BELMONT NOTES : Farma Way’s Race Angers Lukas

Trainer Wayne Lukas was angry after the race that preceded the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, unhappy with the front-running ride aboard Farma Way that set up Festin’s seven-length victory in the $500,000 Nassau County Handicap.

Farma Way, the even-money favorite, blazed away with Jolie’s Halo on the front end through fractions of 44 2/5 seconds for a half-mile and 1:08 4/5 for six furlongs. Farma Way, ridden by Gary Stevens, had nothing left in the stretch and finished third.

Jolie’s Halo, who was last, bled from the lungs during the race.

“We had no intention of doing what was done,” Lukas said. “This was totally what we didn’t want to do. If the other horse (Jolie’s Halo) wanted to go, we had said that we’d let him open up three or four lengths. We discussed all this in the tack room (at the barn). We said that we’d have to rate my horse if the other horse went. After a half-mile, I quit watching and started moving downstairs. There’s no way you can run 1:08 on this track and still win. My horse ran a beautiful race just to get third.”

Gervazy finished second, a neck in front of Farma Way. Chief Honcho ran fourth, and after him came, in order, Sound Of Cannons, Crowning Tribute, Rhythm, Silver Survivor, Defensive Play and Jolie’s Halo.

Stevens has ridden Farma Way to five stakes victories this year, including the Santa Anita Handicap and the Pimlico Special.

“My horse broke a half-length in front,” Stevens said after Saturday’s race. “I couldn’t get my horse to relax after that and Chris (Antley, aboard Jolie’s Halo) was chirping to his horse.”

Festin, ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye and trained by Ron McAnally, finished the one-turn, 1 1/8-mile race in 1:46 3/5. The 5-year-old Argentine-bred, who beat Farma Way on a sloppy track in the Oaklawn Handicap earlier this year, paid $13.60 to win, carrying 116 pounds, seven less than the high-weighted Farma Way.

Festin is owned by Bert Kinerk, a Tucson trial lawyer who bought the horse as a yearling for $18,000. The Nassau County was the fifth race in the 10-race American Championship Racing Series, which offers bonuses totaling $1.5 million to the runners with the most points based on finishes. After Saturday, Festin has 30 points, Farma Way 25 and Jolie’s Halo 20. The next race in the series is the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 29.

Before he won the Belmont Stakes with Hansel, Jerry Bailey rode Fly So Free, a discredited 3-year-old, to a two-length victory over Formal Dinner in the $123,400 Riva Ridge Stakes.

Fly So Free, the 1-2 favorite, made his first start since finishing fifth as the second choice in in the Kentucky Derby. Before his loss to Strike The Gold in the Blue Grass in mid-April, Fly So Free had been the future-book favorite for the Derby.

On Saturday, despite a troubled trip, Fly So Free came extremely wide through the stretch to finish seven furlongs in 1:23. Formal Dinner was part of a three-horse entry saddled by Lukas, with Dodge finishing third and Media Plan 10th in the 11-horse field.

Turfdom finished fourth and Letthebighossroll was fifth in the Riva Ridge.

Before the Riva Ridge, M.C. Hammer, the rap star whose family owns Media Plan, caused a furor in the walking ring, stopping for interviews, posing for pictures with other guests and signing autographs by the dozens as the horse went on to the track.

Hammer will watch another of his horses, Lite Light, run today against Meadow Star in the $200,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont.

In another stake Saturday at Belmont, Mike Smith rode Man Alright, the 7-10 favorite, to a 3 1/2-length win victory over Honest Ensign in the $120,600 Colin Stakes for 3-year-olds. Man Alright ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 1/5.

Earlier on the card, Vermont, a Lukas-trained colt whose 2-year-old season was cut short because of injury, won a seven-furlong allowance in 1:22 3/5, a better time than Fly So Free’s.

Hansel is the 15th horse to complete the Preakness-Belmont double. Risen Star won the same two races in 1988.