Brown vs. Clement in Belmont turf feature

It sometimes seems like Chad Brown and Christophe Clement have contenders in just about all the turf routes on this circuit, and Thursday’s featured eighth race is no exception.

The one-mile race, scheduled for the Widener course, offers an $80,000 purse and carries second-level allowance conditions or an optional claiming price of $62,500.

Between them, Brown and Clement send out three last-out beaten favorites who appear closely matched.

Brown entered the week atop the standings and sends out Calm Pacific, who breaks from the outside with Javier Castellano. Clement counters with Middleburg and Tune Me In.

There was no backstretch buzz concerning Calm Pacific for his unveiling at Saratoga last summer. No one told him, though, because after being shuffled back several positions on the far turn while between horses in midpack, he swung widest and finished with a flourish to get up late, with eventual Grade 1 winner Lochte among those in his wake.

“He got in a little trouble but was able to overcome it,” Brown said.

Calm Pacific followed with a first-level allowance win during the opening weekend of Belmont’s fall meet and concluded his season with a close third in the Basket Weave Stakes in October. He has since made two starts at this level at Gulfstream Park, finishing fast for second and racing a wide fourth as the 2-1 choice.

Middleburg overcame a wide trip to post his initial allowance win Dec. 21 and led at the stretch call a month later at 1 7/16 miles. This is his first start since then. Clement saddled two layoff winners in one-mile turf races Sunday.

Tune Me In, in for the $62,500 tag, tops the field with more than $400,000 in earnings, including wins in the Oceanport and Cliff Hanger at Monmouth Park in 2012. Although winless since then, he looms a strong part of the early pace along with the speedy Lots of Love Mom. Entering the week, there have been only two wire-to-wire winners this meet on the Widener.

A contested pace could benefit Front, who steps up after winning with a new Beyer Speed Figure top in his 2014 debut for Jimmy Jerkens. Cheyenne Nation makes his 8-year-old debut as part of a Rudy Rodriguez-trained entry with North Ocean. North Ocean is entered for dirt only, as are Escapefromreality and Start Jumping.