Buzz Song brings much to the table, but so do others

On opening day of the fall meet at Belmont Park, Buzz Song romped to a 7 3/4-length victory as the 3-5 favorite in a one-mile maiden race. She may be an even shorter price Saturday when facing five other 2-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware Park.

Buzz Song, who is trained by Todd Pletcher, has several factors in her favor in the 1 1/16-mile race:

* Her 74 Beyer Speed Figure is nearly 30 points higher than the next-best route number of any of her opponents.

* A $200,000 purchase at the 2003 Keeneland September sale, Buzz Song is a half-sister to stakes winners Affair With Aflair and Chasing Stars.

* Her maiden win at Belmont came on a day when the rail was golden, yet Buzz Song raced three wide the entire way.

For contrarians, there are a couple of reasons to shy away from Buzz Song, other than her anticipated short price.

The group of horses Buzz Song beat last time out was quite weak. Of the three fillies who have run back, runner-up Money Helps finished sixth, fourth-place Colonial Strike was again fourth, and pacesetter Ayla Bella came back to finish a distant eighth.

In contrast, Secrets Galore and Trickle of Gold both ran in what looks like a key race, the Irish Sonnet Stakes at Delaware Sept. 25.

The winner, Dance Away Capote, came back to finish a close fourth in the Alcibiades at Keeneland and is headed to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Trickle of Gold, who faded in the Irish Sonnet after setting a fast pace, came back to crush maidens in a sprint while improving her Beyer from 46 to 77.

Secrets Galore makes her first start since finishing second in the Irish Sonnet. She shows two recent solid five-furlong works, draws the rail, and gets a major rider shift to Jeremy Rose.

* The first post time of the special six-race live card on Breeders' Cup Day will be 10:45 a.m.

* Beginning on Sunday, Oct. 31, post time for the first race will move up to 12:20 p.m.