'Big Apple' can handle open company
ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Apple Daddy, a very consistent New York-bred, steps into open company Friday at Belmont Park in the $65,000 Smoke Glacken Stakes for 3-year-olds.
He comes out of the Mike Lee Stakes for statebreds on June 26, a race that trainer Bruce Levine said was "like an open race. Some of the horses in there have been running Beyer Figures of 90 to 100."
battled three wide for the lead in the seven-furlong stakes and held a narrow advantage in the lane. He finished fourth, beaten only 2 3/4 lengths by Naughty New Yorker.
Big Apple Daddy should be sharp for this assignment following a three-furlong bullet work of 35.26 seconds on Tuesday.
"He did that very easy," Levine said.
Big Apple Daddy owns the best career Beyer in the field, a 103 registered in a 9 3/4-length allowance romp two starts back.
Big Apple Daddy will face six rivals in the six-furlong Smoke Glacken.
, trained by Todd Pletcher, was a tiring seventh in his latest effort, Belmont's Grade 2 True North Breeders' Cup Handicap against older rivals.
Vicarage was a Triple Crown prospect over the winter. He won an allowance race at Gulfstream Park and followed up with a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes.
His career-best moment came in the Louisiana Derby, where he ran second to High Limit, good for a 98 Beyer.
Juan Rodriguez, filling in for the suspended Richard Dutrow Jr., sends out two: Diamond Isle and Byanosejoe.
, who struggled in routes this year, snapped back following a freshening and a cutback in distance in the six-furlong Coronado's Quest Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 11.
Diamond Isle launched a solid inside move to get third for his first in-the-money finish since the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last fall.
has solid credentials at this distance, with a record of 2-1-0 in three starts.
Storm Creek Rising is a promising sprinter for trainer Christophe Clement. He has two wins and has never finished out of the money in seven career starts at distances up to 6 1/2 furlongs.
He won an allowance at Belmont last time out with a lifetime-best 98 Beyer.
* Edgar Prado rode four winners Wednesday at Belmont. He took the second race with Yankee Magic ($6.90) and got rolling with three straight starting in the fifth: Elusive Toga ($12.40), Pixie Stix ($6.70), and Merrill Gold ($4.80).