'Carson' the one to catch

ELMONT, N.Y. - The Grade 1 Test will go down as one of the most exciting races run at Saratoga.

In a race that didn't deserve a loser, You beat the previously undefeated Carson Hollow by a nose.

You and Carson Hollow are both entered on Saturday at Belmont Park but in different spots. While You sets her sights on the Grade 1 Ruffian, Carson Hollow will be the favorite in the $100,000-added Floral Park.

Run for the first time as a graded event, the Grade 3 Floral Park, a six-furlong race, drew a field of five fillies and mares.

Frank Stronach bought controlling interest in Carson Hollow before the Test, but the New York-bred filly remained in the care of trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.

In the seven-furlong Test on July 27, Carson Hollow set a strong pace and battled gamely through the stretch with You before missing by a whisker.

Dutrow said the effort initially took a little something out of the 3-year-old Carson Hollow, but she was quick to bounce back.

"For a couple of days she was down," Dutrow said. "After that it was no problem. I'm very confident she will run an extremely big race."

Since the Test, Carson Hollow has been working exceptionally well at Aqueduct.

John Velazquez rides Carson Hollow, who drew post 3.

Gold Mover, who won the Floral Park last year, finished fourth as the favorite in the Honorable Miss at Saratoga on Aug. 2. Her trainer, Mark Hennig, said Gold Mover, who had never raced on a wet track before, didn't handle the sloppy surface.

Before the Honorable Miss, Gold Mover beat the fleet-footed Xtra Heat in the Princess Rooney at Calder. Gold Mover wore down Xtra Heat, who carried 12 pounds more, in the final strides. In the Floral Park, Gold Mover carries 117 pounds, the same as Carson Hollow, who is the horse Gold Mover must catch this time.

"I don't think we can put Carson Hollow in the same category as Xtra Heat," Hennig said. "We were able to run [Xtra Heat] down going six furlongs at Calder. Six-and-a-half or seven, it would be a little easier. She's done really well since that race [the Honorable Miss] and hopefully she's up to the task."

After 22 starts without blinkers, Shiny Band will wear them in the Floral Park. Shiny Band wore blinkers in an extremely fast work here earlier this week.

Shiny Band's trainer, Allen Jerkens, said he hopes the blinkers put some speed back in the filly.

"She hasn't been showing the speed she had before," Jerkens said.

La Galerie and To Marquet complete the field.

- additional reporting by David Grening

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