Belmont: King Kreesa, I Bet Toni Knows win divisions of the New York Stallion Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston

I Bet Toni Knows rallies under Junior Alvarado to win the Cupecoy's Joy division of the New York Stallion Stakes.

King Kreesa led from start to finish while I Bet Toni Knows rallied from second-to-last as the two 3-year-olds won divisions of Sunday’s New York Stallion Stakes at Belmont Park.

In the $75,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes for males, King Kreesa, under Irad Ortiz Jr., broke on top from his outside post, was able to carve out sensible fractions, and finished very strong to win by five lengths over Western Tryst. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Wild Exploit in third.

It was the second win from three tries on turf for King Kreesa, a 3-year-old son of King Cugat owned by Gerald and Susan Kresa and trained by Jeremiah Englehart. He covered seven furlongs in 1:22.54 and returned $9.60 as the second choice.

“He broke good, and I just put my hands down and tried not to fight him too much,” Ortiz said. “When I asked him in the stretch, he responded nicely.”

Earlier, I Bet Toni Knows settled into eighth position early under Junior Alvarado, advanced between horses around the turn, tipped three wide for the stretch and outfinished Stock Fund to win the $75,000 Cupecoy’s Joy by three-quarters of a length. It was two lengths back to Manero in third.

I Bet Toni Knows, a 3-year-old daughter of Sunriver owned by Entourage Stable and trained by Eric Reed, covered seven furlongs in 1:23.60 and returned $17.20 to win.

“She ran like we were hoping she would,” Reed said. “The seven-eighths worked out great, and Junior was back on her. He really understands her. We tried her long and she just levels out at the end. This is the perfect distance.”

* Bruce Levine, who was 1 for 29 entering Sunday’s action, won three races on the card.