Binkster needs to get outside to make his run

ELMONT, N.Y. – In a race that appears to have plenty of early speed, Binkster looks to get an ideal setup in Wednesday’s second-level optional-claiming race for New York-breds at Belmont Park. The key is for him to avoid getting dirt kicked in his face early in the race.

Binkster comes off two second-place finishes in this same condition at Saratoga. On July 14, he was beaten three-quarters of a length by T Loves a Fight. On Aug. 8, he finished second to Ready to Escape, having dropped a little farther off the early pace than trainer Ray Handal would have liked.

“Last time he would have won the race. He hated the kickback,” Handal said. “He lost about four or five lengths getting shuffled back.”

Wednesday, Binkster breaks from post 2 under Dylan Davis, who will likely try to find a way to get the 4-year-old gelding outside and in the clear down the backside.

“When he makes that big, wide run that’s when he runs his best races,” Handal said.

Handal does like how Binkster is coming into this race, noting that he will have had seven weeks since his last start. Earlier this year, Binkster was running back with three or four weeks between races.

“Giving him the time and being patient is key,” Handal said. “He worked great the other day. He couldn’t be doing any better.”

Part of the speed will be supplied by Leaky Cup, who two starts back won a first-level statebred allowance by 5 1/2 lengths in front-running fashion. That race was run in the slop.

Trained by Antonio Sano then, Leaky Cup was purchased privately by Tobey Morton and America’s Pastime Stables and turned over to John Kimmel.

Looking for a race to run him in, Kimmel put Leaky Cup in a turf race on Sept. 15, when he set the fractions before backing up to eighth. Kimmel ran Leaky Cup on the turf only because there was no available dirt race at the time of entry.

“To me, he looks very much alive and acting sharp,” Kimmel said. “That grass race didn’t look like it took that much out of him. Turf to dirt, that’s always worked pretty good for me.”

Sudden Surprise, third in this condition on Sept. 12, looks like he should be forwardly placed early under Kendrick Carmouche.

Kosciuszko returns to the races off a three-month layoff. Both of his victories have come when he’s been on or near the front.

Gypsum Johnny, re-claimed by Linda Rice for $16,000 on Sept. 8, is being offered for $40,000 in this spot.

Manifest Destiny, a recent dominant winner for $25,000 claiming in the slop at Saratoga on Sept. 2, completes the field.

First post for Wednesday’s eight-race card is 1 p.m.