Albert the Great draws post 6 for Gold Cup

Albert the Great drew post six Thursday in a field of seven as he bids for back-to-back wins in Belmont Park's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup.

The 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup heads an outstanding Saturday program at Belmont which features four Grade 1 stakes and one Grade 2, all with Breeders' Cup implications.

Albert the Great, trained by Nick Zito, was pegged an even money favorite in the New York Racing Association morning line.

Aptitude, trained by Bobby Frankel, landed post two and was priced as the 8-5 second-choice.

The rest of the field includes A P Valentine, post one (8-1 odds); Generous Rosi, post three (12-1); Sumitas, post four (12-1); Scorpion, post five (15-1) and Country Be Gold, post seven (20-1).

Post time for the Gold Cup, the 10th race of the day, is 5:50 p.m. EDT.

The $750,000 Beldame drew a field of eight fillies and mares, headed by 4-5 favorite Flute.

Flute, winner of the Alabama Stakes, will break from post four in a field of eight in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 stakes, which will be run as the eighth race of the day (4:46 p.m. post time). Exogenous, the 5-1 second-choice, received post five.

The rest of the field includes Beautiful Pleasure, post one (6-1); Irving's baby, post two (15-1); Spain, post three (8-1); Critical Eye, post six (15-1); Serra Lake, post seven (8-1); and Pentatonic, post eight (12-1).

The card also features a pair of Grade 1, $500,000 stakes for 2-year-olds.

The Champagne, for colts, features the New York debut of West Coast sensation Officer.

Only four rivals will test trainer Bob Baffert's unbeaten colt, who was listed as a heavy 2-5 favorite.

Officer drew post four for the 1 1/16-mile stakes.

Heavyweight Champ, the 9-2 second choice, has post three and Thunder Days, 5-1, has post five.

The other starters are Saarland (post one, 6-1) and Jump Start (6-1).

Post time for the Champagne, the seventh race of the day, is 4:15 p.m.

The Frizette, for 2-year-old fillies, also drew a small but select field of five. The 1 1/16-mile stakes offers another showdown between You, the even money favorite (post three) and Cashier's Dream (6-5, post one). The two fillies staged a thrilling duel when You edged Cashier's Dream in Saratoga's Adirondack Stales.

The other starters in the Frizette are Cherokee Girl, post two (8-1); Treasure Coast Gem, post four (10-1); and Riskaverse, post five (12-1).

The Frizette, race six on the card, has a post time of 3:41 p.m.

A field of nine, headed by 5-2 favorite Forbidden Apple, will square off in the Grade 2 $250,000 Kelso at a mile on the turf.

Forbidden Apple has post three.

Other key threats are Manndar, post eight (3-1); and City Zip, post six (7-2).

The rest of the field consists of Sarafan, post one (12-1); Kimberlite Pipe, post two (12-1); Blu Air Force, post four (6-1); Tubrok, post five (6-1); Union One, post seven (10-1); and Saradukar, post nine (10-1).

The Kelso will be the ninth race of the day with post time at 5:18 p.m.