Belmont: Streaker out to show she's not a flash in the pan

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though she has won four of six starts, Streaker has floundered when it has mattered most. Following the second layoff of her career, Streaker returns in Friday’s $60,000 Dispute Stakes hoping to rejuvenate a once-promising career.

Streaker, a daughter of Forest Wildcat and a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1 winner Pine Island, is one of six fillies and mares entered in the Dispute, a one-turn mile race that goes as the eighth of nine races. However, trainer Tom Albertrani said Wednesday that Belle of the Hall would likely scratch because he didn’t like the way she came out of her last workout.

Streaker, a daughter of Forest Wildcat, won the first three races of her career last year before attempting the Grade 1 Acorn, where she finished last of 12. She came out of that race a little banged up, according to trainer Shug McGaughey, who turned her out for the remainder of the year.

Streaker returned in a third-level allowance race on May 13 at Belmont, which she won by 1 1/2 lengths before trying the Grade 3 Vagrancy 22 days later. She finished a well-beaten fourth that day, and again came out “a little banged up,” McGaughey said.

“It took me this long to get her back where I wanted her,’’ McGaughey said. “Every time I asked her to step up she doesn’t step up. Maybe if we space her races out a little more we’ll get it right.’’

McGaughey is hoping to use this race as a stepping-stone to the Go for Wand at Aqueduct on Nov. 25.

Streaker, who is a two-time winner in one-turn mile races, likes to come from off the pace and there should be speed in this field with Katy Now, Rihanna, and Dynazapper in the lineup. Javier Castellano rides Streaker from the outside post.

A solid pace would also set things up nicely for Sweet N Sour Nina, who cuts back to a one-turn mile after running three consecutive stakes around two turns. Four starts back she finished a hard-charging second in the Ocala Stakes, a one-turn mile race for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park.

“We ran her a mile and an eighth a couple of times and she doesn’t have that kick,’’ trainer Peter Walder said. “She sits closer and she just doesn’t finish as good as she did in some of those Gulfstream races. There’s a lot of speed in that race, which I’m excited about. If she could run back to one of those Gulfstream races, that would put her in the thick of things.’’

Rajiv Maragh rides Sweet N Sour Nina from post 3.

Katy Now finished third in a pair of restricted overnight stakes at Saratoga sprinting. She is 2 for 2 in one-turn mile races and is 2 for 4 at Belmont. John Velazquez rides.