Blazing Purrsuit good to go

ELMONT, N.Y. - There is only one week remaining, and trainers Jimmy Toner and Mike Hushion are still seeking their first victories at the Belmont fall meet.

Either one could accomplish the feat in Wednesday's seventh race, a $47,000 allowance at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races.

Toner, who is 0 for 13 at the meet and winless with his last 18 starters in New York dating back to Aug. 9, sends out Blazing Purrsuit. Hushion, who is 0 for 17 at the meet and 0 for 27 in New York since Aug. 27, will saddle Castle Heights, who should appreciate the expected moisture in the track.

, a 3-year-old son of Tale of the Cat, won his career debut at Belmont by 1 1/4 lengths on July 14. Toner was preparing the horse for a start at Saratoga when he injured a splint bone and was off the work tab for nearly two months. Blazing Purrsuit shows five workouts since Sept. 20, including a best-of-60 half-mile move in 46.80 seconds on Oct. 2.

"He's training right for it - he's a nice horse," Toner said. "That's why I was so bummed out that he missed the summer and fall races. You look up and the 3-year-old season's over. I'll have to map out something else for him now."

Though John Velazquez rode Blazing Purrsuit in his debut, Edgar Prado has the call on Wednesday. Toner explained that Prado had been working the colt before his debut, but was out of town when the horse raced.

Toner doesn't think a wet track would be a problem for Blazing Purrsuit, who won his maiden over a track labeled good.

On Aug. 21 at Saratoga, won an off-the-turf race by nine lengths in the slop at Saratoga. Following that race, Castle Heights finished eighth in an entry-level allowance race on dirt. Hushion is a 30 percent trainer moving horses from the turf to the dirt.

finished second behind Blazing Purrsuit on July 14 and, two starts later, won a maiden race by six lengths. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99 that day. Blazing Song, Belichick, and Gold Explorer round out the field.

Trainer Dominick Schettino is hoping Wednesday's eighth race, a $48,000 entry-level allowance race, stays on the turf. Schettino believes Baymont will relish the 10 furlongs of Wednesday's race, scheduled for the inner turf. Baymont, a closer, should get a contested pace with Shadow Play and Unshuttered in the field.