Of course we are all awaiting the draw for Saturday/ Sunday cards at Belmont.
The important stakes will probably feature a combination of marquee names and
short fields; hopefully some wagering opportunities exist.

On FRIDAY's card, the 6th and 7th races remind me of racing at Belmont before
the NY Greeders took over, before the staple of the card was the turf sprint.

Race 6 is a Saratoga/Kee quality 2YO MSW to be run at 7/8s. There is a Zito
entry, the runners sired by Tiznow and Victory Gallop. There is a William
Ichabod Mott second timer by Songandaprayer who cost 650K as a 2YO in training
and was beaten at 6/5 at the Spa. There is an Orientate firster from underrated
Scott Volk who worked 34.1 at Mth last month. There is a Dutrow FuPeg firster
who is a half to Two Item Limit, who won 4 races as a 2YO. There is a Shug
second time starter out of Country Hideaway, the second dam of BC Distaff
winner Pleasant Home. There is a Frankel second timer who is a half to Latent
Heat and Art Master. There is a TAP firster by Theatrical out of a Storm Cat
mare who comes into the race off of a best of 46 bullet work out of the gate
last Saturday; interestingly this Overbrook homebred is from a non-winning mare
who has thus far produced very little.

The 7th race is an entry level turf allowance at 1- 1/4 miles and features
runners from moss meisters Mott, Matz, Motion, Frankel and Hough. The runners
in this race last raced at Meadowlands, Monmouth, Delaware, Saratoga and
Belmont.This race is basically a NW2LT (the rail runner is a multiple winner
but has never won on turf). An unseasoned bunch of runners coming from 4 or 5
different tracks, I will lean heavily on TG #s here.

The most fascinating running line in the race is on Matz's English bred.
Herboriste had a troubled run at Saratoga, then ran as a 3/5 favorite at
Delaware going 1-1/16th. In the Delaware race she dawdled early and closed in a
way which would seem to give her a big chance at 10 poles, the only drawback
being a possible lack of early pace tomorrow.

Pace will be of the essence tomorrow in another way. With a 10:00 AM tee time at
the watery windblown Robert Trent Jones muni Lido Beach tomorrow, the pace of
play will have to be brisk (less than 5 hours) in order for me to get to
Belmont in time for these races. Even if the days hacking and whacking is
concluded by 3PM, some Andretti- like driving may be necessary to get from Long
Beach to Elmont on time.