Gangster takes on winners in featured allowance
ELMONT, N.Y. – Gangster is back to terrorize handicappers again when he heads a six-horse field entered in the Wednesday feature at Belmont Park, a $77,000, first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
In his debut at Belmont in June, Gangster was sent off as the 2-1 second choice only to finish fourth without any visible excuse. His backers jumped ship when he made his second start at Saratoga and paid for it when Gangster went gate to wire at 21-1 under Jose Ortiz for trainer Todd Pletcher.
In his first start against winners, Gangster will take on Ice Cutter, who hasn’t run since winning a maiden race two months ago at Belmont, and Indian Brut, who has been mired in this condition since winning a maiden race Nov. 27 at Aqueduct.
Juan and Bina, Day of Fury, and Infinite Midnight complete the field.
Key contenders
Gangster (Last 2 Beyers: 96-60)
Didn’t seem to have a plausible excuse when finishing fourth in his debut, beaten 6 3/4 lengths by first-time starter Loose on the Town, going 6 1/2 furlongs here June 27.
Horses who ran back from that June 27 race are 1 for 9, with Gangster’s win at Saratoga the only success. Gangster beat many of the same horses that Ice Cutter beat in his July 8 win here.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Gangster. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 50-18-10-9 with a $2.95 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes with last-out maiden winners following a layoff of 45 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Indian Brut (Last 3 Beyers: 89-91-81)
Has three seconds and two thirds in six starts for this condition since winning in the slop at Aqueduct last November. On two occasions at Gulfstream Park, he finished second as an odds-on favorite.
In his last two starts, he made an earlier-than-anticipated move under Jose Ortiz, who rides Gangster in this spot. John Velazquez, who has not ridden a horse for trainer Barclay Tagg since Feb. 11, 2012, rides Indian Brut in this spot.
Tagg is hoping Velazquez will take the horse back and make one run.
“He’s got a quarter-of-a-mile run,” Tagg said.
Ice Cutter (Last 3 Beyers: 86-87-81)
Took advantage of a hot early pace to rally from sixth and win a 1 1/16-mile race here by a half-length over Indian Trail, the same horse Gangster beat by five lengths at Saratoga.
Christophe Lorieul, assistant to trainer Christophe Clement, wasn’t sure why Ice Cutter didn’t run at Saratoga, though it might have had more to do with the distances of the races that were available. His last three races have all been at 1 1/16 miles around one turn at Belmont.
“He’s doing great,” Lorieul said. “He needs to run. He’s better if there’s a little pace in front of him.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Ice Cutter. Trainer Christophe Clement is 12-2-2-1 with a $0.81 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes with last-out maiden winners following a layoff of 45 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan