Big Blue Kitten, Real Solution have pace to chase in Turf Classic

A highly-intriguing and contentious renewal of the Grade 1, $600,000

Joe

Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park on Saturday offers no sure

things with the exception, perhaps, of an honest pace. Three legitimate front

runners are among the 10 older horses entered in the 1 1/2-mile Widener turf

test, which should yield the leading U.S.-based candidate for the November 2

Breeders' Cup Turf.

A three-horse entry owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey -- consisting of Big Blue

Kitten, Real Solution, and Joes Blazing Aaron -- will likely go favored. Big

Blue Kitten, undefeated in two prior trips over the Belmont turf, ascended the

ranks of the nation's leading grass performers this summer with back-to-back

wins in the United Nations and the Sword Dancer Invitational.

"He's finally getting those longer distances, and I think that, in

combination with physically maturing, has him in top form, as long as the turf

is firm," trainer Chad Brown said. "He's won two Grade 1 races in a row, so he

should be a major player."

Also likely to show early foot is King Kreesa, a solid New York-bred

performer who makes his first attempt beyond nine furlongs. The King Cugat

gelding captured the Kingston, for state-breds, and the Poker, both at a mile,

during the spring Belmont session, and was most recently second in the

Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga after setting the pace for Horse of the Year

Wise Dan.

Yet another pace player is Little Mike, a 2012 Eclipse Award finalist who was

done in by the wet course conditions in last year's edition of Turf Classic.

While ideal weather is expected to yield firm ground for Saturday's race, the

Dale Romans trainee has yet to hit the board in four starts since registering an

upset in last fall's Breeders' Cup Turf.

Trainer Shug McGaughey has entered both Boisterous and Imagining in the Turf

Classic, but only one is expected to start. Boisterous, the more accomplished of

the two with wins in the Monmouth and the Man o' War during the summer,

disappointed in both the Sword Dancer and the Bowling Green and is likely to be

saved for either the Knickerbocker later in the Belmont meet or the Fayette at

Keeneland.

In contrast to the Turf Classic, the Grade 1, $600,000

Flower

Bowl Invitational, for fillies and mares on the inner turf, doesn't have as

much speed on paper. That ultimately could benefit Laughing, who steps up to 1

1/4 miles after wire-to-wire scores in the nine-furlong Diana and the 1

1/16-mile Ballston Spa The Alan Goldberg-trained mare was a game, photo-finish

winner of both Saratoga fixtures after registering a stalk-and-pounce victory in

the Eatontown Handicap at Monmouth Park in June.

Mystical Star, who snapped a lengthy losing skid in the September 7 Kentucky

Downs Ladies Marathon, was a course-and-distance winner in the 2012 New York and

also has a bit of early foot.

Among those looking to rally from off the pace are Sheepshead Bay winner

Tannery, a solid fourth against males in the Sword Dancer last time, multiple

Grade 3 winner Somali Lemonade, and Qushchi, last-out winner of the Waya at

Saratoga.

"I was disappointed in the (Chowder's First)," Hushion added. "I thought he

had trained well enough to win it and that he would run better. But, going 6 1/2

(furlongs) and the fact that he hasn't really run hard for well over

three-quarters of a year, I guess I'll have to settle for it with a big, strong,

muscular horse like him."

In a division with no clear standout, several major race winners have joined

the Vosburgh cast to enhance their championship prospects. These include Smile

Sprint Handicap hero Bahamian Squall, Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap winner

Justin Phillip, and Forego upsetter Strapping Groom.

Representing the sophomore set is Forty Tales, who developed into his

generation's leading one-turn specialist with victories in the Derby Trial,

Woody Stephens, and Amsterdam. However, the Todd Pletcher trainee saw a

three-race win streak end in last month's King Bishop, where he finished fourth

after falling behind by as much as 19 lengths.