Speed gives Lucky Revival an advantage

ELMONT, N.Y. - Four of her five rivals have graded stakes experience, but Lucky Revival may have a tactical edge in Thursday's eighth race at Belmont Park, a third-level optional $75,000 claimer at a flat mile.

Lucky Revival drew the outside post in the field of six older fillies and mares, which should allow Kent Desormeaux to make good use of her early speed. In six starts over five different tracks during her 5-year-old season, Lucky Revival has been no worse than second at the pace call, beginning with the Affectionately Handicap at Aqueduct last winter.

In July, Lucky Revival returned from a 96-day layoff to win her third-level condition impressively over Pyramyst, who subsequently won an off-the-turf stakes two starts later. On the strength of that performance, Lucky Revival was made the even-money favorite at Monmouth in mid-August, but came up a half-length short after pressing the pace three wide on a drying-out track.

"She ran really good at Delaware," said trainer Bruce Levine. "I'm hoping she rebounds to that race. She ran okay at Monmouth, but she didn't run great that day. Since then, she's been training better."

Debbie Got Even comes off in-the-money finishes in a pair of overnight stakes sprints out of the chute at Saratoga for Nick Zito. She was caught four wide behind a slow pace most recently in the Halfmoon, and finished well to be a clear second behind her stablemate, Silver Knockers.

Debbie Got Even has the potential to grab the early lead based on a sharp try over this track back on May 15. John Velazquez was aboard that day, and is back on for the first time since then.

Boca Grande, a two-time Grade 2 winner, is the most accomplished member of the field. She hasn't shown much early speed since taking the Comely Stakes back in April 2007, however, which works to her disadvantage in this spot.

Boca Grande raced over a sloppy track in the $258,000 Inside Information Stakes in her final start at 3, and both of her recent comeback starts for Shug McGaughey came in the slop as well - a good finish for second at this level at Saratoga, followed by a last-place finish in the Grade 1 Ruffian.

Completing the field are Grace Happens, a good-figure winner of her most recent start on a fast track three races back; So Glitzy, who chased champion Ginger Punch in the Personal Ensign last out; and Inside Passage, a two-time allowance winner in the spring.