Pair of 3-year-olds just starting to bloom
The focus of the 3-year-old division this week is naturally on the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, but on Wednesday at Belmont Park, there is a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds whose connections are hopeful of making an impact in stakes company later this year.
Economic Model, second in the Grade 2 Swale and last in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, drops into this one-mile allowance race as his connections try to learn a little more about him. Meanwhile, Conquest Harlequin faces winners for the first time after scoring an 11-1 upset in a maiden race at Keeneland three weeks ago. Those appear to be the two major players in a field of nine.
Economic Model, a son of Flatter, won his career debut at Saratoga last summer but needed surgery to remove a chip from an ankle and missed the remainder of his 2-year-old season. He returned in March to run a respectable second to Awesome Banner in the Swale before unsuccessfully stretching out under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Tampa Bay Derby.
“Irad rode the horse and said he was very uncomfortable the whole way,” Brown said of the Tampa Bay Derby. “I’m open to the fact he might be a one-turn horse, but there’s so much to learn about this horse. You got to throw the Tampa race out because of the track.”
Economic Model will break from post 3 under Ortiz.
It took Conquest Harlequin three tries to win his first race, but he did so authoritatively going seven furlongs at Keeneland on April 9. In earlier races, “he would get himself in trouble because he couldn’t keep up,” trainer Mark Casse said. “Going a mile, he could use a bit of his speed and get a forward position.”
Jose Lezcano rides from post 2.
Other contenders in the field appear to be At Guard, Taoiseach, and Name Change.
Wednesday’s card begins the day with a $29,120 pick six carryover.
KEY CONTENDERS
Conquest Harlequin, by Harlan’s Holiday
Beyers: 87-67-50
◗ Handled seven furlongs nicely, coming from just off the pace to win his maiden from an outside post at Keeneland.
◗ The last-place finisher from that April 9 race came back to win a maiden special weight race at Keeneland, while the sixth-place finisher came back to run second in a maiden special weight last Friday at Keeneland.
◗ Finished sixth in his 3-year-old debut behind Counterforce, who came back to win the Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn. Five others from that March 5 race have come back to win.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Conquest Harlequin. Trainer Mark Casse is 24-1-3-1 with a $0.20 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes on the NYRA circuit. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Economic Model, by Flatter
Beyers: 68-84-80
◗ His two best races have come around one turn, including a second behind Awesome Banner – who is 3 for 3 sprinting – in the seven-furlong Swale, his first start off a nearly five-month layoff.
At Guard, by Mineshaft
Beyers: 79-70
◗ Finished third of five at Parx in his debut but was one of four next-out winners from that race.
◗ Pedigree suggests the stretch-out from six furlongs to a mile should suit him.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Economic Model. Trainer Chad Brown is 24-12-8-2 with a $4.08 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes at Belmont following a layoff of between 45 and 60 days. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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