Weekend Hideaway returns to Affirmed Success

ELMONT, N.Y. - In what has become an annual rite of spring, Weekend Hideaway will run in Friday’s $100,000 Affirmed Success, the opening-day feature as Belmont Park commences its 54-day spring/summer meet.

This will be the fourth straight year Weekend Hideaway has run in the Affirmed Success. The six-furlong race is restricted to New York-breds even though the horse whom it honors was a three-time Grade 1-winning Kentucky-bred. The Affirmed Success drew a field of 13 and Weekend Hideaway, who won this race last year, landed in the extreme outside post.

“Oh well, we’ll be able to see what’s going on inside of us anyway,” said trainer Phil Serpe, whose horse is the 124-pound highweight under Luis Saez.

Weekend Hideaway, now 7, won last year’s Affirmed Success off a four-month layoff. This year, he came back off a four-month layoff with a third-place finish in a stakes-caliber allowance going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park. Weekend Hideaway was beaten 5 1/2 lengths by Clearly Now, who set a track record of 1:20.17 for seven furlongs.

“We gave him a race, all that was available was seven-eighths at Gulfstream,” Serpe said. “He’s back with his mates in New York and ready to go.”

Trainer David Jacobson entered three in the Affirmed Success, including Awesome Gent, a horse who returns to this circuit after winning twice at Mahoning Valley for trainer William Cowans. He previously had been with trainer Todd Pletcher. Jacobson also entered Ostrolenka and West Hills Giant.

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez entered two including Marriedtothemusic, who won this race in 2014 in a six-horse field when in the barn of Linda Rice. Rodriguez also entered Eye Luv Lulu.

Charlton Baker entered Rectify and Final Chapter. Celtic Chaos, Candid Desire, Riff Raff, Samadi Sky, and Sudden Surprise complete the field.

A total of 103 horses - including 13 relegated to the also-eligible list - were entered Sunday for Friday’s opening-day card.

First post at Belmont on Friday and most days is 1:30 p.m. The meet, highlighted by the Belmont Stakes on June 10, runs through July 16.

Bluegrass Flag may try Acorn

Bluegrass Flag, dominant winner of Saturday’s Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series, may step up in company and stretch out in distance in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont on June 10, trainer Tom Morley said Sunday.

Bluegrass Flag won the Park Avenue by six lengths, running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.67 under jockey Kendrick Carmouche. She earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

It was Bluegrass Flag’s third victory form five career starts. She also won the Cicada by six lengths, though she faced only two other fillies in that race.

Morley said Acorn, at one mile, “is an option, but it’s a strong option. I’m going to let her tell me. Kendrick always said she’d be better the farther she goes. At the top of the lane I thought well, we’ll win this by a couple, but when they draw off like that the last sixteenth that’s a sign of a very good horse.”

Morley said other options for Bluegrass Flag at Belmont Park include the $125,000 Bouwerie, a seven-furlong race restricted to New York-breds on May 29, or the $150,000 Jersey Girl at six furlongs on June 11.