Gilded Gold fast and versatile

ELMONT, N.Y. - Gilded Gold seeks her fourth straight stakes victory Friday when she heads a full field of 12 fillies and mares entered in the $65,000 Elizabeth Bay Stakes at Belmont Park.

In order to be successful, will have to stretch out to six furlongs for the first time. Her last three victories have come at 5 or 5 1/2 furlongs.

"I think she'll be all right,'' trainer Alan Goldberg said Friday from New Jersey. "She's run seven-eighths on the dirt. It depends who's in the race. The main thing with her is she breaks so hard, she can get a hold of the turf. Sometimes when she breaks so hard on the dirt, it comes out from underneath her.''

Gilded Gold's last three victories have come in different ways. Last November, in a stakes at Laurel Park, Gilded Gold sat third about three lengths off the pace. In the Giant's Causeway Stakes in April at Keeneland, Gilded Gold pressed the pace. In last month's The Very One at Pimlico, Gilded Gold went gate to wire when the other speed horse in the race scratched.

Goldberg said he doesn't think Gilded Gold has a preferred running style.

"I don't think it matters as long as she breaks and is settled,'' he said. "She breaks pretty fast. She's not going to be fifth or sixth and make a run. She can be anywhere close to the front end. She's a pretty nice, honest filly and she's doing well.''

Goldberg is hoping to use the Elizabeth Bay as a prep to either the $250,000 Distaff Turf Sprint Championship at Calder on Aug. 5 or the Grade 3, $150,000 Royal North at Woodbine two days later.

On Friday, Gilded Gold must carry 124 pounds under Javier Castellano from post 8.

Trainer Christophe Clement sends out the uncoupled entry of . The 4-year-old Society Hostess won a third-level allowance going one mile at Delaware Park on June 11, her North American debut. Midris is 2 for 2 at six furlongs and comes off a third-place finish in a minor stakes at Woodbine.

Titian Time, , and Evasive are other contenders on turf.

Ring True and Swap Fliparoo were not entered with a main-track-only designation, but would certainly be the main threats should the race get moved to the dirt.