Teeth of the Dog tops Dwyer; New York has Aruna

Belmont Park will offer a pair of Grade 2 stakes on Saturday, the $200,000

Dwyer for

three-year-olds and the $200,000

New York

for fillies and mares, and both races have attracted seven runners.

Teeth of the Dog, who notched his first stakes victory when posting an easy 3

3/4-length score in the Easy Goer on the Belmont Stakes undercard, is the horse

to beat in the 1 1/16-mile Dwyer. After breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park

in early February, the Michael Matz-trained colt was not seen again for two

months, returning with a respectable third in his stakes debut, the Grade 1 Wood

Memorial. The bay son of Bluegrass Cat then finished fifth in the Grade 1

Preakness.

Teeth of the Dog registered a field-best 99 BRIS Speed rating last time and

will retain the services of Joel Rosario.

Zetterholm, who exits a fourth in the Preakness, rates as a threat for

trainer Richard Dutrow. The Silver Train colt posted a convincing victory over

New York-bred rivals in the Patsyprospect at Aquedut two starts back, and Junior

Alvarado has the call. Unstoppable U opened his racing career with two

consecutive wins, including an April 27 allowance/optional claiming event at

Belmont, and did not disgrace himself when finishing sixth in the Belmont

Stakes. The cutback in distance should favor the gray son of Exchange Rate and

the Kenny McPeek pupil will pick up the services of Javier Castellano.

The New York, which will be contested at 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf,

brings back the top four finishers from Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay on May 26. Grade

1 winner Aruna proved best that afternoon, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths, and the

five-year-old mare will be seeking her sixth career stakes tally Saturday.

Leading rider Ramon Dominguez has the call for Graham Motion.

Sheepshead Bay runner-up Hit it Rich merits respect. The five-year-old mare

has never been better for Shug McGaughey, finishing either first or second in

her last five starts, including a pair of Grade 3 wins, and Castellano will be

up. Mystical Star crossed the wire third in the Sheepshead Bay, but was

disqualified and placed eighth after opening her stall door prematurely at the

break. However, the four-year-old filly completely missed the start due to that

incident and turned in a terrific showing for Christophe Clement while making

her second appearance of the season. Principal Role, who finished third when

making her U.S. debut in the Grade 3 Beaugay two back, will look to improve upon

her fourth in the Sheepshead Bay for conditioner Bill Mott.