Friday, September 06, 2002
Woodward Stakes top attraction as Belmont opens fall season
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT
AP Racing Writer
NEW YORK — So long, Saratoga. Hello, Belmont Park. After yet another prosperous summer at The Spa, racing is back at Belmont with many of the world's top horses preparing for dozens of stakes leading up to the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Arlington Park on Oct. 26.
“Our major races are spaced nicely to provide significant opportunities for horsemen before the Breeders' Cup,” said Mike Lakow, racing secretary for the New York Racing Association.
“The fall championship meet is important to the owners and trainers with championship aspirations.”
Opening day is Friday, but the run to the eight Breeders' Cup races heats up Saturday with three Grade 1s — the $500,000 Woodward Stakes, the $500,000 Man o'War on the turf and the $250,000 Gazelle for 3-year-old fillies.
The 1 1/8-mile Gazelle looks to be the most intriguing. Take Charge Lady, Bella Bellucci and Imperial Gesture were among the seven fillies entered Thursday.
It is the Woodward, though, that's the feature attraction. Lido Palace, trained by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel, attempts to win his first race since taking the 1 1/8-mile Woodward last year. Five others won Woodwards back-to-back, including Cigar, Forego and Kelso.
Lido Palace, who will be ridden by Jorge Chavez, was third in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga in his last start but has eight wins in 19 races and earnings of $1,888,574. The 5-year-old is 0-for-3 this year.
Challenging Lido Palace will be Express Tour, Cat's At Home, Sherpa Guide, Gander and Baseball Champion.
With Anticipation, winner of the Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. 10, tops the eight-horse field for the 1 3/8-mile Man o'War. Trained by Jonathan Sheppard, the 7-year-old gray gelding has 14 wins in 41 starts and earnings of $1,857,204.
Like Lido Palace, With Anticipation is looking to win the same race two years in a row. Among his challengers are 2000 Arkansas Derby winner Balto Star and Tobougg, making his American debut.
In the Gazelle, Imperial Gesture looks to move back among the top fillies with a strong effort. Owned by Sheik Mohammed's Dubai-based Godolphin Racing, Inc., Imperial Gesture was eighth in the Kentucky Oaks on May 3, and did not race again until winning at Saratoga on Aug. 23.
“She lost a lot of weight and we wanted to give her time off,” said Godolphin assistant trainer Tom Albertrani. “Other than the Oaks, she's been very consistent. She ran with those fillies in the past, and this looks like a good opportunity.”
Take Charge Lady has been training solidly for Ken McPeek after a 3 1/2-month layoff. The filly won three stakes in a row before finishing second to Farda Amiga in the Oaks on May 3. She came back three weeks later and won the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs, but hasn't raced since.
“She's filled out quite a bit and she's stronger,” McPeek said. “I don't want the Gazelle to be her peak. I'd rather save that for a couple down the road.”
Bella Bellucci, trained by Neil Drysdale, was third in the Acorn at Belmont on June 7 and then won an allowance July 19.
The 33-day Belmont meet features 38 stakes races, including the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 28 — the last major prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic. The Flower Bowl Invitational on the same day likely will determine the top entries for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Then there's Breeders' Cup preview day on Oct. 5, with three more Grade 1s — the Beldame for fillies and mares and the Champagne and Frizette, each 2-year-old races.
FINISH LINES: The track will be closed Sept. 11, the anniversary of the terrorist attacks. ... Betting figures at Saratoga broke North American records set in 2001. Betting from all sources at the 36-day meet totaled more than $587.2 million, about a 4.6 percent increase from a year ago. The daily average was $16.3 million. ... Bobby Frankel was by far the top money-earning trainer — $2,021,209 with nine wins, four seconds and two thirds from 32 starters. The Frankel-trained Medaglia d'Oro won the Jim Dandy and the Travers. ... Edgar Prado was the leading rider over Jerry Bailey, Saratoga's top jockey seven of the previous eight years.
Sports Stories
Frerotte-Westbrook connection
WR corps boasts 6-cylinder power
No TV for Bengals-Chargers
Chargers' Jammer ready to sit out season
Injuries piling up for Browns
NFL opens season with NYC concert
49ers 16, Giants 13
Rotation forecast cloudy as last year
Reds-Brewers series preview
Astros 5, Padres 0, 11 innings
A-Rod hits two homers to reach 50
A's need to keep winning
Every club not named 'Yankees' votes for labor deal
Expos ponder fate
Bibb helps turn around Norwood
Experience paying off for unbeaten Cougars
Lakota East enjoying early success
No. 4 Wyoming cruises
Rare match tonight between Badin and Lebanon
Roger Bacon 41, Holy Cross 0
CCD's two-back attack pops North College Hill
Football polls
Ohio prep football preview
Kentucky prep football preview
Lakota West subdues rival East
Boys golf results
Boys soccer results
Field hockey results
Girls golf results
Girls soccer results
Girls tennis results
Girls volleyball results
Player of the Year watch list
Woodward Stakes top attraction as Belmont opens fall season
