THOROUGHBRED RACING ROUNDUP : Sky Classic Tops Secretariat Mark in Turf Classic

Sky Classic, under a hand ride from Pat Day, won the Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Saturday in 2:24 2/5, breaking Secretariat’s record for 1 1/2 miles on the Widener course by two-fifths of a second.

Secretariat set the record in the Man o’War under 121 pounds on Oct. 8, 1973. Sky Classic carried 126 pounds.

“It didn’t really feel like we were going that fast,” Day said.

Said Jim Hill, Sky Classic’s trainer: “When you think about some of the things Secretariat did, it kind of puts shivers up your spine.”

Fourth at the top of the stretch, Sky Classic passed leader Solar Splendor with a little less than an eighth of a mile remaining and won by 1 3/4 lengths. Fraise came on to get second by 2 1/2 lengths over Solar Splendor, who was neck ahead of French-bred Tel Quel, making his American debut.

Sky Classic’s fifth graded grass stakes victory in the 5-year-old’s last six starts came in preparation for the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf on Oct. 31 at Gulfstream Park. Sky Classic finished fourth in the race last year at Churchill Downs.

Sky Classic paid $4, $2.60 and $2.10. Fraise, ridden by Pat Valenzuela, returned $4 and $2.10. Solar Splendor paid $2.10.

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Julie Krone took Rubiano off the rail and around horses to win the seven-furlong Vosburgh Handicap, preceding the Turf Classic on the Belmont card.

Rubiano’s third consecutive victory and eighth in the 5-year-old horse’s last nine starts kept English-bred Sheikh Albadou from becoming two for two in the United States.

The race, won in 1:22 4/5, was in preparation for the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Gulfstream Park. Sheik Albadou won the Sprint last year at Churchill Downs.

Sheikh Albadou, ridden by Walter Swinburn, took the lead from Salt Lake, ridden by Mike Smith, with about a sixteenth of a mile to go. Then Rubiano, who was taken off the rail and to the outside of Salt Lake and Sheikh Albadou at the eighth-pole, caught Sheikh Albadou with about 20 yards remaining.

Rubiano, who carried 126 pounds, beat Sheikh Albadou (126) by three-quarters of a length. Salt Lake (123) was another 1 1/4 lengths back and 4 1/4 lengths in front of Burn Fair (126) in the eight-horse field.

Rubiano, owned by Centennial Farms, paid $5.20, $2.40 and $2.20 as part of a Scotty Schulhofer-trained entry with Fly So Free, who finished fifth.

Sheikh Albadou, who arrived in New York from England on Tuesday, paid $3.20 and $2.80. Salt Lake returned $3.40.

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Forty Niner Days led at the stretch and pulled away to win the $250,000 Bay Meadows Handicap, while Polemic started slow but won the $150,000 California Jockey Club Handicap at Bay Meadows.

Bistro Garden was second, 1 3/4 lengths back, and Luther Enchanteur was another neck back for third in the 1 1/8-mile Grade II Bay Meadows Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on the Longden Turf course.

Forty Niner Days finished at 1:46 2-5, a stakes record. It was the sixth victory in nine starts in the San Francisco Bay Area for Forty Niner Days, the Northern California Horse of the Year in 1991.

Polemic won the Grade III California Jockey Club Handicap by two lengths under jockey Chris McCarron. The 4-year-old filly won the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:46 2-5, equaling the stakes record set by Sweet Roberta II in 1990.

Love Avie, under Russell Baze, was two lengths back of Polemic to place and Indian Chris was third.

Polemic, with four victory in 17 career starts, earned $82,500 for Saturday’s victory.

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Eighteen top European and American horses will race today in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at about 1 1/2 miles at Longchamp near Paris.

The early favorite in the $1.5-million Arc is U.S.-born, Irish-trained St Jovite, the 9-4 choice in the morning line. The 3-year-old colt won the Irish Derby and the King George VI-Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Stakes at Ascot.

Other strong contenders include Dr Devious and unbeaten User Friendly from England, Magic Night from France, and U.S.-born, French-trained Jolypha. User Friendly, Magic Night and Jolypha are fillies.