ELMONT, N.Y. – The two sprint stakes – the $125,000 Hudson Handicap for males and the $125,000 Iroquois Stakes for females – look to be the most competitive of the eight stakes carded on Saturday’s New York Showcase Day program at Belmont Park. The Hudson, at 6 1/2 furlongs, drew a field of nine with plenty of speed signed up with the likes of Tribecca, Foolish Ghost, and Arthur’s Hope in the field. Dugout is another horse that has shown speed, but his win in the Steel Valley Sprint Stakes last November at Mahoning Valley shows him to be a bit more versatile than a first glance might suggest. Dugout, a son of Adios Charlie, had a chip removed from a knee following a last-place finish in a statebred allowance run in the slop last December at Aqueduct, according to trainer Larry Rivelli. He has made two starts on turf this year at Arlington Park, winning a second-level allowance on Sept. 18 after getting beat a nose in the same condition on Aug. 21. In both of those races, Dugout was in front. Rivelli does have the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. for the Hudson. “I’m going to let Irad make up his own mind,” Rivelli said. “He is fast. I’m sure he’ll come out of there running, but you can ride a tactical race with him, too. The day he won the Funny Cide Stakes” – Rivelli said referring to the Aug. 24 stakes at Saratoga in 2018 – “[Javier] Castellano had him sitting off a horse. If we could emulate that race we’d be good.” Rivelli did send Dugout here early in the week to get in some training over Belmont’s main track. :: Get DRF Betting Strategies for Belmont’s Saturday card Captain Bombastic is 3 for 3 at Belmont, all in stakes restricted to 3-year-olds. In addition to tackling older horses for the first time he is coming off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness Day. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart felt Sheldon Russell not having ridden Captain Bombastic previously and the presence of Yaupon were factors in the poor performance. Luis Saez rides Captain Bombastic on Saturday. “He’s a horse you want to be aggressive with leaving there and get him into a good spot,” Englehart said. “Once you get him there, he’s usually fine.” Big Engine got injured following a second-place finish in a race at Aqueduct in January. He has won two of his three starts since coming back and beat several of these in an allowance race here on Sept. 26 My Boy Tate is coming off an allowance win in a seven-furlong race at Parx and is back in restricted company in this race. He was third behind Funny Guy and T Loves a Fight in the John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga. T Loves a Fight has lost 10 straight races but he has three seconds and four thirds during that span. Morning Breez completes the field. Atras on a roll into Iroquois Entering Friday’s card, trainer Rob Atras had six wins and two seconds with his last eight starters at Belmont Park. It’s a streak he hopes can continue a little longer, at least into Saturday, when he sends out Officer Hutchy and Fair Regis in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs. Atras claimed Officer Hutchy for $25,000 on Aug. 16 then ran her back on Sept. 3 in a division of the New York Stallion Stakes, which she won as the favorite, taking advantage of her outside draw under Dylan Davis, to hand Spin a Yarn her first career defeat. Spin a Yarn is back in this spot. “We definitely had a really good trip, she broke running, had a perfect setup, where Spin a Yarn didn’t have the greatest of trips,” Atras said. “Dylan rode our filly textbook.” Davis is riding Timely Tradition, who has won four of five starts since trainer Ray Handal claimed her for $25,000 in January. Saturday, Manny Franco will ride Officer Hutchy, who is in post 2, while Spin a Yarn, who comes in of an 11-length allowance win at Finger Lakes on Sept. 23, is drawn in post 7 in the 10-horse field with Kendrick Carmouche. Fair Regis, second in this race last year, has two seconds and three thirds in five starts this year. “I feel like she’s had some unfortunate trips, some bad racing luck,” Atras said. “I think she does fit in the race and is holding her form well.” Trainer Linda Rice sends out Newly Minted and Prairie Fire in the Iroquois. Newly Minted won the Union Avenue at Saratoga last out breaking from the outside post. Newly Minted is now drawn on the rail and is the 126-pound highweight under Jose Lezcano. Prairie Fire two starts back won a second-level allowance against statebreds impressively. She was second against open company last out. Espresso Shot, Bertranda, and My Roxy Girl complete the field.