Clearly Now May Try Two Turns for BC Dirt Mile

Trainer Brian Lynch, who sent out Clearly Now to victory in the Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Sprint Championship, on Sunday reflected on his colt's record-setting performance. Clearly Now, a 4-year-old son of Horse Greeley, eclipsed the seven-furlong track record on Stars & Stripes Day at Belmont Park when he completed the distance in 1:19.96, besting Left Bank's mark of 1:20.17 set in 2002.

"You know, after watching the race again, the thing I was most impressed with is the way he galloped out," said Lynch. "After the finish, his ears were still pricked and he jumped back into the bridle. It definitely makes me think he can be competitive at a mile."

To make the 6 ¼-length win even more impressive, Clearly Now did not switch leads in the stretch.

"That's his signature," said Lynch. "I think he's only switched leads once in his life, and that was in the [Grade 3] Bold Ruler [at Belmont]. He always changes leads on cue in the morning, but for whatever reason, maybe it's when he gets into a pressure situation, he doesn't do it in the afternoon. It doesn't seem to slow him down, though."

For his effort, Clearly Now earned a gaudy 112 Beyer Speed Figure, a number that has Lynch thinking Breeders' Cup.

"I hope we're still in this position when those races come around," said Lynch. "Obviously, we'll consider the Sprint and the Dirt Mile. The Sprint usually seems to come up the tougher of the two. I don't think a two-turn mile would be a problem for him, so we'll see."