Holiday weekend stakes at Belmont taking shape

by Vance Hanson

Among those under consideration for Belmont Park's $300,000 Suburban H.

(Grade 2) on July 2 is Rodman, most recently a solid second to Tizway in the

Metropolitan H. (Grade 1) on Memorial Day in his third start off a 14-month

layoff in which he was sent off at odds of 36-1.

"It was a very good effort," trainer Mike Hushion said. "There were a couple

of jumps where it looked as if he was going to get to the winner, but he never

came back."

Unraced in 2010 with a foot injury suffered after his dominant win in the

2009 Queens County H. (Grade 3), which was followed by a case of colic, Rodman

returned to the races in February at Aqueduct, finishing second in a six-furlong

optional claimer, and then winning the Irish Tower overnight stakes on April 14.

Hymn Book, who earned his first black-type victory when he took the

off-the-turf running of the Three Coins Up overnight stakes on May 19, is

expected to take another step up the class ladder in the Suburban.

"It might be an ambitious place, but we'll see," said Hall of Fame trainer

Shug McGaughey of the 1 1/8-mile event. "He's a gelding, so it won't hurt

anything."

In the Three Coins Up, the five-year-old stalked a quick pace, took the lead

with a sixteenth of a mile to travel, and defeated I Want Revenge by 1 1/4

lengths. It was the second start of 2011 for Hymn Book, who was second in a

Keeneland turf allowance on April 15.

"He's doing well and his last race was good," McGaughey said. "The numbers

were supposedly really good on him. Everything came together when we gelded him

(as a three-year-old), and he's pretty consistent. Obviously, I ran him for

maiden $30,000, so he has exceeded our expectations since that day."

Hymn Book raced mostly on turf early in his career, and McGaughey said the

gelding, who is 5-2-1 overall from nine starts, could return to that surface if

he regresses in the Suburban.

"I don't know whether he'll fit going long on the dirt or if we'll need to go

back to the grass, but right now he's a fun horse to have," McGaughey said.

In addition to Rodman and Hymn Book, the Suburban could feature multiple

stakes winner Friends or Foe and Grade 3 winners Colizeo and Stormy's Majesty,

who were listed as probable for the race by NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew

Byrnes. Last year's Suburban winner, Haynesfield, and Hockley are possible.

Cool Blue Red Hot will be making his stakes debut in the $150,000 Dwyer S.

(Grade 2) for three-year-olds on July 2, and trainer Angel Penna Jr., is hopeful

the colt will fulfill the promise he showed heading into his sophomore campaign.

After finishing second by a nose in his debut at Belmont Park last October,

Cool Blue Red Hot closed out 2010 with a 3 1/2-length victory going 1 mile and

70 yards at Calder. In his next start, Cool Blue Red Hot was second to Soldat in

a 1 1/8-mile allowance at Gulfstream Park on January 21, followed by a

fifth-place finish to Arch Traveler in an identical spot on February 26.

"We had been thinking about the Kentucky Derby (Grade 1), but after those two

races it was obvious that wasn't going to happen," Penna said. "He came out of

the race against Soldat very unsettled. I said to his owner (Jim Bakke), with

the Derby, you have to qualify, and it's push-push-push and most times you don't

make it. Everyone wants to win the Derby, but there are other races. Jim said,

'No problem' and we gave him some time to mature."

The late-running colt returned to the races on April 30, rallying from last

and hitting his best stride in the final 100 yards to finish third, beaten a

half-length in a seven-furlong optional claimer, and then charging from last

again to win a 1 1/16-mile allowance on May 19.

"During the time off he got some confidence back," Penna said. "He wasn't

ready for that type of company yet. But, colts are resilient, and here he is.

Besides, it doesn't cost anything to dream."

Cool Blue Red Hot is expected to face Adios Charlie, winner of the Jerome S.

(Grade 2) and second in the Peter Pan S. (Grade 2); Harlan's Hello, fourth in

the Pegasus S. (Grade 3) at Monmouth Park; and Malibu Moon, third in Monmouth's

Spend a Buck S. Dominus and Parent's Hope are also under consideration for the

Dwyer.

Independence Day weekend also means the start of juvenile graded stakes

action at Belmont Park, with the $150,000 Futurity S. (Grade 2) and the $150,000

Matron S. (Grade 2), for fillies, both scheduled for July 3.

In the Futurity, Tarpy's Goal, a 2 3/4-length maiden winner at Churchill

Downs on May 19, is expected to meet Team Six, who drew clear to win a Monmouth

maiden race by five lengths on June 18. Possible for that race are a pair for

trainer John Salzman -- Distinctly Donovan, who broke his maiden at Aqueduct on

April 15, and Suntorious, who was fifth that day and a winner at Penn National

in his most recent outing on May 20. Larry Zip, an April maiden victor at

Keeneland, could also join the field.

The Matron is expected to attract New York-bred restricted maiden winner Hook

it Up, along with Defy Gravity, Millionreasonswhy, Pure Whim's Gem, Say a

Novena, and possibly Silkystar.

Also scheduled for July 3 is the $150,000 Bed o' Roses H. (Grade 3) for older

fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

Probable for that race, according to Byrnes, are the top two finishers from

the June 4 Vagrancy H. (Grade 2) -- 5 1/4-length winner Hilda's Passion and

runner-up Curlina. Also expected are Christine Daae, off since winning an

optional claimer at Gulfstream on April 22; Spa City Princess, fourth in the

Shuvee H. (Grade 2) on May 21; and Tamarind Hall, an allowance winner at Finger

Lakes on June 11. Derwin's Star, winner of the Charles Town Oaks two starts

back, was listed as possible.

Hushion will saddle Roman Treasure in the $250,000 Prioress S. (Grade 1) on

Independence Day. The Roman Ruler filly is 3-0-0 from five starts, all this

year, including back-to-back wins in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance at Parx Racing on

May 15 and a powerful 4 1/2-length victory in the Miss Royal overnight stakes on

June 16.

"I thought her last race was brilliant," said Hushion of Roman Treasure, who

broke her maiden at second asking on February 27 and was then fourth in the

Cicada S. (Grade 3), after which she got a two-month break from the races. "I

think during that time, she kind of 'got it.' Her works for her last race were

much more business-like."

In addition to Roman Treasure, Byrnes said the California-based Alienation,

runaway allowance winner at Hollywood Park on June 3, was expected to ship in

for the Prioress along with another West Coast filly, recent maiden winner

Orientatious. They are likely to face Maryland shipper Bold Affair, winner of

the Jostle S. at Parx on June 11, Pomeroy's Pistol, and Quantum Miss, winner of

three straight including the Cicada.