Beer: Belmont Park horses to watch for week of May 2
CLASSY CHRIS
Trainer: Lisa Lewis
Last race: April 29, 4th
Finish: 2nd by 1 3/4
Beyer: 62
First-time starter got away toward the back of the field and trailed early as the eventual winner grabbed control of the pace, then put in a nice four-wide run around horses all the way through the turn before carrying on gamely in the stretch; won’t take much improvement off that effort in this division.
ANIMAL APPEAL
Trainer: Jeremiah Englehart
Last race: April 29, 5th
Finish: 3rd by 2
Beyer: 72
Making first start of the year off a layoff, she broke from the rail in a six-furlong sprint on the grass and was quickly hooked into a fast duel by the longshot Hush Now (finished last); she managed to put her pace rival away but had nothing left for the closers at the end and settled for third.
DROP SHOT
Trainer: Jimmy Jerkens
Last race: April 30th, 9th
Finish: 2nd by 3/4
Beyer: 85
Came through with a career-best performance in turf debut after checking hard on the turn and then finishing up strongly with too much ground to cover on the winner, who had opened a clear lead through upper stretch.
CURIOUS CAL
Trainer: Charlton Baker
Last race: May 1st, 7th
Finish: 2nd by head
Beyer: 84
Dueled odds-on favorite Geaux Mets and third choice Commandante (they finished sixth and eighth) into defeat on a solid pace, only to be closed down by the last run from 20-1 shot Bug Juice in the final strides of a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for $25,000 claimers.