Quarky comes in off bizarre loss

ELMONT, N.Y. – Quarky always seems to run well over the turf at Belmont Park. He doesn’t necessarily win very often, but he runs well.

Quarky looked poised to win his most recent start here on April 22 before jockey Trevor McCarthy had to avoid what looked to be a box on the Belmont turf course. Quarky altered course and was ultimately run down by the race favorite Maxwell Esquire.

Thursday, Quarky returns to Belmont – where he is 1-5-0 from seven starts – and again looks like the one to catch in a six-furlong optional-claiming race that serves as the feature on a nine-race card. Though the race has a second-level allowance condition, seven of the eight entrants for turf are entered for the $80,000 claiming price.

Quarky a 5-year-old gelding by The Factor, used his rail draw and his speed to his advantage last time, and had a half-length lead in mid-stretch when the horse spotted the box on the course and maneuvered himself and jockey Trevor McCarthy a few paths off the inside.

“I don’t think Trevor saw the box, the horse did,” trainer Mike Dini said. “I think that cost him a little bit because he swung out.”

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Prior to his run at Belmont, Quarky had two disappointing efforts at Tampa Bay Downs in five-furlong races. Dini said that Quarky emerged a little sick from one race.

In the Turf Dash Stakes, where Quarky finished eighth, Dini said, “He got squeezed out on the turn and the rider didn’t try after that.”

Thursday, Quarky will be reunited with Luis Saez, who was aboard for a win in December at Gulfstream.

Ghoul returns from a two-month freshening after finishing third in a similar condition as this at Santa Anita in late March. On Jan. 2, Ghoul won this condition when offered for the $62,500 claiming price. Joel Rosario was aboard him that day and gets back on him Thursday.

“Joel seems to get the most run out of him so we’re happy to have him,” trainer Peter Miller said.

Shekky Shebaz and Battle Station are both stakes winners who are in for the $80,000 claiming price. Shekky Shebaz, trained by Christophe Clement, makes his first start in eight months.

“He’s an older horse, he’s got a few issues, he looks well and it’s time to bring him back,” Clement said. “He’s got a lot of back class as we all know.”

In his more successful days, Shekky Shebaz displayed good early speed. He seemed to have lost some of that toward the end of last year.

“It’s related to soundness, but he’s pretty sound at the moment,” Clement said.

Battle Station, who won the Lucky Coin Stakes last summer at Saratoga, finished three-quarters of a length behind Quarky when third to Maxwell Esquire in that April 22 race here.

Holiday Stone, Big Engine, Fast Getaway, and Bling Ambition complete the field.

First post Thursday is 3:05 p.m.