Pattern fits Bronze Autumn

ELMONT, N.Y. - Bronze Autumn has done her best work in seven-furlong races following an extended layoff. Trainer Todd Pletcher would like to see that trend continue Thursday when Bronze Autumn makes her 4-year-old debut in a third-level allowance race at Belmont Park.

Bronze Autumn, a daughter of Mr. Greeley, went terribly off-form last fall, finishing eighth in the Pennsylvania Oaks at Philadelphia Park in September and last of five in the off-the-turf Pebbles Handicap in the Belmont mud in October.

Bronze Autumn returns to Belmont, where last July 4 she won a seven-furlong, second-level allowance race by 2 3/4 lengths coming off a two-month freshening. Earlier last year, Bronze Autumn won a seven-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream coming off a similar layoff. In between, she won the OBS Championship Stakes going 1 1/16 miles, making her the only stakes winner in this field.

Pletcher strikes at a 22-percent clip with horses returning from a 180-day-plus layoff and Bronze Autumn shows a series of steady workouts since April 1 at Belmont. Edgar Prado rides.

Bronze Autumn has speed but there are others in this five-horse field that could challenge her for the early lead.

Raise Devil, trained by the white-hot Allen Jerkens, breaks from the rail under 10-pound apprentice Shannon Uske, making her a logical dead-send. Raise Devil is 3 for 15, with all three wins coming over wet surfaces.

The New York-bred Drama Queen also has plenty of speed, but can be effective sitting right off the pace. She has twice defeated open company in allowance races this winter over the inner track and is 2-1-0 from three starts at Belmont. Breaking from the outside post under Aaron Gryder could be a plus.

Dynamite Miss got good in Florida last winter, winning races at Calder and Gulfstream. After running second in an optional claiming race at Gulfstream in March, Dynamite Miss finished last at this condition level at Aqueduct in April. She was only beaten 2 1/2 lengths, though, by Literary Light.

Scott Lake will send out Carnie's Dancer, who finished a head in front of Dynamite Miss in the April 16 allowance race at Aqueduct. Two starts back, however, Carnie's Dancer won a second-level allowance race at Aqueduct in her only career start at seven furlongs. Mike Luzzi, who won his first New York riding title at Aqueduct, has the call from post 2.