Denon sets up all-Frankel exacta

ELMONT, N.Y. - It was the Bobby Frankel exacta in Saturday's $400,000 at Belmont Park.

The Frankel-trained Denon, the 2-1 favorite, won the Grade 1 Manhattan by a half-length over his stablemate Requete, who was 6-1. The exacta returned $33.80.

Dr. Brendler, a 22-1 longshot who won the Citgo Dixie on Preakness Day in his last start, finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Requete.

The order of finish was completed by Macaw, Caesarion, Honor in War, Irish Colonial, Shaanmer, Gritty Sandie, and With Anticipation.

It was Frankel's second consecutive win in the Manhattan, a 1 1/4-mile grass race. He won the race last year with Beat Hollow.

Denon was ridden by Jerry Bailey, who notched his fourth victory in the Manhattan. Bailey's other winners were Danger's Hour (1986), Yagli (1999), and Manndar (2000).

New York-bred Irish Colonial, who was ridden by Javier Castellano, stole away to the early lead and set slow fractions of 26.29 seconds, 53.87, and 1:20.76 over the inner turf course, which was labeled soft. After a mile run in an extremely slow 1:47.53, Denon, who was seventh after the first half-mile, made a sweeping move on the outside to take the lead early in the stretch. Denon looked like a clear winner past the eighth pole, but Requete, who was ridden by Edgar Prado, was gobbling up ground quickly.

"I tucked into a good spot," Bailey said. "I had a lot of horse, so I wasn't concerned."

Frankel, before saddling Empire Maker in the Belmont Stakes, said, "I wasn't concerned about his early position. He likes the soft ground and he got it. Requete ran very, very good. I didn't know what to expect from him."

Denon ($6.30) covered the distance in 2:14.16. Denon carried 122 pounds as the co-highweight with Grade 1 winner With Anticipation, who ran one of the worst races of his career.

Denon, a 5-year-old son of Pleasant Colony, showed an affinity for the Belmont turf last year when he won the Grade 1 Turf Classic. In his only other start this year, Denon finished second in the Jim Murray Handicap at Hollywood Park on May 10.

Last year, Denon finished second in the Grade 1 United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park, a race that likely will be on his summer schedule again this year.

Denon has a record of 6-4-2 in 16 starts and earnings of $1,626,037. He is owned by Edmund Gann and Flaxman Stable

- additional reporting by Matt Hegarty