No class relief for Highland Sky in turf allowance

ELMONT, N.Y. – Highland Sky scratched out of last Monday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap due to the yielding Saratoga turf course. Though he landed in an allowance race at Belmont on Saturday, the race came up nearly as tough as a graded stakes.

Highland Sky will take on a field that includes Camelot Kitten, Night Prowler, Revved Up, and Blacktype in this multi-conditioned allowance race scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf. For context, last year Camelot Kitten beat Highland Sky by a neck in the Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes. Saturday’s pot is $90,000.

:: Get firsthand workout observations for fall racing at Belmont Park

Highland Sky has not run since finishing seventh, beaten only 2 3/4 lengths, in a high-caliber allowance race at Saratoga on July 21. Trainer Barclay Tagg said the race is better than it looks on paper.

“He had his best [Ragozin] number, and according to Trakus, he ran nine lengths farther than anybody else,” Tagg said. “Essentially, it was the best race he ever ran.”

Tagg wasn’t pleased with the trip Highland Sky got under Javier Castellano in his most recent race. Rajiv Maragh has the call on Saturday.

:: Belmont Park PPs for as low as $1.50/card!

Camelot Kitten, who is 3 for 4 over Belmont’s turf course, including two graded stakes wins, ran seventh in the Lure Stakes on Aug. 5, his first start off an eight-month layoff. Night Prowler, who like Camelot Kitten is trained by Chad Brown, is winless in five starts since winning a race similar to this last October at Belmont.

Revved Up is coming off a win at Saratoga. Changewilldoyagood is dangerous when allowed to dictate the pace on the front end, and Team Colors blew out swiftly on Thursday over Belmont’s training track.