Za Approval regains winning thread in Real Courage

took the field gate-to-wire as the even-money favorite in Sunday's $98,000

Real

Courage Stakes at Belmont.

"There are two ways to answer this," said trainer

Christophe Clement, when asked if it was the plan to be on the lead. "One is for

me to look very smart and say 'Of course, that was the plan.' Two, which is the

truth, and to say, 'That was not at all the plan.' But that is why I use

(jockey) Joel (Rosario); he is a very good rider and can adapt to that kind of a

race."

The six-year-old gelding was pressed by a pair of rivals near the top of

the stretch, but shook free with a furlong to go to win by 1 3/4 lengths.

"I was

surprised to find myself on the lead," Rosario said. "I did not expect that, but

he was traveling well. Even when the other horses came to him (straightening for

home) he kept improving his position."

The gray covered seven furlongs over the firm turf in 1:20 4/5.

The son of Ghostzapper was entering in here off a fifth-place finish in the

Nijinsky at Woodbine on July 19.

Thoroughbreds' Toasting came from last in the $98,000

Sky

Beauty. The four-year-old filly angled

four wide into the stretch, rallied to take the lead with a furlong out and

edged clear in the end by 1 1/2 lengths.

"The race set up very well for her,"

jockey Javier Castellano said. "It was a small field, and the two favorites

(Montana Native and Katie's Garden) had

similar running styles. I was able to sit off the speed, which is the way she

likes to run, and when I asked her, she responded. I like the way she did it

today."

The Tom Albertrani pupil crossed the wire in 1:34 2/5 for the one-mile

test over the fast main track. Sent off as the 3-1 third choice, she returned

$8.10 for her second career stakes score.

"I think she prefers the one-turn

races," Albertrani said. "We've been experimenting with her; she won both her

races at seven-eighths in the past year, but she can go longer. The plan was to

take her back off the speed and I think she does better that way. She does well

with this group, but hopefully we can knock one out in a graded stakes with

her."

Toasting was exiting a runner-up finish in the Seaway at

Woodbine last month. The chestnut has a career mark of 21-5-3-5, $534,135.