Seven go to the post in the feature at Belmont Park on Saturday, the $150,000 Elusive Quality. (© Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
Nine were entered and seven will likely start in Saturday’s $150,000 Elusive Quality going seven furlongs on the turf at Belmont Park, with Siding Spring the one to beat.
Two main track only entrants will scratch leaving a field of seven with Siding Spring shipping up from Florida where the Mark Casse trainee set the early fractions and weakened to finish fourth in the Appleton (G3) going a mile on grass.
Disco Partner is the 2-1 morning line favorite for Christophe Clement. The five-year-old makes his first start since last October where he was fourth in the Belmont Turf Sprint.
Calgary Cat (5-2) is also coming back off the bench, last seen running fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.
Kharafa (6-1) has earned over $1 million and is making his first start since running fifth in the Artie Schiller at Aqueduct last November.
My Best Plays for Saturday includes my eight strongest plays from Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park.
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Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 8 The Elusive Quality (Post time 5:13 ET)
#3 Siding Spring 4-1
#8 Calgary Cat 5-2
#5 Disco Partner 2-1
#9 Hammers Vision 6-1
Analysis: Siding Spring cuts back from a mile where last out at Gulfstream Park the colt set the early fractions and weakened to finish fourth in the Appleton (G3). The colt bat Alw-2 optional claimers two back at Gulfstream going a two turn 7 1/2 furlongs. He is graded placed on turf, landing third in the Bourbon (G3) at Keeneland as a juvenile. The cut back to seven furlongs should suit him and he has the recency edge over several of these as four of his foes are coming off the bench.
Calgary Cat has done most of his best work on the fake stuff but his last two starts on turf were solid. He won the Nearctic (G2) two back and then was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in his last outing. He has a couple of bullet works on the morning tab over poly at Woodbine but note the barn is 0 for 17 with runners coming back off a 61-180 day layoff and the price may end up on the light side.
Disco Partner makes his first start since a decent fourth in the Belmont Turf Sprint where he was beaten 1 3/4 lengths after coming with a mild late run. H earned a career top two back wining the Troy at the Spa going 5 1/2 furlongs. He has landed in the exacta in five of his seven trips over the turf here.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 3,8 / 3,5,8,9
TRI: 3,8 / 3,5,8,9 / 1,3,5,8,9
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