Litfin's preview: Weather threatens turf races

Wednesday, Oct. 8, preview

MOTHER NATURE’S CALL

The weather in the Northeast is typically unsettled in early October, and a chance for showers and/or thunderstorms Tuesday into early Wednesday could affect Wednesday’s program, which is the first of six straight days of racing through Columbus Day.

Six of the nine races are scheduled for turf, including an $80,000 optional claimer for open company and a $65,000 optional claimer for New York-breds. The three scheduled dirt races include a $65,000 maiden-claiming sprint for 2-year-old fillies and a $60,000 maiden special weight sprint for 2-year-old New York-breds.

BAY OF PLENTY RETURNS

The eighth race features the return of Bay of Plenty, whose two starts on the circuit in early spring resulted in maiden and first-level allowance victories by lopsided margins, with Beyer Speed Figures of 93 and 97.

It has been five months since Bay of Plenty’s romp here on the first Wednesday of Belmont’s spring-summer meet, and the Godolphin Racing color-bearer will have to overcome the inside post in this $80,000 optional claimer at a flat mile.

Such a position in one-mile races can be treacherous because the races begin in a no man’s land where the chute joins up with the main track and the clubhouse turn, which causes many horses to instinctively duck in toward the open space.

Of potential significance is the fact that in his first two races at Gulfstream, Bay of Plenty was off slowly.

Also returning in race 8 are Saint Vigeur, who hasn’t started since finishing a close third in the $100,000 Coastal Stakes here 364 days ago for Chad Brown, and Vinceremos, who was last seen finishing 17th in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Vinceremos, the runner-up to multiple stakes winner Ring Weekend in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, has turned in a series of encouraging local workouts for Todd Pletcher, whose horses compiled a record of 7-1-1 from 13 starts over the weekend, including graded stakes victories by the 2-year-olds Blofeld, Carpe Diem, and Daredevil directly off their debut maiden wins.

Also in the competitive field is Mosler, a $1,050,000 yearling buy who has won both of his starts at Belmont for Bill Mott.

HORSES TO WATCH

EL KABEIR
Trainer: John Terranova
Last race: Oct. 4, 8th
Finish: 4th by 17 3/4
Beyer: 74
Off slowly from the inside post, hustled up to contention between horses, and wound up on a deep, sloppy rail through the stretch of the Champagne Stakes; the race was not a true representation of his talents.

DARLING SKY
Trainer: Butch Reid
Last race: Oct. 5, 10th
Finish: 6th by 10 3/4
Beyer: 53
Up close to the leaders after breaking from the No. 1 hole, was eased back to avoid being caught in tight quarters in the Matron Stakes and appeared to become discouraged; may rate another chance under more favorable circumstances.