Litfin's review: Espinoza gets rare Belmont win

Thursday, June 5, review

DRYING OUT

Rain overnight and through the morning turned the main track into a sea of sealed slop for the early races, and all scheduled turf races were taken off. Sun and wind by midafternoon had the track upgraded to “muddy” for race 5 while still sealed. The surface was harrowed and muddy for race 7 and then “good” for the last two races.

PICK SIX SINGLES PREVAIL

With a two-day carryover of $132,407 to shoot for, an additional $436,407 was bet into the pick six.

The two shortest-priced favorites on the card were Bluegrass Flash (6th, $3.30) and Doctor Dempsey (7th, $3), and they helped out a slew of budget-minded bettors. The only double-digit winner in the sequence was Manero (5th, $21.80), who switched from turf to dirt in her second start for Michelle Nevin.

ESPINOZA BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN

Coming off a debut win at Santa Anita, Doctor Dempsey ran his record to 2 for 2 as the day’s only winner to lead throughout. The 4-year-old broke to the lead from the inside post under Victor Espinoza and remained safely clear, earning an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

It was the first winner at Belmont since the 2004 Vosburgh for Espinoza, whose only local victory prior to that was with Officer ($2.60) in the 2001 Champagne. Espinoza, who is looking to go 7 for 7 on California Chrome and complete a sweep of the Triple Crown in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, had a lifetime record of 3 for 68 at Belmont through Thursday.

HORSE TO WATCH

HARBOR KING
Trainer: Richard Metivier
Last race: June 5, 6th
Finish: 2nd by 4 1/2
Beyer: 57
Broke a step slowly and trailed early, moved into contention approaching the turn, lacked room inside, losing position near the quarter pole, swung out, and finished willingly behind an odds-on winner.