000 OBS juvenile purchase, Sole Volante is by Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) and French 2000 Guineas (G1) winner Karakontie and out of Light Blow, a Kingmambo half-sister to English highweight Shiva.