Rich turf route draws 11-horse field

ELMONT, N.Y. – At the beginning of this meet, the New York Racing Association announced that it would boost the purse of any maiden or allowance turf race run at 1 1/4 miles or farther to $90,000. That seems to have caught the attention of horsemen, who flooded the entry box with 11 runners for Friday’s first-level allowance feature, scheduled for 1 3/8 miles over the Belmont inner turf course.

Friday is the first of five twilight programs with first post at 3:05 p.m. Eastern. The other twilight Friday cards are June 16 and 23, and July 1 and 8.

Three of Friday’s 11 runners come out of a May 4 race at the same level here going 1 1/4 miles. Glory to Kitten, Al Hayyah, and Flattermefabulous finished second, third, and fourth behind the sharp winner, Taralena.

Glory to Kitten got a dream trip under Manny Franco as Taralena faced some token pressure from 119-1 shot Quiet Prediction, but she fell a neck short while finishing 5 1/2 lengths clear of Al Hayyah.

Danny Gargan, trainer of Glory to Kitten said, “We hooked a really good horse and she was running at the end. She’s bred to run all day.”

Despite the large field, Gargan doesn’t see much speed in the race. Glory to Kitten breaks from the rail under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“We might be the one loping along on an easy lead with no pressure,” Gargan said.

Flattermefabulous, who in her races last year was a pace presence, broke slowly in the May 4 race and was floated widest of all when finishing fourth, 1 1/2 lengths behind Al Hayyah.

Trainer Graham Motion has entered the uncoupled entry of Lottie and Flower Valley, while trainer Todd Pletcher tries to stretch out Grateful in distance from a mile in her last start.

:: Get PPs for Friday's card at Belmont Park

Race 8

KEY CONTENDERS

Glory to Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy

Last 3 Beyers: 85-79-84

◗ Relaxed behind two front-runners and came within a neck of winning last out.

◗ Over the last two years, the Ortiz-Gargan team is 11 for 36, 4 for 14 on turf.

Tisbury, by Tiznow

Last 3 Beyers: 80-75-33

◗ Finished second going 1 1/4 miles over this course in a maiden race last year.

◗ Her two starts this year have been solid, a maiden win in March at Gulfstream from which three horses came back to win, and a half-length loss when fourth in a Keeneland allowance on April 28.

Flower Valley, by Discreet Cat

Last 3 Beyers: 81-86-63

◗ Was beaten just a neck in her 4-year-old debut at Keeneland in four-horse blanket finish that included Tisbury.

◗ Appears to have come back with solid workouts since that race.

Grateful, by Hard Spun

Last 3 Beyers: 77-75-72

◗ Her lone win from four starts came at 1 1/8 miles, the longest race of her career.

◗ In January, she finished third in an allowance race from which the winner, Dream Dancing, came back to win a stakes, and the runner-up, Chubby Star, came back to win an allowance.