Rain could complicate things for Flintshire
ELMONT, N.Y. – Flintshire’s biggest opponent in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park could be Mother Nature.
Only three horses were entered against Flintshire on Wednesday for the Joe Hirsch, the highlight of an 11-race program at Belmont Park that begins at 12:30 p.m. Eastern. Flintshire has already defeated two of his rivals, stablemate Money Multiplier and the hard-trying Twilight Eclipse. Ectot, a Group 1 winner three years ago in Europe, completes the field.
Grand Tito, who was expected to run in the Joe Hirsch, was not entered due to an injury to his right front foot, according to trainer Gustavo Delgado.
Flintshire was shipped to the U.S. for this season in large part due to his preference for firm turf. That’s exactly what he got in winning the Grade 1 Manhattan here in June and the Grade 2 Bowling Green and Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga in July and August.
But rain is in the forecast Thursday through Saturday, with as much as an inch possible by Saturday afternoon.
“He definitely prefers firm ground,” trainer Chad Brown said Wednesday from Saratoga. “We’ll see how the storm system develops and how much rain in fact we do get. I’m planning on running the horse regardless.”
Flintshire drew the outside post in the field of four. The race is weight-for-age, so all contestants will carry 126 pounds.
Ectot, whose best races came in 2013-14, will be making his third start in the U.S. and his third for trainer Todd Pletcher. He was fourth, beaten a length, in the Lure Stakes in August and was second, beaten a nose, in an allowance race at Saratoga on Sept. 4. He will break from the rail under Jose Ortiz.
Twilight Eclipse, third to Flintshire in the Bowling Green and Sword Dancer, and Money Multiplier, who ran a very good second in the Sword Dancer, break from posts 2 and 3.
The Joe Hirsch, which offers a fees-paid berth in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita, goes as race 6 and will not be part of the late pick five.