Upset in the air in Allied Forces
ELMONT, N.Y. – Ready for Rye certainly will be the horse to beat in Sunday’s $100,000 Allied Forces Stakes, but the value may lie elsewhere in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old turf sprinters at Belmont Park.
Ready for Rye, a Grade 2 stakes winner on dirt in March, has gone 2 for 2 on turf since his connections decided to experiment with him this summer. The second of those two wins came in the Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga, where, after sitting just behind a hot pace, he got first run on the closers and won by 1 1/2 lengths.
But Disco Partner, 23-1 that day, came flying from last and just missed second by a nose behind The Great War, while Cyclogenisis, a 5-2 shot, was a head back in fourth. Disco Partner and Cyclogenisis are both back in this field with legitimate chances to upset Ready for Rye.
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Disco Partner, a son of Disco Rico, is 1 for 3 on turf and has unleashed an eye-catching closing kick in all three attempts, including making up about nine lengths of a 10-length deficit in the final furlong when second here June 19.
“He’s shown a real turn of foot on turf that he hadn’t shown on dirt,” trainer Jimmy Ryerson said.
Cyclogenisis also encountered traffic while trying to rally along the inside in the Quick Call.
There is rain in the forecast Sunday, and if the Allied Forces is moved to the main track, that might make Ready for Rye a stronger favorite. He won a maiden race by seven lengths over a sloppy main track last October.
“He’s 2 for 2 on the grass, but if it comes off, even better,” trainer Tom Albertrani said.
KEY CONTENDERS
Ready for Rye (Last 3 Beyers: 90-92-83)
◗ Won a seven-furlong allowance race over Belmont turf in front-running fashion before coming from off the pace to win the 5 1/2-furlong Quick Call. Javier Castellano, aboard for both victories, is back aboard Sunday.
“He’s pretty versatile,” Albertrani said.
He added regarding the Quick Call: “Going 5 1/2, he might get run off his feet a little bit quicker. I think the plan was just to break and see where you end up and go from there. Kind of a similar scenario Sunday. Same kind of group of horses, ride his own race, and see what happens.”
◗ Ready for Rye carries the top weight of 123 pounds.
Disco Partner (Last 3 Beyers: 85-76-73)
◗ New York-bred acquitted himself well when third, narrowly beaten by the top choice, in the Quick Call Stakes.
“He had that traffic last time, which you’re going to get,” Ryerson said. “We get a little more ground; that helps him out. He’s run well here before.”
Cyclogenisis (Last 3 Beyers: 85-79-83)
◗ Won his first three starts, including the Laurel Futurity on turf, before going to Royal Ascot, where he finished 14th in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup in June.
◗ Came back with a solid effort when beaten less than two lengths in the Quick Call.