Watergate looking sharp for statebred sprint
ELMONT, N.Y. – Two horses who had troubled trips last out and one horse who hasn’t had a trip of any kind in nearly seven months head Friday’s $62,000, New York-bred allowance feature at Belmont Park. Eight were entered in the race for 3-year-olds and up going 6 1/2 furlongs.
Watergate and Giantinthemoonlite finished second and fourth in a similar race Aug. 22 at Saratoga. Both were impacted when David Rocks came out in the stretch. Watergate was steadied and moved two paths out. Giantinthemoonlite was elevated to third when the stewards disqualified David Rocks from third and placed him fourth. David Rocks is back in this field.
“There were a lot of horses that had bad trips in there,” said Rick Schosberg, the trainer of Watergate. “I think it cost us the win. We were making a move inside the winner, and we had a clear shot, and we got bumped to where we had to check and then go outside the winner and still got up for second.”
Schosberg also thought Watergate did not have an easy trip when he finished fifth in a first-level allowance race at Saratoga on Aug. 2.
Giantinthemoonlite has lost 10 consecutive races since winning his career debut in May 2014 by 7 1/4 lengths here. He has four seconds and three thirds in those 10 starts.
Lehigh Five won his debut over Aqueduct’s inner track Jan. 23 by 10 3/4 lengths before finishing last in a first-level allowance race going two turns in March. He has not been out since.
KEY CONTENDERS
Watergate (Last 3 Beyers: 78-65-53)
◗ Schosberg believes Watergate is a horse on the improve and that he “really got good for us” at Saratoga. But he’s not sure what to expect if the race is run over a wet track, which is probable.
“If he’s doing well and hates a wet track, I guess we’ll find out on Friday,” he said.
Giantinthemoonlite (Last 3 Beyers:75-79-63)
◗ Giantinthemoonlite comes out of the same two races at Saratoga as Watergate, finishing five lengths ahead of him Aug. 2 and a neck behind him Aug. 22. Those were his only two starts since being gelded.
◗ After being ridden at Saratoga by Shaun Bridgmohan, he will be ridden in this race by Javier Castellano.
Lehigh Five (Beyers: 51-68)
◗ Trainer Rick Violette gave him time off after his March 15 race “because he wasn’t training like he was going into his first race.”
◗ While the son of Birdstone has a steady work tab, Violette said, “He could need the race.”