Litfin's preview: Last turf sprints of N.Y. season

Sunday, Oct. 26, preview

GETAWAY DAY

It’s the 38th and final day of Belmont’s fall meet, with a 10-race card that includes six turf races on courses that are likely to be in the good-to-yielding range.

Among the sextet on grass are the last three turf sprints of the New York season: a $40,000 maiden claimer at six furlongs on the inner course as race 1, an optional claimer for New York-bred fillies and mares at seven furlongs on the Widener as race 7, and a restricted $25,000 claimer at six furlongs on the inner that wraps up the season in race 10.

Also at a mile on the Widener is the $100,000 Awad Stakes for 2-year-olds (race 5), where A Lot, Offering Plan, and Vision Perfect look like the principal contenders.

Aqueduct opens for a six-month run Wednesday.

MANDATORY PICK SIX PAYOUT

A reminder that the pick six is a must-pay pool Sunday regardless of whether there are any tickets with all six winners. The aforementioned Awad Stakes is the first leg of the pick six, with post time scheduled for 2:54 p.m. Eastern.

BROWN LOOKS TO CAP BIG MEET

Having already clinched his third straight Belmont fall training title, Chad Brown looks to put an exclamation point on the meet with Offering Plan in the Awad and the uncoupled duo of Catch My Drift and Endless Chatter in the Grade 3, $200,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap (race 9).

From four starts, Catch My Drift’s only loss was a pace-pressing try in the Alabama, in which she was beaten five lengths.

Endless Chatter had a three-race win streak snapped in the Beldame, where she chased Breeders’ Cup Distaff hopeful Belle Gallantey. Toasting also exits the Beldame, and the stretch runner could be a handful if she rebounds to her big-figure win in the Sky Beauty Stakes during opening weekend for Tom Albertrani.

Teen Pauline, sidelined since winning three stakes on Aqueduct’s inner dirt by a combined 18 lengths, returns as the potential lone speed for Todd Pletcher but may prefer two turns.

HORSE TO WATCH

GUGGENHEIM
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Last race: Oct. 24, 2nd
Finish: 3rd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 77
Caught a muddy track the first time out since chasing Grade 1 winner The Big Beast in early June and was spinning his wheels toward the inside around the turn before being taken outside and finding his best stride belatedly.