Two drop from graded ranks

ELMONT, N.Y. - Not for Money and Miner's Lamp, longshots in graded stakes in their most recent starts, head a field of five entered in a third-level allowance race that serves as Friday's feature at Belmont Park.

Not for Money, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., finished fifth, beaten 3 3/4 lengths by Bustin Stones, in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct at 39-1. Though Not for Money appeared a bit overmatched on paper in the Carter, Dutrow said his horse had a legitimate excuse.

"He was making a nice little move, then he blew a front shoe and he and started to level off," Dutrow said. "It happened at the eighth pole or three-sixteenths pole."

Two starts back, Not for Money won a second-level allowance at Gulfstream Park, taking advantage of a hot pace to draw clear by three lengths. Edgar Prado, who rode him in that allowance win, will be back aboard the colt on Friday from the rail.

Despite blowing the shoe in the Carter, Not for Money came out of the race in good order, and Dutrow is expecting a solid performance on Friday.

"Our horse is doing good, seven-eighths is his game, he's happy as he can be - why not run a good race?" Dutrow said.

Miner's Lamp, a 5-year-old son of Seeking the Gold, could play out as the horse to catch Friday for owner and trainer Giuseppe Iadisernia. Miner's Lamp stumbled at the start of the Grade 3 Westchester Handicap and found himself farther back than he probably wanted to be. Two starts back, in a third-level allowance race at Gulfstream, Miner's Lamp was a pace-pressing second to Bold Start, then came back to fire a bullet five-furlong work in 59.60 seconds over Belmont's main track on May 13.

Rallying Cry is an intriguing contender for Godolphin Stable. A son of War Chant, Rallying Cry won a second-level allowance race at Keeneland on April 17 - his first start in North America, first on Lasix, and first since last August. This will be his first start on dirt.

Richard Mettee, who oversees Godolphin's New York string, said Rallying Cry came out of his win with a bruised foot, but did finish up well in a five-furlong work in 1:02 for this.

"These races are so hard to get to go, we weren't comfortable passing this race," Mettee said. "I think he'll handle this track. I think he'll be fine on dirt."

Bribon and Rush With Thunder complete the field.