Works say Go Deputy is ready

ELMONT, N.Y. - Go Deputy is a 5-year-old who has raced just twice in the past 22 months, but he has been working regularly at Delaware Park and may be the one to beat in Friday's eighth-race feature at Belmont Park.

Scheduled for the inner turf at 1 1/8 miles, the optional $50,000 claimer carries third-level allowance conditions. Among the eight entered for turf, only Chilly Rooster is offered for the $75,000 claim price.

A deep closer, was impressive winning 3 of 5 starts as a 3-year-old in New York, including a second-level allowance in which he came from 20 lengths behind. He was sidelined for more than year after that and returned at Gulfstream Park last winter to finish fifth behind Mr. Light when Mr. Light set a North American record for a mile on turf. Go Deputy started once more in February and closed to finish second by a neck.

Go Deputy should be set up well by the probable pace. Brickell and Musical Native each emerge from front-running efforts and are likely to be used early to clear the rest of the field from their outside posts.

A contested pace could also help Chilly Rooster and Tadreeb.

has won just 1 of 14 starts on turf, but that victory came in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Handicap in 2004. Though winless since, Chilly Rooster has been consistent enough to record Beyer Speed Figures above 90 in 9 of his last 10 starts on the grass.

is the only 3-year-old in the field and comes off a last-to-first win at Monmouth Park in which he overcame traffic at the quarter pole. Tadreeb won his maiden on yielding turf at Belmont last fall, so he might welcome any rain to soften up the parched turf that has been producing supersonic times.

Also entered for turf are Grumman, Polo Grounds, and Global Quest.

In the third race, Spooky Mulder and Thunder Touch renew their rivalry in a $56,000 allowance with classified conditions at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Thunder Touch ran a career best race to beat Spooky Mulder on opening day at Saratoga, but came up empty at even-money in a similar spot three weeks later, when caught wide behind Spooky Mulder's slow early pace.