Hangingbyathread faces his friends

ELMONT, N.Y. - At the time, trainer Carlos Martin was probably happy when Hangingbyathread drew into the field for an open company entry-level allowance race here on June 6. After all, the 5-year-old gelding was favored in a race that received a $10,000 purse enhancement because it was run on Belmont Stakes Day.

But the outside post from which he broke and some traffic in the stretch proved too much for Hangingbyathread to overcome as he checked in eighth, though beaten just 4 1/4 lengths.

Wednesday, Hangingbyathread takes on New York-bred company in the $65,000 Do It Fast Stakes at 1 1/8 miles over Belmont's inner turf. The Do It Fast, which drew a field of eight, is the co-feature on a nine-race card that also includes the $65,000 Thepromonroe Stakes for New York-bred sprinters.

Hangingbyathread has not faced New York-breds since he finished third, beaten a neck in the Mohawk Handicap here last Oct. 18. One race before that, he whipped statebreds by 5 3/4 lengths in an allowance race. Two starts back, in his seasonal debut, Hangingbyathread won a starter allowance race, his third victory over Belmont turf.

In the June 6 race, Hangingbyathread raced four to five wide down the backside. In the stretch, jockey Eibar Coa had to take a hold of the horse because he had nowhere to run. Coa maintained a cautious approach through the final eighth of a mile. Jose Lezcano gets the mount on Wednesday.

There appears to be pace to aid Hangingbyathread in here. Pennington, Mission Approved, and Chasing the Crown - the horses drawn in the inside three posts - all appear to want to be forwardly placed. Mission Approved is a multiple open stakes winner, though he prefers marathon distances. Kutais, another potential pace factor, has won his last two.

In Thepromonroe, Dr. W looms the potential main speed among the six runners entered to go seven furlongs. Dr. W, trained by Steve Asmussen, has won four of his last five starts on fast tracks, including two open company allowance races. Two starts back, he was beaten 18 1/2 lengths in an open allowance in the slop.

"He's been training good; hopefully he runs back to the race he ran last time," said Toby Sheets, who oversees Asmussen's Belmont stable.

Law Enforcement comes off a second-place finish to Mor Chances in a similar spot on June 18, and is the major threat to Dr. W late.