Legendary tops Yankee Affair
The second day of Belmont’s fall meet will have a summery feel to it. The mercury is expected to make a run at 90 degrees, and an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon could affect the featured Yankee Affair Stakes.
Six long-distance types entered the $100,000 race, scheduled for 1 1/2 miles on the Widener turf. Should rain necessitate a switch to the main track, the distance becomes 1 1/8 miles.
Legendary, a British import owned by riding great Walter Swinburn, won two allowance races at Belmont’s spring-summer meet soon after coming to the United States and comes off a dead-heat for third in the Lure Stakes at Saratoga. He was cross-entered in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Japan Racing Association Stakes at Laurel by trainer Niall Saville.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Legendary. Trainer Niall Saville is winless in 12 starts over the past five years at distances of 11 furlongs and longer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Although winless in his last 10 starts, Reflecting should appreciate stretching back out after an off-the-board finish going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga. Prior to that, he posted the two fastest Beyer Speed Figures of his career, finishing third in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup and a close fifth in the Bowling Green at the Belmont spring-summer meet.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Reflecting. Trainer Shug McGaughey is 24 for 59 with a $3.23 ROI over the past five years in turf routes of 11 furlongs and longer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Red Rifle has yet to win on turf but has been sharp lately in a pair of runner-up finishes on grass. Earlier this year, the 4-year-old gelding won the Maxxam Gold Cup in the track-record time of 1:48.73 for 1 1/8 miles as Todd Pletcher’s first-ever starter at Sam Houston Race Park.
Slim Shadey made the first 36 starts of his career on turf, but after being purchased by owner-trainer David Jacobson and relocated from California, he showed a new dimension by winning the Elkwood Stakes in the slop at Monmouth Park.
“That was definitely an experiment at Monmouth, which turned out to be a successful experiment,” said Jacobson.
Elnaawi, fourth in the Grade 3 Iselin last out after stumbling badly at the start, posted a bullet workout Wednesday and makes his turf debut for Kiaran McLaughlin.
KEY CONTENDERS
Legendary
(Last 3 Beyers: 97-99-93)
◗ Owner Walter Swinburn rode such greats as All Along, Lammtarra, and Shergar.
◗ Legendary’s British-born trainer, Saville, worked for Michael Dickinson and Graham Motion after coming to the United States in 2005.
◗ Legendary has already been involved in two dead heats in four U.S. outings, including a win on yielding Belmont turf.
Reflecting
(Last 3 Beyers: 88-92-92)
◗ The Phipps Stable homebred began 2013 by winning back-to-back marathons, going 1 7/16 miles at Gulfstream Park and 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland, but is 0 for 10 since then.
Elnaawi
(Last 3 Beyers: 98-88-90)
◗ His half-brother To Honor and Serve won the 2011 Cigar Mile and the 2012 Woodward but never raced on turf.
◗ Neither has younger half-sister Angela Renee, second in the Adirondack and third in the Spinaway this summer.
◗ Javier Castellano has a 5-for-12 record when riding for McLaughlin in 2013-14.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Elnaawi. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 4 for 22 with a $3.18 ROI over the past five years with horses trying turf for the first time in a route following a layoff of 30 days or fewer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan