Mott hoping for firm going in Pennine Ridge

ELMONT, N.Y. – As Bill Mott perused the past performances for the prospective field for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park, something caught his attention – and his ire.

Mott trains Seismic Wave, who finished fourth in the American Turf on May 4 at Churchill Downs, 1 1/2 lengths behind Digital Age. Mott felt his horse was compromised by the soft ground at Churchill that day.

“I don’t understand these tracks that put firm ground,” when it’s not, Mott said. “[Joel] Rosario said he didn’t really like it that much. The ground was soft.”

Mott will be hoping for firm ground on Saturday when Seismic Wave runs in the Pennine Ridge, a 1 1/8-mile race that serves as the prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby on July 6. Seismic Wave is a son of Tapit who won a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 16 and then took the Cutler Bay at a mile, both at Gulfstream Park.

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A field of seven or eight is expected for the Pennine Ridge including Demarchelier, who beat Seismic Wave by a head in a maiden race last November at Aqueduct. Demarchelier is trained by Chad Brown as is Value Proposition, a maiden winner at Belmont on April 27. Those two horses worked five furlongs together in 1:01.33 on Saturday over the Belmont turf.

Trainer Todd Pletcher is expected to enter the pair of Clint Maroon, winner of three straight including the Woodhaven Stakes, and Social Paranoia, third in the American Turf.

Magnificent McCool and Swamp Rat also are expected to enter the Pennine Ridge. Henley’s Joy is possible.