Carson Hollow streak at risk

ELMONT, N.Y. - Sunday's $75,000-added Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park drew an extremely competitive field of 12 New York-breds.

The Bouwerie, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, is the stakes debut for Carson Hollow, a speedy Carson City filly who is undefeated in two starts.

Other major players are Princess Dixie, the most accomplished member of the field with $212,840 in earnings, and She's Got the Beat, undefeated in restricted company this year.

Carson Hollow, who is trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., will be among the favorites after winning her first two starts impressively at short odds. Dutrow's filly, who is extremely quick from the gate, won a restricted maiden race by 18 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct in March. In her next start, Carson Hollow defeated open company over a muddy track. She controlled the pace in both races.

Dutrow thought enough of Carson Hollow to enter her in last weekend's Grade 2 Nassau, but scratched the filly to run in the Bouwerie.

John Velazquez, a winner of three Bouweries, will ride Carson Hollow who drew the tough rail post, which has yielded a low percentage of winners at the meet.

Dutrow's filly figures to receive early pressure, particularly from Shawklit Mint.

Princess Dixie is a candidate to improve off her third-place finish in her 2002 debut in the Park Avenue, a division of the New York Stallion Stakes, run over a wet track at Aqueduct. Last year at Belmont, Princess Dixie, who is trained by Jim Bond, was an easy winner of the Maid of the Mist Stakes.

"I don't really think the muddy track was to her advantage first time back," remarked Bond, who thought his filly was too close to the pace that day. Edgar Prado rides Princess Dixie.

She's Got the Beat cuts back in distance after two sharp second-place finishes in open company at a mile. The filly was a pace a factor in those races, but trainer Phil Johnson prefers that jockey Shaun Bridgmohan employ different tactics in the Bouwerie and comes from off the pace.

There are questions concerning Shawklit Mint, who was a 5 1/4-length winner against statebreds on May 2. Shawklit Mint stretches out an additional furlong after winning three six-furlong races from on the lead. The filly's best Beyer Speed Figure (91) came over a sloppy track in her last start and a fast track is likely for Sunday.

Liveitupnow and Multiple Wins, the one-two finishers in the Park Avenue, are also entered.