Picks for selected races at Belmont Park Saturday, Sept. 8
Race 7 (Garden City Stakes, Grade 1, 1 1/8 mile tuf)
Rutherienne gets the nod in the first of three Grade 1 races on the card. She comes off back-to-back victories in the Del Mar Oaks and Lake George Handicap. Owns victories over several horses in the field, and will be sent off by strong turf trainer Christophe Clement.
Missvinski ships over from Europe, where she finished first or second in six of 10 career starts. Finished second in a Grade 1 event in France is her last start.
Recommended Pick 4 : 1, 10 with 2, 4 with 3, 5 with 11, 12
Race 8 (Ruffian Stakes, Grade 1, 1 1/6 mile)
Ginger Punch is one of only five horses entered in this race, which is named for the ill-fated Ruffian, who suffered fatal injuries in 1975 match race against Kentucky Derby champion Foolish Pleasure. Ginger Punch comes off two convincing victories, including a six-length win in the Go For Wand Stakes.
Take D’ Tour beat Ginger Punch by a neck in the Odgen Phipps Handicap, and should be right up on the pace for trainer David Fawkes and rider Eibar Coa.
Race 9 (Man O War Stakes, Grade 1, 1 3/8 mile turf)
Shamdinan is the likely favorite in this contest named for the great Man O’ War, who won 20 of his 21 career races, and finished second in the other to a horse named Upset. Shamdinan comes off a win in the Secretariat Stakes, a Grade 1 turf race at Arlington Park. He came five wide to win by a ½ length. The Doug O’Neill trainee is one of a handful who could win this race.
Grand Couturier won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer by three lengths at Saratoga, and should be right there in the stretch for trainer Robert Ribaudo.
Yellowstone has raced in countless Grade 1 or 2 races in Europe, but will make his first start in America.
RACE 10 (New York State Bred Allowance NW1, 1 1/8 mile turf)
My Man Lars comes into this race off a second place finish Aug. 19 at Saratoga Race Course. Prior to that, the gelding placed third in three consecutive races at Belmont. This George Weaver trainee has only one win in 16 career starts, but should have a decent pace to close into under Rafael Bejarano.
Highly Spoken will be sent out by David Jacobson, who has won with just 5% of his starters this year. Ran a solid second against similar company two races back at Saratoga, and then regressed when dropped in a 35 NW2L claimer at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf. Stalker has a win and a third in four career races at Belmont, and appears to be returning to his best distance.
In the Spotlight put in a clunker last out at Saratoga, and gets a rider switch from Jean Luc Samyn to Kent Desormeaux. Had three straight solid efforts on the Belmont turf in June and July, including a state bred maiden win, and a second against similar company.
