Belmont notes: Lunar Victory could point to Clark

ELMONT, N.Y. - Lunar Victory, who won the $250,000 Empire Classic on Saturday at Belmont Park, could make his next start in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23, trainer Bill Mott said.

Mott said earlier this week that the plan was to definitely keep Lunar Victory in training next year but that he would recommend to Juddmonte Farms, the owner of Lunar Victory, to possibly try the Clark.

“My recommendation is let’s see how he is doing, and if he is doing really well let’s have a look at the Clark,” Mott said.

Lunar Victory won the Empire Classic by 1 1/4 lengths over the stubborn 3-year-old Saratoga Snacks. Lunar Victory, who earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance, won for the fifth time in six starts.

Bush wants one more run from Unbridled Command

Trainer Tom Bush said he would like to run Mohawk Stakes winner Unbridled Command one more time this year and will likely choose between the Grade 3, $100,000 Commonwealth Turf at Churchill on Nov. 17 and the Grade 1, $250,000 Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park on Nov. 25.

The Commonwealth is run at 1 1/16 miles while the Hollywood Derby is 1 1/4 miles.

“I think a mile and a quarter is fine for this horse,” Bush said. “It was amazing to see him come back. He acts like he hadn’t even run.”

Unbridled Command has now won four consecutive races including the Grade 3 Saranac.

Hessonite plans still on hold

Trainer David Donk said while he believes Ticonderoga Stakes winner Hessonite will be withdrawn from the Fasig-Tipton sale next month to run again next year, nothing has been finalized just yet.

Donk, who trains Hessonite for owners Philip DiLeo and William Punk Jr., said that if he gets to run Hessonite again, he would likely skip next month’s Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct and rest her for a 2013 campaign.

“She came out of the race great, but I don’t know if I want to go to the well once more or not,” Donk said.

Donk said he would like to point Hessonite to long-distance races next year such as the Sheepshead Bay and New York Stakes.

Hessonite won the Ticonderoga by 3 3/4 lengths and matched her career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 92.

◗ Book Review successfully stretched out to 1 1/16 miles winning Wednesday’s $85,000 Imperial Gesture Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths.

Under Javier Castellano, Book Review sat fourth while saving ground down the backside. She split horses at the three-sixteenths pole and drew clear while drifting out a few paths.

Book Review, a daughter of Giant’s Causeway owned by Gary and Mary West and trained by Chad Brown, covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.98. She will most likely make her next start in the Grade 1 Gazelle at Aqueduct on Nov. 24.