Claiming game represented with 11 starter races worth $1 million in purses

ELMONT, N.Y. – Saturday’s card at Belmont Park is a tribute to the claiming horses, with all 11 races being starter-allowance events for horses that have started for a certain price dating back to July 1, 2025. Total purses for the card are $1,085,000.

Surprisingly, the fields came up modest in size, with only three races drawing more than eight horses. Unsurprisingly, trainer Linda Rice appears set up for a huge day having entered 16 of the 85 horses on the card, though she said Thursday that Mutaawid (race 7) and Urgency (race 10) would be scratched. That would leave Rice with 14 entrants in eight races. Ilkay Kantarmaci has 10 entrants in eight races.

Here are some highlights:

Race 1: Rice figures to get the day off on a winning note with Commuted in the Creme de la Fete at six furlongs. While Commuted is unlikely to repeat the 102 Beyer Speed Figure he earned in winning a starter-allowance sprint by 4 1/2 lengths on Sept. 4 at Saratoga, he shouldn’t have to in order to win this race. Rice also entered Cool Andy, that one making his first start since April.

Race 2: In the Tiffany’s Taylor, a turf sprint for fillies and mares, Maryland shipper Gift of Gab, trained by Suzanne Stettinius, comes in off an 11-1 upset in the Sensible Lady Turf Dash on Sept. 12 at Laurel. Locally based Delightful Flame, trained by David Duggan, is dropping out of two stakes efforts, including a runner-up performance to Zeitlos in the Smart and Fancy Stakes two back at Saratoga.

Race 3: Rice and Kantarmaci have four of the six horses entered in the Lone Rock at 1 1/4 miles on dirt. Rice believes Le Gris, who she claimed for $40,000 out of a mile race two weeks ago, can be effective going longer.

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“It looks like he likes two turns,” Rice said. “Is it too far for him? Maybe. We’ll find out.”

Kantarmaci is wheeling Ambition back eight days after he won a $16,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles.

“I think longer is better for him,” said Kantarmaci, who also sends out Sharp Spark.

Race 5: In the Silver Timber, at six furlongs on turf, Rice said Global Prosperity “is on the bubble” to run, but if that one scratches, she still has Bite and Strike, who had a three-race win streak snapped when finishing fifth in the Disco Partner. He is 2 for 2 at this distance.

Mission Improbable, trained by Rodolphe Brisset, has won turf sprints at Aqueduct and Kentucky Downs this year.

Race 6: Will Not Be Swayed, trained by Lolita Shivmangal, should appreciate shortening up to 6 1/2 furlongs in the Glass Ceiling. City Blocks, Edistrudis, and Meg’s Foxy Grey seem to fit here as well.

Race 7: Carc Brothers, trained by Rob Atras, puts his undefeated (4-for-4) record on the line in the Cross Border at 1 1/2 miles on the outer turf. This 4-year-old New York-bred gelding by Slumber has won from 1 1/16 miles to 1 3/16 miles, and Atras is interested in finding out if Carc Brothers can handle more ground.

“He seems to surge in the later stages of his races,” Atras said. “He’s got a nice, big, long stride, high cruising speed, not a big turn of foot like a miler would have. He gives you the impression he might be more of a stayer.”

The major threat to Carc Brothers is Interceptor, a 4-year-old gelding by Authentic who is coming off a win in a second-level allowance going 1 1/2 miles at Kentucky Downs.

Race 9: Georgia Magic, trained by Steve Schauer, looks to start a new winning streak in the Be Bullish at one mile. Georgia Magic had won three straight, all in front-running fashion, before getting embroiled in a pace duel with Tip Top Thomas, which set up a stakes-caliber Oct. 4 allowance for the off-the pace runner Pentathlon.

If Georgia Magic gets involved in a pace duel with Kinetic in this spot, Magnanimous Max could pick up the pieces. Magnanimous Max bounced back from a seventh-place finish in Saratoga with a good-looking allowance win here Sept. 19.

“Things went very poorly at Saratoga in that last race, I wasn’t sure if it was the horse or just the circumstances,” Rice said. “I gave him some time, and he certainly showed up last time.”

Race 11: The Royal Posse, a seven-furlong race with the smallest purse at $75,000, drew the largest field with 10.

The Rice-trained Secured Landing, a winner of 10 of 23 starts, comes off a second-place finish to Kinetic in a second-level allowance/optional $80,000 claimer last out. Secured Landing has done his best work on the lead and will likely have to deal with Pineapple Man early in this one. Rice’s other entrant, Shoot the Nickel, and Normandy Coast, trained by Robert Falcone Jr., could fall into the right trip.

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