It is a 45-minute ride. Once you alight, the walk to the entrance takes,
may be, five minutes. Belmont Park is an expansive track that affords
excellent viewing angles. Several Grade I races are held at Belmont Park
but none more important than the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the
American Triple Crown, run three weeks after the Preakness and five
weeks after the Kentucky Derby.
The Grade I Gazelle carried a purse of $250,000 and was over 1800 metres
on the main (dirt) track. It was for three year-old fillies. Rags To
Riches, unbeaten in five 2006 outings, was seeking her sixth win in a
row. The A P Indy filly, from Todd Pletcher's stable, had beaten the
boys in the Belmont Stakes on June 9. After a training setback and a
fever, she was returning to the races. Lear's Princess had won her first
three career races. She had been the bridesmaid in the next two starts,
the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont and in the Alabama at
Saratoga. The others were apparently out of their league.
Rags To Riches, on the outside, raced third, Lear's Princess, intent on
saving ground, was fourth and in striking range. Tough Tiz's Sis,
prominent and disputing the lead, hit the front as they set sail for
home. Charging three-wide in the final turn, Rags To Riches, the banker
in the exotic bets, ranged alongside Tough Tiz's Sis. Angling out and
coming four-deep into the stretch, Lear's Princess was gaining ground on
the top two. As Rags To Riches was wearing down Tough Tiz's Sis, Lear's
Princess came calling. A brief duel ensued but not many moments had
passed before Lear's Princess began asserting her superiority. She won
by one half length.
Lear's Princess was wearing blinkers for the first time. This was her
first win in a Grade I event. She paid $6.20 on a $2.00 ticket. The time
was 1 57.86 for the 1800-metre trip. The winner's share of the purse was
$150,000. Lear Fan is the winning sire. Pretty City, a Carson City mare,
is the mother.
Kiaran McLaughlin, the winning trainer, was eloquent in his praise of
Lear's Princess.. "She certainly deserved a Grace I win. I hate we beat
Rags To Riches but it gives that much more credit to our filly. Eibar (Coa,
the winning rider) timed it right."
Todd Pletcher, trainer of Rags To Riches, was disappointed but not
despondent. "We gave seven pounds to the winner and lost by half a
length. She has not run in three months. She's the best three year-old
filly in the country. Sometimes, the best get beat. I am looking forward
to making amends in the Breeders' Cup."
Lear's Princess and Rags To Riches head to Monmouth Park in New Jersey
for the Breeders' Cup Distaff in late October.
The $250,000 Grade II Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park also on Saturday
went to Tale Of Ekati. Eibar Coa was again the successful jockey. The
time was 1 22.33 for the 1400-metre race on the dirt track. The winning
margin was a length. Six ran in the Futurity, a race for freshman boys.
As Kodiak Kowboy, the favourite, was hitting the front inside the last
200 metres, Tale Of Ekati, making up ground quickly, found an opening on
the fence. In the final 100 metres, Tale Of Ekati went one better. He
paid $8.70.
Tale Of Ekati is a Tale Of The Cat colt. He is out of Silence Beauty, a
Sunday Silence mare. He won in his debut and was then second in the
Sanford Stakes. The Futurity was his third career outing. He earned
$150,000. He now goes to Monmouth Park for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Barclay Tagg, Tale Of Ekati's trainer, expressed relief. "He's a very
nice colt. He came back with sore shins in his last race. We gave him
time to freshen up. He came back very well in his workouts."
Eibar Coa, the jockey, exuded optimism. "He (Tale Of Ekati) was very
professional. We were in trouble and trapped. I was patient. As soon as
he came through, I knew he had it in him. I liked him the first time I
sat on him. He's very good."
Another Graded race in the Saturday Belmont card was the Grade II Matron
Stakes. It was a race over 1400 metres for freshman girls. Proud Spell
won going away in a time of 1 24.2. She was the 17-10 choice and paid
$5.40. It was a four and one quarter length victory. Seven ran.
Gabriel Saez was the winning jockey. Larry Jones was the winning
trainer. The win was worth $150,000 to Proud Spell's connections. Proud
Spell is by Proud Citizen by Gone West. Pacific Spell is the dam, a
Langfuhr mare. Proud Spell is three for three lifetime and there is,
obviously, more to come. Proud Spell should be in the shortlist for the
Breeders' Cup (girls) Juvenile in October.
On Saturday in Chicago, at Balmoral Park, a harness track, 14 races were
held as part of what is called the 'Super Night' card. Purses in excess
of $1.3 million were on offer. Every division was catered to. Driver
Andy Miller came away with five winners. Driver Dale Hiteman won three
races. Driver Dave Magee, a Hall of Famer with over 10,000 wins in a
glittering career, saved his best for the last race. He won the Orange
Blue Pace, a $270,000 race for freshman boys, with a colt named Froggy
Turner. That was Dave Magee's 24th win in Super Night programs. Super
Night was inaugurated in 1989. In harness racing, the winner gets 50 per
cent of the purse.
Sources: NTRA and TV reports
