Charitable Man wins Futurity

ELMONT, N.Y. - Charitable Man won the Futurity and Doremifasollatido captured the Matron for fillies as Belmont Park presented a pair of Grade 2, $250,000 stakes for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs on Saturday.

Charitable Man ($4.80), breaking from the outside post in the seven-horse field, was first out of the gate. Jockey Alan Garcia reined him in as Charitable Man dropped back to last in the tightly packed field before leveling off. Garcia kept his colt wide and clear of traffic, a key tactical decision. When asked, Charitable Man rejoined the battle with a four-wide move as the field turned for home.

Powering down the center of the track, Charitable Man left the competition behind, prevailing by one length over 19-1 shot Flying Pegasus with Friesan Fire third.

With the victory, Charitable Man remained unbeaten in two starts. He debuted at Saratoga with a dazzling 11 1/2-length win.

This was another impressive effort by a rising star for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and owners Mr. and Mrs. W.K. Warren Jr.

Garcia sees Charitable Man going all the way.

"He wants to go longer," Garcia said. "He's going to the Kentucky Derby."

It was a satisfying race for McLaughlin as Girolamo, his other colt in the race, finished fourth.

"We're just very happy that one of them won and that Alan chose the right one," McLaughlin said. "Hopefully, he'll have a very bright future. He was wide the whole way, which didn't help him."

McLaughlin said he will point Charitable Man to the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes here on Oct. 4.

The 119th running of the Futurity unfolded with High Mesa, Kensei, and Flying Pegasus battling for the early lead. They dueled through fractions of 22.87 seconds and 46.97.

Then Garcia turned Charitable Man loose, and the son of Lemon Drop Kid took it from there.

The time was 1:24.30 on the drying-out track rated good.

Gone Astray was fifth, followed by Kensei and High Mesa.

In the Matron, Doremifasollatido ($8.80) split rivals at the top of the lane and pulled clear to secure her second win in four starts.

She beat Persistently, who took the wide overland route, by two lengths, with Argyle Pink third.

The time was 1:24.74.

Eibar Coa guided Doremifasollatido to an ideal ground-saving trip behind the pacesetting Miss Ocean City. They lacked room turning for home before Coa found a narrow seam.

"It's all about your horse showing up," Coa said. "She showed up today, broke easily, and showed ability and heart."

Trained by Jimmy Jerkens for Susan Moore and M and M Thoroughbreds, Doremifasollatido improved on her second-place finish in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga.

"In her last race, she got into contending position while losing ground and got tired, but she hung on game for second," Jerkens said. "She was up close today without any effort. Her rhythm got broken a little bit at the top of the stretch but she showed a lot of grit."- Mike Farrell

Noble Damsel: Criminologist in time

Under never-say-die handling from Edgar Prado, Criminologist ($4.70) sustained a stretch-long rally to nip pacesetter Waquoit's Love in the final strides of the $111,700 Noble Damsel Handicap.

Criminologist settled in fourth early while Waquoit's Love controlled fractions of 24.44 seconds, 49.12, and 1:13.44. Waquoit's Love appeared home free a sixteenth out, but Criminologist surged at the wire to win by a head after a mile in 1:37.91 over a soft Widener turf course.

Sefroua outfinished Trouble Maker for third.

The only graded stakes winner in the field of eight fillies and mares, Criminologist won her fourth Grade 3 event for Shug McGaughey.

"She relaxed good today, which had been a problem in a couple of her other races," said McGaughey.Dave Litfin

Allied Forces: Pascal holds on

Pascal ($8.40) alternated for the lead with Atwell through slow fractions of 25.47 seconds, 49.79, and 1:14.02, then repelled a four-wide bid by odds-on That'srightofficer to win the off-the-turf, $100,000-added Allied Forces Stakes - a race that would have doubled in value had Big Brown or any other Grade 1 winner been in the field.

The Gary Contessa-trained Pascal, ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.79 on a drying-out "good" track, and earned $62,550 for Winning Move Stable.Dave Litfin