Belmont Park: Discreet Force's style may offer edge in Sunday allowance

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ELMONT, N.Y. – Discreet Force got the better of Make the Moment after a spirited stretch battle in a first-level allowance race for New York-breds at Belmont Park on June 23.

Sunday, the two 3-year-old fillies will hook up again in the day’s featured race, a $77,000 second-level allowance for New York-bred fillies and mares, 3 years old and up, going six furlongs at Belmont.

Both Discreet Force and Make the Moment should benefit from an apparent abundance of speed in the field, but given the way Belmont’s main track has played thus far, Discreet Force’s stalking style may give her a slight edge over the late-running Make the Moment.

Trainer Dominic Galluscio believes that Discreet Force was taken out of her game when she finished third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, in a second-level allowance race going 6 1/2 furlongs over a muddy Saratoga main track Aug. 8.

“With the way the track was that day, they had to come out of there running,” said Galluscio, who trains Discreet Force for owner Francis Paolangeli. “Once he got her going, she was faster than he’d thought she’d be. I think she’s better off stalking.”

Discreet Force will break from post 9 under Javier Castellano.

Make the Moment, who is in post 10, is coming off a first-level allowance win at Saratoga, where she rallied from 8 1/2 lengths back to beat next-out winner Sweet Maxine.

In the June 23 race where she was beaten by Discreet Force, Make the Moment made a premature move toward the lead, according to her trainer, Charlton Baker.

“She got to the lead at the quarter pole, and I don’t think she wants to do that,” Baker said. “She made the lead a little too early.”

Baker said he is a bit concerned about the way the track has been playing, tending to favor horses who are on or near the lead.

“If that doesn’t change, she’s up against it,” Baker said.

Saichi Sweepin is a seven-time winner for Chris Englehart. She is entered for the optional-claiming tag of $35,000 and figures to be part of the early pace along with She’s Stones Sis and What the Frost.

Fiftyfour Forever, also in for the $35,000 claiming tag; La Bella Valeria, Lenders Way, Bird House, and Ah Gaga complete the field.

◗ Earlier on the card, the well-bred Long River returns to the races in a $77,000 first-level allowance race at 1 1/16 miles. It will be his first start since he finished last of eight in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes on Feb. 2.

Long River, a son of Grade 1 winners A.P. Indy and Round Pond, had a chip taken out of a knee following the Withers, according to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

“He went home and came back, and we’re happy to get him back to the races and think he’s a nice horse,” McLaughlin said.

Long River will break from post 4 with Irad Ortiz Jr.

All That, a maiden winner going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown, and Street Thug, a horse returning from a March layoff and making his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher, look to be the major threats to Long River.