Belmont: Five take another shot against Demonstrative in Lonesome Glory

ELMONT, N.Y. – In steeplechase races, anything can happen and usually does, so five horses beaten by Demonstrative in the Turf Writers Cup are back for another try in Thursday’s $150,000 Lonesome Glory Stakes.

The 2 1/2-mile Grade 1 Lonesome Glory completes a jump-up daily double with the William Entenmann Memorial, which leads off a 10-race program.

Belmont Park is the first stop for a fall steeplechase season that culminates with the Colonial Cup at Camden, S.C., on Nov. 17.

Demonstrative showed an affinity for Belmont’s wide-open spaces winning the Entenmann last year. In the Lonesome Glory, he looks just as formidable, if not more so, after taking the Jonathan Kiser Memorial and Turf Writers Cup at Saratoga.

“He’s a big rangy horse, you’d think he’d like a wider course,” said trainer Richard Valentine, who was saddling his first-ever Grade 1 winner in the Turf Writers. “I won the Maryland Hunt Cup, but [the Turf Writers] would have to be right up there. I had a couple anxious moments where I thought he wouldn’t get out, but he’s not going to stop trying. I’d say he’s a good 10 lengths better than he was last year.”

In the Turf Writers, Demonstrative saved ground early, eased out in the stretch, and was fortunate to avoid a spill at the last fence.

“It got a little bit tight late in the race,” said Robert Walsh, who steered Demonstrative clear as second choice Divine Fortune fell, which caused Left Unsaid to fall as well.

In the Lonesome Glory, Demonstrative totes 154 pounds, eight more than in the Turf Writers. Meanwhile, All Together, Divine Fortune, Charminster, Spy in the Sky, and Left Unsaid all get some weight off.

Left Unsaid returned from an extended layoff with a fast finish in the A.P. Smithwick when he was beaten a nose by Spy in the Sky. In the Turf Writers, he was moving to contention when he tripped over Divine Fortune as the 3-2 favorite.

“It’s just been bad luck every time he’s gotten beat,” said trainer Tom Voss of Left Unsaid, who had won or placed in 8 of 9 jump races before his spill in the Turf Writers

In addition to Divine Fortune, Jonathan Sheppard, who last week saddled his 3,000th winner, sends out History Boy, who seeks his third straight victory.