Rewrite returns to where she runs best

ELMONT, N.Y. - Among the many land mines handicappers chasing the pick-six carryover of $55,551 must navigate through Wednesday at Belmont Park is the $75,000 Hey Baba Lulu Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares on the turf.

A competitive group of 10 was entered for the 1 1/16-mile race scheduled for the inner turf, including several horses who excel at Belmont. The Hey Baba Lulu serves as a prep for the $150,000 Ticonderoga Handicap here on Oct. 18, New York Showcase Day.

Rewrite is 7 for 12 at Belmont, including a neck victory in the Ticonderoga last year. Rewrite, trained by Christophe Clement, finished second in the prep for the Ticonderoga - last year it was called the Dynamic Lisa. She won her last two starts at Belmont before an unproductive summer at Saratoga, where she caught yielding turf when third as the favorite in the Yaddo Handicap and then may have come back too quickly when fifth in the Mollie Wilmot 17 days later.

Rewrite has had four weeks since that race and should be able to work out a ground-saving trip from the rail under Alan Garcia, who returns to action after serving a one-week careless riding suspension.

Cagey Girl got away with an easy lead to win the Mollie Wilmot gate to wire, but figures to have company here in the presence of Factual Contender, who has been transferred to George Weaver after running well for Barclay Tagg.

The horse to beat may be Chestoria, who after running poorly in a pair of graded stakes in her last two starts, returns to New York-bred company for the first time since May. She is 2 for 3 against New York-breds on turf and is 4 for 7 at Belmont, including a victory against open company here on July 5. Chestoria gets Lasix for the first time and is reunited with Eibar Coa, who has been aboard for all four victories.

"She did get sick on me in Saratoga and I was maybe a little too careful with her and didn't have her on her toes and geared up for that last one,'' said trainer Bill Badgett, regarding Chestoria's last-place finish in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel.

Latitude Forty, whose last two wins have come in the Yaddo Handicap at Saratoga, came within a nose of Rewrite in the Irish Actress Stakes here in July.

Tagg has two in Floral Park

The $75,000 Floral Park, restricted to New York-bred 3-year-old males, is not part of the pick six. Three of the seven runners are trying turf for the first time, including the Tampa Bay Derby winner Big Truck, who races for Tagg. His uncoupled stablemate, Doc N Roll, looks to be a top contender having gone 3 for 4 on turf with a one-length loss here on July 4. In that race, Doc N Roll couldn't find running room in upper stretch and then had to be taken up nearing the wire by Eibar Coa when Admiral Bird came in a step. Admiral Bird wound up being disqualified and placed behind Doc N Roll.

Russian Sage is in excellent form for Tim Ritvo, coming off two thirds in open company following a second-level allowance win against New York-breds. He was forced to steady at a key point in his last race when beaten a half-length by Luck Money at Saratoga.