Hammersly's preview: Baby race at Belmont
Friday, June 13, preview
IS THERE A BUDDING STAR IN THE BUNCH?
While we revel in the recent top-class achievements, one of the most anticipated aspects of this time of year is the influx of new talent, namely, the juveniles. Today’s opener brings out six 2-year-old males, only one of whom has any racing experience. And, of course, when you’re talking 2-year-olds and New York, the first thing that springs to mind is the name Todd Pletcher.
The multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer has been the standard as far as juveniles go on the East Coast over the past few seasons, and he unveils two promising males here. Nonna’s Boy, a homebred son of Distorted Humor (the sire of Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Preakness winner Funny Cide) is the first foal of Nonna Mia (Grade 1-placed). He’s been working splendidly and gets John Velazquez. He also gets stuck on the rail.
Pletcher’s other protagonist, in post 2, is Stanford. This son of Malibu Moon (who happened to sire 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb) cost a pretty penny at auction: $550,000. He’s worked superbly as well.
While Pletcher is the focal point, there are others of note. Skerkis, trained by Ken McPeek, is from the first crop of Grade 1-winning sprinter Majesticperfection and is kin to Sea of Joy (a three-time stakes winner and stakes-placed). Bustin It and Blame It On Chris, both sent out by Michael Mareina, are sons of Bustin Stones (who won all six starts, including the Grade 1 Carter) and Blame (a three-time Grade 1 winner), respectively.
Bustin It’s two siblings are both two-time winners, including May Shares (a stakes winner). Blame It On Chris has two winning siblings from three to race.
Valuetempo, the only horse in the field who has run a race, ran fifth for trainer Randi Persaud in his turf debut here June 6. He’s wheeled back in a hurry and, being by Value Plus, should like dirt.
CAN THE OLD BOY KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON?
Awakino Cat may be a 9-year-old, but the venerable runner still has plenty of gas in the tank and attempts to show it again in race 2, a starter-allowance, six-furlong sprint on the Widener turf course. Trained by Gary Contessa, he comes here looking just about as good as ever. He was a game winner of a $25,000 turf sprint at Gulfstream Park on March 23, then came here and gamely won a strong optional claimer going six furlongs on the inner course May 10. He doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
SPOT PLAY
Race 4
SKIPPING (#3, 5-2) hasn’t run in almost eight months and has never run on turf, but there’s still plenty to like about this 3-year-old filly. She showed ample ability in finishing second in her only two starts, both on Polytrack last year, first at Arlington on Aug. 24 and then at Keeneland on Oct. 25. She hasn’t run since, but her trainer, Christophe Clement, is superb off a long layoff like this.
As far as turf goes, she’s a daughter of Grade 1 grass winner Stroll and kin to Knox (two grass wins, stakes-placed on grass), Time Trial (two grass wins), and Meribel (seven wins, six on grass, $523,000, multiple stakes winner on turf, including a Grade 3, also multiple Grade 2-placed on turf).