Pure Sensation headlines field of 10 in inaugural Belmont Turf Sprint
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Photo:
David Alcosser/NYRA
Coming off impressive back-to-back graded stakes wins, 5-year-old gelding Pure Sensation will headline a field of 10 in the inaugural running of the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint on Saturday at Belmont Park.
One of seven stakes races on a "Super Saturday" card highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Turf Sprint, carded as Race 7, will kick off the NYRA Bets Late Pick 5 spanning the last five races of the day.
Trained by Christophe Clement, Pure Sensation began his year on February 16 with a fifth-place finish in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. Next out, on June 11, he returned to set a course record in in the Grade 3 Jaipur at Belmont and followed with a victory in the Grade 3 Parx Dash at Parx Racing.
"The horse is doing well," said Christophe Lorieul, assistant trainer to Clement. "He worked last weekend and had a nice work, so everything is a go so far. This year he's been lucky enough to have been well placed and he's run his best. When he's right, he's a very fast horse. Last year, we had some setbacks but when he's right he's very good. We just hope that it's a nice weekend and we can get firm turf."
Installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite, Pure Sensation will depart from post 5 with Kendrick Carmouche aboard.
With two wins and a third-place finish from four starts on the turf, Chalk Racing's Ready for Rye will look to get back to the winner's circle for the first since last September for trainer Tom Albertrani.
A 4-year-old son of City Zip, Ready for Ready who has collected stakes wins on both dirt and turf, will look to rebound after finishing a disappointing 10th on August 27 at Saratoga Race Course in the Grade 1 Forego after stumbling at the start.
"I think his last race was kind of a throw out race," said Albertrani. "He's done well on the turf in the past. He's pretty versatile on either surface, but we're excited to get him back on the grass and hopefully, that might lead to a good performance. Maybe we can take him out to California to get a shot for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Training-wise he couldn't be doing any better. We always felt his turf races were maybe a little better than on the dirt."
Drawing post 9, Ready for Rye will have Javier Castellano in the irons at odds of 6-1 on the morning line.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle Long on Value for owners Wachtel Stable, George Kerr, and Gary Barber. The 5-year-old has one win from five starts this year but has looked revamped since cutting back in distance. Making his last two starts at 5 ½ furlongs after racing at one mile or more in 21 previous starts, Long On Value won the Lucky Coin on July 25 at Saratoga and followed with a fourth-place finish by a neck in the Troy on August 20 at the Spa.
The 7-2 morning-line second choice, Long On Value will be ridden by Joel Rosario.
Looking for some class relief after making his last four starts against graded stakes competition, Australian-bred Power Alert will enter for trainer Brian Lynch. Drawing post 6, the 6-year-old will look to rebound from a fifth-place running in the Grade 3 Turf Monster Stakes at Parx.
Hall of Famer Mike Smith will be aboard for the first time.
Rounding out the field is Triple Burner for trainer Linda Albert and Blue Streak Stable who last out finished second on September 10 in the Laurel Dash at Laurel Park; Disco Partner for trainer James Ryerson and Patricia Generazio, is entering off a victory in the Troy on August 20 at Saratoga; Holding Gold for trainer Mark Casse and Live Oak Plantaion; Sallal for Al Shaqb Racing and trainer Graham Motion; Colts Neck Stables' Pool Winner for trainer Alan Goldberg; and Green Mask for trainer Brad Cox and owner Almaddah Abdullah Saeed.
Source: NYRA Communications
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