Belmont Park: Willy Beamin vs. Saginaw tops Showcase

ELMONT, N.Y. - A matchup between Saginaw and the Grade 1 winner Willy Beamin in the $100,000 Affirmed Success Handicap highlights Saturday's New York Showcase Day program.

The New York Showcase comprises 10 races restricted to New York-breds, including seven stakes worth $850,000. Unlike the Showcase program held in the fall, however, several of these races came up light in numbers, with three six-horse fields and one seven-horse field.

At $150,000 the Commentator, at 1 1/16 miles, is the richest race on the program, but the race drew a field of only six, including Icabad Crane, who has not run in 18 months, and So Scott, who ran third in Monday's first race.

Others entered in the Commentator include Awesome Vision, who dead-heated with Saginaw in the Compelling Word Stakes at Aqueduct on March 21 before finishing third in an open third-level allowance race. Readtheprospectus, a winner of five straight, Spa City Fever and Fox Rules complete the field.

Saginaw, who has won 13 of his last 17 starts, comes off a gritty nose victory in a starter allowance here on May 12, a race in which he carried 130 pounds. Saturday, he has the rail and will carry 123 pounds under Junior Alvarado.

Willy Beamin, who won the Grade 1 King's Bishop three days after winning the Albany last summer at Saratoga, has not run since finishing fifth in the Fall Highweight at Aqueduct last Nov. 22. He is now being trained by Rudy Rodriguez.

Completing the field are Be Bullish, Mine Over Matter, Fiddlers Afleet and Flying Zealous, a winner of six straight.

In other races:

** In the $125,000 Bouwerie for 3-year-old fillies, Lovely Syn, undefeated in three career starts, all for trainer Dominick Schettino, meets Kelli Got Frosty, a two-time stakes winner at 2 who is trained by Rudy Rodriguez.

** In the $125,000 Mike Lee for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, restricted stakes winners West Hills Giant and Weekend Hideaway return to New York-bred competition after failed attempts in open company.

** In the $125,000 Mt. Vernon for fillies and mares at a mile on the turf, Yes It's Pink seeks her fourth straight win in her stakes debut. She will faced stakes-placed runners Kibosh and Inimitable Romanee.

** In the $100,000 Dancing Renee for female sprinters at seven furlongs, Sunny Desert, a winner of eight of her last nine, meets Miss Valentine, Clear Pasaj and Lady On the Run, the top three finishers from the No Reason Stakes.

** In the $125,000 Kingston Handicap, for males at a mile on the turf, Lubash and Street Game top a field of nine.