Hill Prince J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

MARCAVELLY (Johannesburg) is the horse to beat in Friday's $100,000 Hill

Prince S. (G3) at Belmont Park. A turf stakes winner at two, the Bill Mott-trained colt opened

his sophomore campaign with a sharp 3 1/2-length score in the Transylvania S.

(G3) at Keeneland two starts back. In the Crown Royal American Turf S. (G3) last

time, the bay raced in a menacing position throughout but lacked the necessary

closing punch, finishing fourth by 1 1/2 lengths as the 5-2 favorite. Marcavelly

has worked steadily since then, including a four-furlong bullet move in :47 at

Belmont, and he appears very capable of rebounding from his first unplaced

effort, especially since he's dropping in class here. Regular rider Edgar Prado

returns to the saddle, and Marcavelly rates top billing over his five rivals in

the one-mile turf test.

DISTORTED REALITY (Distorted Humor) broke his maiden over the turf at

Gulfstream Park in early March and captured an allowance race next out at

Keeneland. He finished a respectable fifth when making his stakes debut in the

Crown Royal American Turf, and the Todd Pletcher pupil owns room for further

improvement. Distorted Reality has earned BRIS Late Pace ratings of 112 and 111

in his last two starts, but there isn't much speed in the Hill Prince. We'll tab

him to complete a chalky exacta.

CODEWORD (Ire) (Dansili [GB]) exits a solid runner-up finish over Belmont's

turf in a May 20 allowance, and that performance marked a significant turnaround

from his first two starts in the United States. The John Terranova trainee is

eligible to carry that form forward with a minor placing here.

STORM IN MAY (Tiger Ridge) owns a respectable turf mark (6-2-0-4) and earned

a berth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) with a runner-up effort behind Curlin (Smart

Strike) in the Arkansas Derby (G2). However, the gray colt got drubbed at

Churchill, finishing 16th, and we question how he'll respond in this spot. Storm

in May does own some speed, though, and he could possibly hold for a minor

award.

REPTILIAN SMARTS (Include) doesn't own the most promising pedigree for his

turf debut, but the Tim Ritvo charge owns respectable form, winning two straight

events over the inner track before finishing fifth in the Wood Memorial S. (G1).

We'll just watch to see how he handles this test. ROYAL WAR ACADEMY (Royal

Academy) has shown little in two starts since breaking his maiden. We can't

recommend his chances.

BELIEVEINMENOW (Tiznow) is entered for the main-track only, and rain isn't in

the forecast.