Turf, distance create puzzle in Green Carpet Stakes
Sunday’s $75,000 Green Carpet Stakes is not only the first race of the season on Belterra Park’s new turf course, it’s also the first race on turf for all but one of the nine Ohio-bred 3-year-olds entered in the 1 1/16-mile race.
To add to the difficulty for handicappers, six of the colts and geldings are stretching out from sprints, and just one horse has ever won going long.
Gliding Alone endured a wide trip from post 9 in his turf and route debut last September at Kentucky Downs. Synthetic form often transfers well to turf, and he was a decent third going a mile on Polytrack at Turfway Park in his final start at 2 last December.
Pure Gold Liner ran well against open company in his first try around two turns at ThistleDown and wheels back 11 days later.
Mound, last year’s champion Ohio-bred 2-year-old male, won a route stakes in the mud at Belterra last fall but has a very low Tomlinson turf rating of 208, an indication that he is not well suited to run on grass.
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KEY CONTENDERS
Gliding Alone (Last 3 Beyers: NA-71-39)
◗ The 50 Beyer Speed Figure he earned for finishing third against open company in a first-level optional $50,000 claimer at Turfway Park might be good enough to win this race. His trainer’s lone win from 37 starters this season came when Gliding Alone won the six-furlong Howard B. Noonan at Mahoning Valley in April.
◗ Deshawn Parker, who escaped serious injury when he flipped over Gliding Alone’s head after his mount clipped heels during the stretch run of the Tall Stacks earlier this month, gets back on board.
Pure Gold Liner (Last 3 Beyers: 61-2-64)
◗ He flashed high speed while making his first try in a route against open company May 20. It’s encouraging that trainer Tim Hamm chooses to bring him back quickly in another route. His Tomlinson turf rating of 318 is one of the better figures in this field.
Triple Strike (Last 3 Beyers: 40-43-56)
◗ Of the three horses trainer Bob Gorham has entered, Triple Strike (324) has the best Tomlinson rating for turf and has two prior route races.
Mound (Last 3 Beyers: 27-58-45)
◗ He returns to a route after three disappointing efforts sprinting on dirt. He did show he can handle the distance last October in the mud. This will be his third start in 23 days, and his pedigree is weak for turf.