Romansh primed for Suburban
ELMONT, N.Y. – When he won the Grade 3 Discovery at Aqueduct by more than nine lengths last fall, Romansh left the impression that he could be one to watch in the older male division in 2014. Through the first half of the year, the results to support that theory are inconclusive.
To listen to trainer Tom Albertrani, one gets the impression that Romansh might be ready to live up to that potential when he runs in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. Romansh faces 10 opponents in the Suburban, which has been restored to 1 1/4 miles after having been run at 1 1/8 miles since 2010.
Romansh finished last in the Grade 1 Donn at Gulfstream to begin his year before edging out stablemate Long River in the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct. Most recently, he ran a creditable third, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Palace Malice, in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap going a mile on Belmont Stakes Day.[bc_video_id:329097:]
“It was a great effort in the Met Mile,” Albertrani said. “He can be suited at a mile, but I think he’s really better going a little longer, so I think this race is going to set up really nice for him. He’s been training every bit as well as he was going into the Met Mile, so expectations are running pretty high right now.”
Going 1 1/4 miles, the pace likely will be slower than the 45.70-second half-mile that he stalked in the Met Mile, and Romansh figures to be on or near the lead in the Suburban. The primary speed horses in the field look like Moreno, who puts blinkers back on after a last-place finish in the Met Mile, and Stormin Monarcho, a sharp allowance winner at Delaware Park last out.
When Romansh won the Discovery, he soundly defeated Norumbega and Micromanage. Those two horses enter this race having finished one-two in the Brooklyn Invitational here on Belmont Day. For Norumbega, it was his first stakes victory.
Trainer Shug McGaughey said he hopes there is enough pace in this race to set up Norumbega’s late kick.
The Todd Pletcher-trained Micromanage defeated Norumbega by 4 1/2 lengths in the Grade 3 Skip Away in March at Gulfstream. His last three races, with blinkers added, have been among his best.
Last Gunfighter is the 120-pound highweight, having won 9 of 16 starts, including the Mountainview Handicap in his seasonal debut May 31 at Penn National. Last Gunfighter finished second to Flat Out in this race last year.
Dwyer: Captain Serious tries open
After defeating New York-breds in his first three starts, Captain Serious finds a relatively soft spot to make his graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds. Captain Serious meets only five opponents, with only one graded stakes winner, Spot, in the field.
Captain Serious, a son of Successful Appeal, will be trying 1 1/16 miles for the first time, but that doesn’t concern his trainer, Mike Hushion. Hushion said the horse’s win in the seven-furlong Mike Lee last out is an indication that Captain Serious will get the 1 1/16 miles.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1A Captain Serious. Trainer Michael Hushion is 6 for 19 (32 percent win rate) with a $3.48 ROI over the past five years on dirt taking horses from sprint to route after a layoff of between 31 and 44 days.Click for more details. – Dan Illman
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Kid Cruz comes out of a 3 1/4-length score in the Easy Goer Stakes here June 7. He also won two stakes in Maryland this year but is reliant on a strong early pace, which he could get if Tiz Dark and Captain Serious hook up early.