Recap: Summer Bird soars in Belmont

Summer Bird (Birdstone-Hong Kong Squall, by Summer Squall) closed late on the far outside to take the 141st running of the Belmont Stakes Saturday.

It was a mild upset by the son of 2004 Belmont winner Birdstone, as he went off at 11-1. The colt was making just his fifth lifetime start; he was third in the Arkansas Derby and sixth in the Kentucky Derby.

It was the first Belmont win for jockey Kent Desormeaux, who gained notoriety with two Belmont losses aboard Triple Crown hopefuls Real Quiet in 1998 and Big Brown last year. It was also the first Belmont win—and starter—for trainer Tim Ice, who turned 35 on Belmont Day. He has been training on his own for just a year.

Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song-Secret Status, by AP Indy) was second after setting the early pace. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone-Mining My Own, by Smart Strike) was a nose back in third.

Dunkirk went to the lead out of the gate, pursued by Charitable Man (Lemon Drop Kid-Charitabledonation, by Saint Ballado), Miner’s Escape (Mineshaft-Spy Novel, by Broad Brush) and Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow-Sweet Damsel, by Turkoman). Summer Bird sat midpack on the rail and Mine That Bird trailed early. The gray leader set fractions of :23.41 for the quarter, :47.13 for the half, 1:12.43 for six furlongs and 1:37.86 for the mile. The track had been playing lightning fast all day, but the tempo was slower than in some of the earlier races.

Turning for home, Mine That Bird made his customary sweeping move on the outside that carried him to the leader’s side, but Dunkirk dug in and fought back. Charitable Man attempted to go between horses but was stopped. Meanwhile, Summer Bird gained steadily on the far outside, catching the leaders with just over a furlong to go and drawing clear to win by just under three lengths. The final time was 2:27.

Dunkirk fought back for second with Mine That Bird a head behind. Charitable Man was fourth; rider Alan Garcia claimed foul because his mount had been shut off turning for home, but the claim was disallowed.

Luv Gov (Ten Most Wanted-City of Silver, by Nepal) finished fifth, followed by Flying Private (Fusaichi Pegasus-Beautiful Treasure, by Unbridled), Brave Victory (Lion Heart-I’m In Celebration, by Copelan), Mr. Hot Stuff, Chocolate Candy (Candy Ride-Crownette, by Seattle Slew) and Miner’s Escape.

Recap: Gio Ponti rallies in Manhattan

Gio Pointi (Tale of the Cat-Chipeta Springs, by Alydar) rallied from last to first to win the grade I Manhattan Handicap in the race immediately preceding the Belmont Saturday.

In one of the few races on the card where early speed didn’t hold up, Gio Ponti trailed as the field made its was down the backstretch, but moved wide on the far turn and eventually prevailed by a length and a half.

Marsh Side (Gone West-Colonial Play, by Pleasant Colony) rallied mildly to be second and the 10-year-old Better Talk Now (Talkin Man-Bendita, by Baldski), winner of the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf, also closed to be third.

Summer Bird wins Belmont

Summer Bird (Birdstone-Hong Kong Squall, by Summer Squall) closed late on the far outside to take the 141st running of the Belmont Stakes Saturday.

Kent Desormeaux, who was upset aboard Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown in last year’s Belmont, was aboard for his first Belmont win.

Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song-Secret Status, by AP Indy) was second after setting the early pace. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone-Mining My Own, by Smart Strike) was a nose back in third.

Check back in a few for a full recap.

Recap: Gabby’s Golden Gal wins Acorn

Gabby’s Golden Gal (Medaglia d’Oro- Gabriellina Giof, by Ashkalani) became the latest grade I winner for her sire, drawing away down the stretch to win the one-mile Acorn Stakes on the Belmont undercard Saturday.

Medaglia d’Oro (El Prado-Cappucino Bay, by Bailjumper), who was sold to Darley on Friday, has been having an exceptional year with fillies. In addition to a handful of other stakes winners, he sired Oaks and Preakness heroine Rachel Alexandra and now another grade I winner in Gabby’s Golden Gal.

Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union-General Jeanne, by Honour and Glory), making her first start since scratching from the Oaks with a stone bruise, rallied mildly to finish second.

Recap: Munnings breaks through in ‘Stephens

Munnings (Speightstown-La Comete, by Holy Bull) split horses in the stretch and drew away to win the grade II Woody Stephens for sophomore sprinters at Belmont.

The chestnut colt showed high promise as a 2-year-old, running second in the Champagne, but hadn’t yet taken a stakes race. He sat in midpack and then moved inside the leaders turning for home, coming between horses as tiring pacesetters drifted out and opening up for the win.

The final time for seven furlongs on the track, which has been playing very fast, was 1:20.60.

Everyday Heroes (Awesome Again-Lucette, by Dayjur) helped set the early pace and held on for second ahead of Kensei (Mr. Greeley-Private Feeling, by Belong To Me). Everyday Heroes and Hull (Holy Bull-Band Queen, by Chimes Band), who was fourth, both suffered their first career defeat.

Recap: Diamondrella upsets Just A Game

Diamondrella (Rock of Gibraltar-Tap Your Feet, by Dixieland Band) upset favored Forever Together (Belong To Me-Constant Companion, by Relaunch) to win the grade I Just A Game Handicap at Belmont Saturday.

Diamondrella found running room on the far outside and exploded down the stretch to win by about a length under Angel Penna.

Forever Together, the reigning Eclipse champion turf female, was in tight throughout; she found running room on the rail in the stretch, but didn’t have the winner’s momentum.

Recap: Fabulous Strike sizzles in True North

The classy Fabulous Strike (Smart Strike-Lost Code, by Fabulous Find) showed why he’s special again today with a resounding victory in the True North Handicap on the Belmont undercard.

Fabulous Strike, second by a nose in the grade I Carter last time out, broke on top, but was quickly challenged by Sixthirteen (Dixie Union-Mandy’s Classic, by Sky Classic). The two raced through early fractions of :21.85 for the quarter and :43.62 for the half before Fabulous Strike pulled away to win by about two. He stopped the clock in 1:07.85, just missing the track record of 1:07.66.

Eclipse champion Benny The Bull (Lucky Lionel-Comet Cat, by Birdonthewire), making his 2009 debut, rallied steadily down the stretch but could not get to the winner.

Recap: Eldaafer prevails in Brooklyn

Eldaafer (AP Indy-Habibti, by Tabasco Cat) and Nite Light (Thunder Gulch-Lite Light, by Majestic Light) did their mothers proud Friday, staging a thrilling stretch duel before Eldaafer got up in the last stride to win the 12st Brooklyn Handicap.

Eldaafer’s dam, Habibti, won the grade I Hollywood Starlet and Del Mar Debutante as a 2-year-old. He is her first stakes winner. Nite Light’s dam, Lite Light, won the Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks among many other stakes wins in her stories career.

Eldaafer raced in sixth early as Nite Light and Rising Moon (Runaway Groom-Beat, by Nijinsky II) set the early pace. Eldaafer moved to challenge in the stretch and just got up in the final stride to best Nite Light, who hung on gamely, by a nose. Rising Moon faded to third.

Defending champion Delosvientos (Siphon-Secret Psalm, by Cryptoclearance) was steadied on the first turn, sprinted to the lead on the backside, and quickly tired. He was eased up and finished last.

Recap: Despite The Odds rolls in muddy Hill Prince

Despite The Odds (Speightstown-Lady Aloma, by Cozzene) romped home by over seven lengths in the Hill Price Stakes Friday at Belmont.

The race was moved from the turf to the main track due to the weather; it rained in New York most of the day Friday, and the track was sloppy. Only six horses entered, as four were scratched due to the weather.

The highly regarded Affirmatif (Unbridled’s Song-Wochitoz, by Affirmed) set the early pace. Despite The Odds took over entering the far turn and had opened up by three in midstretch. Affirmatif was well clear of third-place Dubinsky (Toccet-Breath of Life, by Tactical Advantage). The final time was 1:35.68.

Recap: Magical Fantasy up again in Gamely

Magical Fantasy (Diesis-Kissing Gate, by Easy Goer) rallied past Visit (Oasis Dream-Arriva, by Kahyasi) and Diamond Diva (Dansili-Vivianna, by Indian Ridge) in the shadow of the wire to take the grade I Gamely Stakes at Hollywood Saturdat.

It was the second straight stakes win for the 4-year-old, who also won last month’s Santa Barbara over many of the mares she faced Saturday.

Magical Fantasy was fifth and trapped on the rail as the field turned for home. Alex Solis found her running room to the outside and she made a late charge to just pass Visit by a neck. Diamond Diva, sent ass as the favorite, was just a nose back in third. Black Mamba (Black Minnaloushe-Sneetch, by Grosvenor), who just missed to Magical Fantasy by a nose in the Santa Barbara, was a length back in fourth.

Both the runner-up and show horse gave a good account of themselves, as it was Visit’s best American performance to date and Diamond Diva was making just her second start off a 10-month layoff.

The final time for nine furlongs was 1:48.18.