Imports Biz The Nurse, Morandi get class relief
It’s a rare allowance race that attracts two Group 1 stakes winners, but that will be the case when Biz The Nurse and Morandi, who won at the highest level overseas, square off in Thursday’s 1 3/8-mile optional-claiming feature on the inner turf at Belmont Park.
Going deep into the fine print of the eligibility conditions for the race that carries an $85,000 purse, the classy imports are admitted because they have not taken down a winner’s share of $30,000 in 2014-15.
As a 3-year-old in 2013, Biz The Nurse went 4-1-0 from five starts in Italy, capturing the Group 1 Gran Premio di Milano as well as a pair of Group 2 stakes. After finishing in the money but failing to win in four starts in 2014, he joined Tom Albertrani last November and made an auspicious U.S. debut in March, looping the field to win an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park with a winner’s share of $26,400.
“The first time he ran was very promising,” said Albertrani. “He circled the field seven wide that day, and that is hard to do there.”
Biz The Nurse was then a fast-finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Elkhorn before running evenly throughout an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Manhattan and recording a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 94.
Morandi had a stellar juvenile season in 2012, posting a 4-2-0 record from six starts, capped by a seven-length victory in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. He was blanked in six starts at 3, however, and missed all of last year. This will be his first start for owner Martin Schwartz and trainer Chad Brown, and he will get Lasix for the first time.
Can’thelpbelieving, Iron Power, Reflecting, and Silver Lime are eligible for the third-level allowance condition. Tattenham is entered for the optional $80,000 claiming price.
KEY CONTENDERS
Biz The Nurse (Last 3 Beyers: 94-90-88)
◗ He is approaching the $1 million plateau with earnings of $914,889.
◗ He has improved his Beyers with each U.S. start.
◗ He has won on firm, good, and soft ground.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Biz the Nurse. Trainer Tom Albertrani is 65-4-7-9 with a $0.74 ROI over the past five years in turf routes on the NYRA circuit in the second start following a layoff. – Mike Hogan
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Morandi
◗ The Schwartz-Brown team has had considerable success with European imports, notably with back-to-back Eclipse Award winners Stacelita (2011) and Zagora (2012).
◗ He makes his first start since the Champion Stakes in October 2013.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Morandi. Trainer Chad Brown is 16-7-1-1 with a $3.23 ROI over the past five years in the first start following a trainer switch and a layoff of 365 days or more. – Mike Hogan
Reflecting (Last 3 Beyers: 94-87-88)
◗ He equaled his career-high Beyer (94) on June 5 while finishing fourth in the Belmont Gold Cup, a two-mile race in which he finished third last year.
◗ He has lost 15 straight since back-to-back allowance wins to start 2013.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Can'thelpbelieving. Trainer Graham Motion is 67-13-11-11 with a $2.28 ROI over the past five years in turf routes on the NYRA circuit in the second start following a layoff. – Mike Hogan