Weather key to Lawrence Realization
ELMONT, N.Y. - The $75,000 Lawrence Realization, postponed a week due to heavy rain, may not fare much better on Sunday since rain again is in the forecast at Belmont Park this weekend.
Only six 3-year-olds signed on for the race and the field figures to shrink to five or fewer if the 1 1/2-mile race is taken off the grass.
Among those who will not start if the course is either too wet or the race is taken off the grass is Olaya, a filly trained by Graham Motion who would be taking on the boys while making her U.S. debut in the Lawrence Realization.
"I hadn't even entered her when the race was originally drawn, but the extra week really helped me because I was able to give her a good five-furlong work over the wood chips at Fair Hill last weekend," said Motion who trains Olaya for Prince Faisal Salman. "I haven't had this horse very long, less than a month, and I'm not really sure what to expect from her, although she has already beaten the boys in Europe and I know she'll get the distance without any problem."
won a listed stakes at 1 1/2 miles against males in France in mid-June.
"She worked in 1:02 and change at Fair Hill and that's pretty good down here," said Motion. "I'm a little skeptical how well she'll handle a soft course, but I'll run her unless the course is bottomless or the race comes off the turf."
Jerry Bailey will ride Olaya, who carries 118 pounds.
, a versatile colt who has won on both turf and dirt, should be a strong contender for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin no matter the conditions.
also has won over both surfaces but is coming off a fifth-place finish in mid-priced claiming company.
Taming the Tiger is in the best form of his career, coming off a pair of turf victories at Delaware Park, but remains a question mark at the distance since he has yet to race beyond 1 1/8 miles.
Swordsman will get some class relief after being overmatched in Grade 1 competition in the Man o' War on Sept. 10.
Crown Point is a stakes winner on grass but has been entered for the main track only by trainer David Donk. The stretch-running colt is coming off a second-place finish behind Magna Graduate on the main track in The Meadowlands's Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes.