Wide-open sprint draws familiar foes
Although showers are in the forecast, Thursday’s six-furlong eighth race at Belmont Park shapes up as highly competitive whether it stays on the Widener turf or moves to the main track.
The $65,000 optional claimer attracted a dozen New York-bred sprinters, including the first four finishers from a similar race May 26, when Mr Rosenthal returned from a layoff for trainer Greg DiPrima and prevailed in a close finish over Special Selection, Western Tryst, and Leilani’s Ticket.
Mr Rosenthal, who scored by a neck and earned a new top Beyer Speed Figure of 83, is among a handful entered for the $40,000 claiming price, along with Bug Juice, Knockher Off, Image of Disco, and Ziptonic. Ziptonic looms the likely pacesetter after leading open $40,000 claimers to deep stretch off a seven-month layoff for trainer Gary Contessa.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Bug Juice. Trainer David Cannizzo has a $1.60 ROI with all horses over past five years, but is 1 for 24 with $0.80 ROI in that span with horses going from dirt to turf. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Sandy’z Slew figures prominently whatever the weather. He beat several members of this field last year, including in a front-running score at almost 15-1 when switched to turf at Saratoga.
Sandy’z Slew ran in a sloppy off-the-turf dash when he returned from a layoff May 9, earning a new top Beyer of 87 and finishing second to even-money favorite Dighton.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 12 Sandy'z Slew. Back to sprinting on the grass, and he has done his best work in sprints over a firm turf course. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
“I was surprisingly pleased with his last race in the slop, although I do think he’s better on grass,” said trainer Richard Schosberg, who was not thrilled when the gelding drew widest of all in post 12. Cornelio Velasquez will ride.
“Since then, he had a little bit of a virus, which he got over quickly, and he has enough tactical speed to avoid being caught too wide,” Schosberg said. “This is the right spot, dropping from open company, and Cornelio has done well with him on both surfaces.”
Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Knockher Off makes his seasonal debut and is a threat on either side of the rails. A versatile sprinter, he won three of four starts last year on turf and dirt while proving effective on the lead, as a stalker, or rallying from midpack.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Knockher Off. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens only 1 for 12 past five years with horses running first time for a tag and coming off a winning effort. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Bass River Road and Image of Disco are coupled for owner-breeder Patricia Generazio and trainer Jim Ryerson.
Bass River Road, the lone 3-year-old, tries turf for the first time. His half-brother Don Six’s Number won his only start on turf, which came last year at the Meadowlands.
Image of Disco is making his second start off the bench and bears watching at two turns down the road. He lit up the Saratoga tote board in each of the past two years at odds of 14-1.