Quick Tip returning in allowance

ELMONT, N.Y. - After competing in seven consecutive stakes races, Quick Tip takes a slight drop in class Wednesday when she meets six rivals in a $58,000 classified allowance race scheduled for nine furlongs over the Belmont Park inner turf course.

Wednesday's card, which marks the halfway point of Belmont's scheduled 38-day fall meet, includes a pick six carryover of $57,840.

Quick Tip, a 5-year-old daughter of Unaccounted For owned by Will Farish, has met the likes of Ipi Tombe, Voodoo Dancer, and Stylish in her last three starts. She was beaten only a length by Ipi Tombe in the Grade 3 Locust Grove at Churchill Downs, 3 1/4 lengths by Voodoo Dancer in the Grade 1 Diana and two lengths by Stylish in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa. The last two races were at Saratoga.

"She was a little overmatched in those races, but I don't think she got beat too far in any of them," trainer Neil Howard said. "She closed ground, ran good. I think both races were strong. We backed off a little bit after Saratoga and thought it would be good to run in an allowance race to bounce her back."

Howard said a good performance by Quick Tip on Wednesday could earn her a spot in the $150,000 Dowager Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 19.

Jerry Bailey will ride Quick Tip from post 2.

Like Quick Tip, Love n' Kiss S. is dropping out of graded stakes company for this assignment. Love n' Kiss S., owned by Lael Stable and trained by Christophe Clement, finished a half-length ahead of Quick Tip in the Ballston Spa when she raced up close to a moderate pace. Love n' Kiss S. is 2 for 2 over Belmont's inner turf course, though she may be more effective at 1 1/16 miles and shorter.

Banyu Dewi and Spice Island are coming off solid allowance scores in their last starts. Banyu Dewi won a 1 1/16-mile second-level allowance race over a yielding Saratoga course on Aug. 16 and has trained well at Fair Hill in the interim. Jose Santos rides for trainer Michael Matz.

Spice Island overcame a traffic-filled trip to get up in a nine-furlong, third-level allowance race over Belmont's inner turf course on Sept. 11. Joe Bravo, who is looking to relocate to New York after winning another Monmouth Park riding title, has the call for trainer John Pregman.

Affirmed Dancer, Caught in the Rain, and Brandala complete the field on turf. Consort Music and Arabis were entered as main-track-only starters.