Nevin runners figure in late double

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Michelle Nevin looks to be particularly live in Friday’s late daily double at Belmont Park, though Mother Nature could determine exactly how live.

In the eighth race, Nevin sends out the 4-year-old Touchofstarquality in an $80,000 second-level allowance race scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on dirt. In the ninth, Nevin has Spinning for Home in a $62,000 first-level allowance for New York-breds scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Scattered showers were in the forecast from Wednesday through Friday, which could affect Nevin’s chances in both spots.

Touchofstarquality, a son of Mineshaft, has won two of his first three starts, including a first-level allowance race by 2 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct on April 17. Touchofstarquality, purchased at auction for $350,000 by Samantha Siegel, had won his debut at Belmont last July but did not run again in 2013 due to an ankle issue.

He returned in an allowance race at Gulfstream in February but dwelt at the start and finished a well-beaten fifth behind Normandy Invasion, who set a track record for a mile that day.

“It was a combination of running against an absolute monster, him having trouble at the gate, and just not being fit enough,” Nevin said.

Gate issues have plagued Touchofstarquality in all three of his starts. In winning his debut last July, he hit the gate at the start and, according to Nevin, rolled his ankles, so the decision was made to give him time off.

Nevin scratched Touchofstarquality from a spot similar to this May 23 because of a wet track.

“It took us so long to get him back off a layoff, we didn’t want to take any chances on running him over a wet track,” Nevin said. “If he can ever get it together at the gate, he could be a really nice horse.”

Cornelio Velasquez rides Touchofstarquality from post 5.

If Touchofstarquality runs, his major competition figures to come from the 9-year-old Groomedforvictory, who comes off a four-length win here May 24 in a New York-bred restricted race, as well as the coupled entry of Mighty Ian and Abraham.

Spinning for Home, Nevin’s entrant in the ninth, won an off-the-turf maiden race by 6 1/2 lengths here May 11. He finished eighth in his only start on turf, but Nevin, noting that that was his first race in six months, would be willing to give him another try on turf.

“I’m not going to say he didn’t like the grass,” Nevin said. “He didn’t have a great trip. Either [surface], I was expecting a big run from him last time.”

Also, Nevin said that watching Spinning for Home train in the morning gives her the opinion that he’s turf-meant.

If on turf, Spinning for Home’s competition figures to come from Point Roll, a recent galloping winner for trainer Christophe Clement here May 21.