Calidoscopio ships in for Brooklyn; Mr. Commons tops Jaipur

Breeders' Cup Marathon hero Calidoscopio, a nonthreatening fifth in his debut

for Mike Puype at Santa Anita, ships to Belmont Park in hopes of a rebound in

Friday's Grade 2, $200,000

Brooklyn

Handicap. Previously based in Argentina, the 10-year-old veteran will meet

another South American -- former Chilean Horse of the Year Quick Casablanca --

as well as such proven Belmont performers as Ruler on Ice, Birdrun, Percussion

and Fast Falcon in the 1 1/2-mile test.

Calidoscopio was a Group 1 winner in his homeland back in 2009, and last

season, he captured the Clasico General Belgrano to earn an automatic berth in

the Marathon. Overlooked at 17-1 in his U.S. premiere, the Guillermo Frenkel

charge lagged far back early, but exploded late to win going away by 4 1/4

lengths. Calidoscopio remained stateside and joined Puype, in hopes of a tilt at

the Santa Anita Handicap. Various setbacks frustrated those plans, and he

instead reappeared in the March 23 Tokyo City Cup, where he didn't get involved

from off the pace. The senior citizen is entitled to do better with a run under

his belt, and keeps Aaron Gryder aboard as the 122-pound highweight.

Ruler on Ice sprang a 24-1 surprise in the 2011 Belmont Stakes over this

track and trip, and rounded out his promising sophomore campaign with placings

in the Haskell, Pennsylvania Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. Yet to recover

that form as an older horse, the Kelly Breen trainee might have turned the

corner with a smart second in the May 25 Majestic Light at Monmouth, and could

fire again at the scene of his biggest triumph.

The Bill Mott-trained Birdrun, who wired the 2011 running of the Brooklyn,

has not crossed the wire first in his seven ensuing starts. Awarded the victory

in the 2011 Greenwood Cup via the disqualification of A. U. Miner, the son of

Birdstone has raced sparingly since his second in that year's Breeders' Cup

Marathon. His title defense in the 2012 Brooklyn went awry after a disastrous

start, and he ended up a remote ninth. Sidelined for nearly a year, Birdrun

resurfaced in the May 12 Albert the Great and checked in a distant third to

Percussion and Fast Falcon. The seven-year-old must engineer a form reversal of

almost 14 lengths with those two here.

Percussion has been in the form of his life since switching to Todd Pletcher

over the winter. Three-for-four for his new barn, the Bluegrass Cat gelding was

not disgraced when fourth to the likes of Game on Dude, Clubhouse Ride and Ron

the Greek in the April 20 Charles Town Classic. Percussion came right back to

take the 1 1/8-mile Albert the Great in front-running fashion, gamely fending

off Fast Falcon after a protracted duel. He faces a big question over the added

three furlongs in the Brooklyn.

Fast Falcon, on the other hand, should profit from the step up in trip. The

Nick Zito pupil was a fast-finishing, near-miss third in last summer's Travers

at Saratoga, and turned in several other creditable efforts in defeat here at

three, including a pair of seconds in the Dwyer and Easy Goer and a fifth in the

Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Quick Casablanca ranked as Horse of the Year in his native Chile for the

2011-12 season, chiefly through victories in the El Derby on turf and the Gran

Premio Asociacion Latinoamericana on dirt. Out of action for a year after his

importation, he made a solid debut for Christophe Clement when third in the May

15 Good Reward over 1 1/4 grassy miles, and should prefer the added ground.

Rounding out the field of eight are class climbers Keep Me Informed and

Flashy Sunrise.

Also on Friday's card, Mr. Commons seeks to snap his losing streak in the

Grade 3, $150,000

Jaipur,

marking the first stakes runner for trainer John Shirreffs since he set up shop

at Belmont this spring.

Mr. Commons, who last visited the winner's circle after the 2012 Arcadia at

Santa Anita, has run consistently well in the interim and deserves to get his

head back in front. A whisker short of catching Obviously in a course

record-setting renewal of the Del Mar Mile in August, he was beaten three

lengths by Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Breeders' Cup Mile and in the April

12 Maker's 46 Mile last out. The slight cutback to seven furlongs on the Widener

turf could also help his cause, given the likelihood of a fast pace, and he

picks up the hot-riding Luis Saez.

Clement will send out Summer Breezing, a course-and-distance winner of the

Tiller last year, and most recently successful in an allowance over Keeneland's

Polytrack. Beau Choix, likewise a stakes victor in these conditions, comes off

placings in the Canadian Turf (to Data Link) and Appleton (to Za Approval).

Trainer Bruce Brown is double-handed with the speedy Spring to the Sky and

the closer Night Officer. Spring to the Sky was just caught late by Ben's Cat in

the May 17 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, while Night Officer was up in time in the

Around the Cape at Belmont the day before.

Next Question warrants respect as the winner of the Nearctic at Woodbine last

October, and trainer Mike Trombetta adds blinkers to the equation after a pair

of losses this campaign. Fifth in a blanket finish to the Shakertown, the New

York-bred tired to third behind Night Officer in the Around the Cape.

With rain in the forecast, a trio of main-track-only entrants hope for a

surface switch -- smashing allowance rompers Souper Speedy and Reload as well as

Politicallycorrect.

The stakes action on Belmont Stakes Eve gets under way with the $100,000

Mariensky, for fillies and mares who have not won a graded stakes on turf in

2013. Top contenders in the 1 1/16-mile inner turf affair include Naples Bay,

last September's Noble Damsel winner, and stablemate Team from the Clement barn;

Beaugay runner-up Peace Preserver; and Silver Screamer. Shug McGaughey has his

options covered with Scampering, who shortens up off a seventh in the 1 1/2-mile

Bewitch, and the main-track-only Sea Island, who continued her seconditis with a

runner-up effort in the Allaire duPont Distaff.

NYRA is offering a Secretariat poster giveaway on Friday, in celebration of

the 40th anniversary of Big Red's amazing 31-length romp in the Belmont,

completing a Triple Crown sweep.

Posters will be handed out at the paddock, backyard and clubhouse gates, free

with paid admission, while supplies last.

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