Jerkens goes for bicoastal stakes wins

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Allen Jerkens, who is having a phenomenal year, could win stakes on both coasts on Saturday.

At Santa Anita, Jerkens will run Frizette winner Society Selection in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. At Belmont Park, the Hall of Fame trainer has the probable favorites in the Grade 2 First Flight Handicap and Grade 3 Sport Page Handicap.

Shine Again will try to win the $150,000 First Flight for the third year in a row, and Meadowlands Cup winner Bowman's Band will try to improve off his second-place finish in last year's $100,000 Sport Page.

Shine Again, the 121-pound highweight in the First Flight, has finished second in her last four races as the favorite and highweight. In August, the 6-year-old suffered a nose defeat in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga, a race she had won the previous two years. Shine Again returned in the Grade 3 Floral Park here on Sept. 13 and was beaten less than a length by Bauhauser.

"She lost position at the half-mile pole in the Ballerina, but she still almost made it," said Jerkens, who trains Shine Again for Allaire duPont's Bohemia Stable. "I thought she ran good in her last race. Anyway, it could be she's had enough of [racing]. There, too, comes a time."

Richard Migliore has picked up the mount on Shine Again because Jose Santos, who rode the mare in her last two starts, will be at Santa Anita. On Tuesday, Shine Again worked six furlongs in 1:16.01 on Belmont's main track.

Among the horses Shine Again is expected to face in the First Flight are Randaroo and Follow Me Home, the winner and runner-up in the Grade 3 Safely Kept Breeders' Cup at Pimlico on Oct. 4.

Jerkens began training Bowman's Band for owner Martin Schwartz one week before the horse won The Meadowlands Cup on Oct. 3. Last year, after finishing fourth in The Meadowlands Cup, Bowman's Band finished a well-beaten second as the favorite in the Sport Page, which was run at Aqueduct.

Bowman's Band, who carries 120 pounds as the Sport Page highweight, will turn back to seven furlongs after his 1 3/4-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Meadowlands Cup.

Jerkens said he did not think the change in distance would bother Bowman's Band, "because he had time in between starts and he is sharp," Jerkens said. "He's a horse that goes about his business. He's happy to do what you want him to."

A large field is taking shape for the Sport Page. Among the probable starters are Bowman's Band, A Huevo, Aggadan, Bishop Court Hill, Highway Prospector, Outstander, Pinch Hitter, Speed Hunter, State City, Turn Back the Time, Voodoo, and Way to the Top.

The First Flight and Sport Page are part of a five-race live card at Belmont on Saturday. First post is 11 a.m. The Breeders' Cup simulcast will begin shortly after the conclusion of Belmont's live racing program.

* A $48,000 first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up is the feature on Thursday. Ten were entered in the 1 3/8-mile Widener turf race. Justification is entered main-track only. Statement is well suited to the distance after winning a marathon turf race against maidens here on Sept. 25. Lunar Mon finished second to Alajwad, a $5.5 million yearling purchase, at this level on Oct. 5.

* On Tuesday, Inamorato worked five furlongs in 1:01.25 on the main track in preparation for the $100,000 Discovery Handicap on Oct. 29, opening day of Aqueduct's 44-day fall meet. Jerome winner During, who was scheduled to work on Wednesday, is also being pointed to the Grade 3 Discovery for 3-year-olds.