For Mo Town, Friday allowance is time to shine

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mo Town gets another chance – perhaps a last chance – to revive his once-promising career when he runs in a second-level allowance Friday going one mile at Belmont Park.

At 2, Mo Town went 2 for 3, including a maiden win going a mile at Belmont and a win in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct. At 3, however, Mo Town is winless in three starts, including a seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in April. He was given time off and fully evaluated following the Wood Memorial and didn’t return to the races until Aug. 5 at Saratoga, where he finished fourth in a seven-furlong allowance race.

“It was just a fair effort out of the horse,” trainer Tony Dutrow said. “It was an improvement, nothing special.”

However, Dutrow believes that from what he’s seen in the mornings that race has moved Mo Town forward.

“I see the way the horse has been doing,” Dutrow said. “If he doesn’t run lights-out, I’d be very disappointed.”

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Mo Town is reunited with John Velazquez, aboard for the colt’s seven-length maiden win going a mile here last Sept. 24. Mo Town has drawn the outside in a seven-horse field.

You’re to Blame, trained by Chad Brown, is the other 3-year-old in the field. He is cutting back to a one-turn mile after finishing fourth, beaten 6 3/4 lengths, in the Curlin Stakes going 1 1/8 miles around two turns at Saratoga in July. Prior to that, he finished second to West Coast in the Easy Goer Stakes, a one-turn 1 1/16-mile race run here on Belmont Stakes Day. West Coast has since come back to win the Los Alamitos Derby and the Grade 1 Travers.

“A one-turn mile looks like the right thing to do,” trainer Chad Brown said.

Last Saturday, You’re to Blame breezed five furlongs in 1:00.07 in company with Timeline, who is heading to the Pennsylvania Derby. You’re to Blame breezed in blinkers and will wear them in a race for the first time Friday.

Javier Castellano rides You’re to Blame from post 2.

Royal Posse, whose connections have entered him in many spots over the last few weeks, Vulcan’s Forge, and Doyouknowsomething look like the major threats to the top pair.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Mo Town, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 84-53-77

◗ Back at the track and distance of his maiden win last fall. The track was muddy that day, conditions that could be present on Friday.

◗ Finished fourth behind Neolithic in an allowance last out at Saratoga and has trained well since.

“He’s just doing so good I just can’t imagine the horse not running,” Dutrow said.

You’re to Blame, by Distorted Humor
Last 3 Beyers: 86-93-88

◗ Two of his best efforts came in one-turn races at Belmont, including a maiden win going a mile last fall and a runner-up finish to West Coast in the Easy Goer Stakes in June.

◗ Had a bullet work in blinkers in company with Timeline last Saturday.

Vulcan’s Forge, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 86-76-94

◗ Earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in winning an allowance going 1 1/16 miles around one turn here last fall.

◗ Has run only once this year, a sixth-place finish in a second-level turf allowance at Saratoga on Aug. 5.