Belvoir has runners in both stakes at Emerald

A couple of juvenile stakes races share the spotlight on Sunday’s 10-race program at Emerald Downs. Trainer Howard Belvoir has decent shots in both the $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch for fillies and the $50,000 WTBOA Lads for colts and geldings. Both races are six furlongs.

First up is the Shinpoch, where the Belvoir-trained For You Only is the only stakes winner in the eight-horse field.

A full sister to Exit City Slew, who won the 2017 Washington Cup Race for filly and mares, For You Only forced the pace before settling for third when she debuted in a five-furlong maiden special weight race on July 7. A change of tactics worked to perfection when she came from a stalking position to upset the $54,000 Angie C. Stakes on July 21. She was ridden by Jennifer Whitaker in both races.

“She took a lot of dirt in her face and didn’t mind it,” Belvoir said of the Angie C. “She came out of the race good and she is doing very well right now.”

For You Only will break from post 6 with Whitaker riding.

Despite being a maiden and breaking from the rail, Cakewalk will likely be favored.

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Trained by Blaine Wright, Cakewalk was favored to win her debut in a maiden special weight race June 22 at Pleasanton. However, she burned a lot of money when she stumbled coming out of the gate and lost jockey Juan Hernandez.

She broke alertly in her second start, but once again cost the chalk players when she finished second by a nose in a maiden special weight race July 20 at Sacramento.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Majesticperfection is a half-sister to Fleetwood, who placed in the Grade 2 Best Pal as a 2-year-old.

She easily owns the best Beyer Speed Figure and could be gone if she breaks on top with Javier Matias riding.

Matias will be aboard the Belvoir-trained Muncey when the Kentucky-bred son of Munnings breaks from the rail in the WTBOA Lads.

In his only start, he broke a step slow before rallying to finish fourth as the 9-5 favorite in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race on July 28.

“He’s a nice colt but hard to handle,” Belvoir said. “He can run a bit. I like the way he closed a lot of ground in his first race. Not crazy about him drawing the rail, though.”

It is almost impossible to separate the 10 horses entered.

Turntheclocktozero, one of the three winners in the field, could be the one they have to run down.

Trained by Kay Cooper, the Washington-bred son of Harbor the Gold opened up by eight lengths before holding on to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race by a 1 1/2 lengths over Dropyourbuffs in his second start on July 14.

Dropyourbuffs, trained by David Martinez, was again the runner-up in a similar race July 28. He could get a nice trip from a stalking position breaking from post 9 with Juan Gutierrez riding.