Belmont shipper looks good

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Flying Dismount, who is based at Belmont Park with trainer Christophe Clement, looms as the horse to beat in Saturday's supporting feature at Woodbine, the Charlie Barley.

An open one-mile overnight turf stakes for 3-year-olds, the Charlie Barley attracted a field of eight.

"I think a mile is a perfect distance for him," said Clement, adding that the $100,000 purse was equally attractive.

Clement will be seeking his 10th stakes win at Woodbine with Flying Dismount, and the Kentucky-bred colt will be a solid choice.

Last time out, in the Grade 3 Calder Derby on April 26, Flying Dismount finished a troubled sixth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile turf race won by his stablemate, Sporting Art.

Tour Ireland, the runner-up there, came back to score handily in a first-level turf allowance at Calder. El Sultry Sun, the third-place finisher, won Monmouth Park's Lamplighter at 1 1/16 miles on grass in his next start.

Prior to the Calder Derby, Flying Dismount had finished second, beaten a neck by Sporting Art, in the Grade 3 Palm Beach at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Gulfstream.

The top local hopeful for the Charlie Barley is Catch Air, who made almost all of the running before ending second in the 1 1/8-mile Victoria Park here June 8 and now tries the Woodbine turf course for the first time.

Catch Air, a Kentucky-bred trained by Mark Casse, started three times south of the border last winter, opening long leads in each turf outing but hanging on only once, to win his maiden going one mile at Fair Grounds.

"He's a pretty nice horse but he has just one speed - fast," said Casse. "We'll see how that works on the turf here. He ran a good race in the Victoria Park."

Cryptonite Kid, who showed solid form on the turf here last year, will be making just his second start of 2008. In a first-level allowance at seven furlongs on turf here May 25, Cryptonite Kid finished seventh but was beaten just 3 1/2 lengths.

The blinkers go on Cryptonite Kid, and his regular rider, Robert Landry, retains the mount.