Folk Magic fitter for turf-route allowance

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Brian Lynch came within a nose of sweeping three allowance features at Belmont Park last week. Lynch will begin this week trying for another score with Folk Magic in a first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles over Belmont’s inner turf course.

Folk Magic meets six rivals, three of whom she finished in front of in a similar spot at Keeneland on April 7, in Wednesday’s second race.

At Keeneland, Folk Magic was making her first start since she won her debut last July at Woodbine. In the Keeneland race, Folk Magic set the pace under Javier Castellano before being overtaken by Chubby Star and Sweeping Paddy in the stretch.

“She wasn’t 100 percent for that race, but I thought she ran very creditable,” Lynch said. “She got a lot out of it, trained great in between. Fitness-wise, she should be spot-on.”

Folk Magic will break from the outside post under John Velazquez.

Trainer Chad Brown sends out the pair of Wind Tartare and Lipstick City. The French-bred Wind Tartare is making her U.S. and seasonal debut in this spot. She is coupled with Price Too High; both are owned by Head of Plains partners. Price Too High is trained by Wesley Ward.

Lipstick City was a debut winner at Belmont last September but has not run back to that race yet. She finished seventh in the aforementioned Keeneland race.

“This will be a good test to evaluate if she’s developed or not,” Brown said. “It’s over a course she broke her maiden on. She’s got to show herself here.”

Talaaqy and Joust, eighth and ninth in that April 7 Keeneland race, are back to test Folk Magic again. Initiate is coming off a maiden win at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Shug McGaughey in her turf debut.

KEY CONTENDERS

Folk Magic, by Americain
Beyers: 71-62

◗ Lived up to her favoritism when she won her debut against eight rivals sprinting at Woodbine last July. Came off a layoff with a respectable third-place finish in an 11-horse field at Keeneland.

Wind Tartare, by Air Chief Marshal
No Beyers

◗ Went 1 for 5 in Europe before being purchased privately by Sol Kumin et al and transferred to Brown.

◗ In Europe, she finished second to Rymska, who wound up with Brown and won Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream in February.

◗ Was entered to run earlier in the meet, but race was rained off the turf.

“She’s training really well. I expect her to run really well,” Brown said.

Initiate, by Pioneerof the Nile
Last 3 Beyers: 72-5-48

◗ Made a promising 3-year-old and turf debut, recording a 4 3/4-length front-running victory at Tampa in March. Runner-up Point System came back to win her maiden at Laurel.