Trinity Magic one to beat off debut win
ELMONT, N.Y. - New York-bred juveniles take center stage Sunday at Belmont Park with the Bertram F. Bongard for colts and geldings and the Joseph A. Gimma for juvenile fillies. Both races are carded at seven furlongs and carry a $100,000 purse.
With top statebred maiden winners such as Cribnote and Heir to the Stone not running, the Bongard offers the next tier of New York-breds a chance to win a stakes. With only six runners, the Bongard is carded as as race 4.
Trinity Magic, trained by Steve Asmussen, looms the horse to beat coming off a three-quarter-length debut victory at Saratoga on Aug. 15. In that race, Trinity Magic stalked the speedy Fiddlers Afleet before taking over from that one at the eighth pole and going on to win. Two horses from that race, including runner-up Fiddlers Afleet, have come back to win.
"He was training that good, he had a nice work from the gate about 12 days prior - we thought he'd run well," said Scott Blasi, assistant to Asmussen. "He's trained well since his race. I think he'll run big."
Rereadthefootnotes won his debut at Saratoga by 2 1/4 lengths, then came back to run third in the Grade 3 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth.
"He ran very well at Monmouth," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. "I'm very happy to be back with New York-breds."
Uncle T Seven was beaten a nose in the off-the-turf Continental Mile at Monmouth Park in August, then ran a decent fourth in the With Anticipation. He returns to dirt here as well as to the track over which he won a maiden race in June.
The Gimma, race 9, drew a field of 11, including Lady Finger Stakes winner Mother Russia. Mother Russia, the 122-pound highweight, will try to carry her speed an additional furlong from post 2 under Mike Luzzi.
The Gimma marks the return of Seek On, who made up a ton of ground in the final furlong to win by a nose at five furlongs in May.
"You usually don't see 2-year-olds do that," said trainer Bill Badgett. "She showed a little something that day."
Badgett said Seek On got sick twice after that race, but "seems to be doing like she was doing" before her debut.
Akilina, Fabulous Florence, Ouchy Night, and Gem for a Hook also deserve a long look in the Gimma.