Westchester

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEW

A short field of seven will line up for the $100,000 Westchester H. (G3) at

one mile, the feature race for Belmont Park's opening day on Wednesday.

SIR GREELEY (Mr. Greeley) exits two close finishes, losing by a neck in the

Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship H. (G2) before coming home

second by another neck in the Carter H. (G1) last out in the slop at Aqueduct.

He makes a jockey switch to jockey Eibar Coa, who guided the four-year-old

gelding to the winner's circle last year, and the James Jerkens trainee should do

well at a distance which he has shown an affinity for in the past (three for

four).

GYGISTAR (Prospector's Music) is winless since defeating allowance company

over this same surface in September of last year, but he did capture the

Westchester in sharp fashion last year. Overall, the seven-year-old

gelding has annexed five of nine here at Belmont and compiled a 9-4-1-3

record at a mile. Gygistar came home third in his opener this year to fellow

rival LITTLE THUNDER (Sword Dance [Ire]) in the Artax S. at Gulfstream Park in

April, but he needed that race and should improve in his second start off the

layoff. Javier Castellano has the call.

Little Thunder's last race at a mile was an 8 1/4-length romp over allowance

foes. The Dale Capuano-trained dark bay won six of his last seven, including his five-lengths score in the Artax last out. A winner

in four of five at the distance,

Little Thunder will most likely be off the early pace and has a good late kick

which should get him into contention in the latter stages of the race. Jeremy

Rose will ride.

LOVE OF MONEY (Not for Love) is coming off a near one-year layoff when he

finished last in the Metropolitan H. (G1) to Ghostzapper. The five-year-old dark

bay has good early speed and is a threat to take this one-wire-to-wire. Although we will give him a race for now, keep in mind for the exotics.

BLAZING PURRSUIT (Tale of the Cat) came home a winner in four-straight

appearances before running just off the board in the Artax. A winner and placer

in two starts at Belmont, the four-year-old chestnut could surprise at long odds

for conditioner James Toner. Cornelio Velasquez replaces injured jockey John

Velazquez. HAPPY HUNTING (Seeking the Gold) didn't take to the slop in the

Carter, but could improve while returning to the main track. KENNEL UP (Joyeux

Danseur) displayed a good turn of foot in a allowance/optional claiming prep in

April, just missing under Mike Smith. Kennel Up has fared well against lesser

company, but might be a little too overmatched in this position to cross the

wire in front.