Came Home Is Norfolk Favorite

The best card of the young Oak Tree meet will feature three graded stakes and include more than a couple of horses who are getting ready for the Breeders’ Cup four weeks from today.

Came Home, an unbeaten 2-year-old son of Gone West, is the 2-5 favorite against seven rivals in the $250,000 Norfolk as he prepares for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Originally, Came Home was supposed to return to New York for the next week’s Champagne, but his connections opted to keep him here. That means a showdown with Officer, the California-bred who is also perfect, won’t come until the Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 27 at Belmont Park.

A race after the Norfolk, Tranquility Lake will look for her third consecutive stakes win and try to become a repeat winner of the $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 11/4 miles on the turf.

The other stakes on the card is the $200,000-added Lady’s Secret Breeders’ Cup Handicap. The 9-5 choice on the morning line is Tamara Princess, a full sister to Riboletta who has won all three of her starts.

Race of the day: The stakes may not be the most appetizing betting races--unless you think the favorites are vulnerable--but the fifth and seventh, turf races, offer good wagering opportunities. Both are wide-open and offer a decent price no matter which horse--or horses--you settle on.

Contenders in the fifth, which goes at a flat mile, include Bonotto, Diggit, Merhy and Moore’s Flat. Mandola, Mr. Wonderful, Prima Nocti and Hero’s Welcome all look to have a chance in the seventh, which goes at about 61/2 furlongs.

Who’s hot: Alex Solis. The jockey won stakes Wednesday and Thursday. Without a mount in the Lady’s Secret, he will ride 5-1 shot Essence of Dubai in the Norfolk and 3-1 second choice The Seven Seas in the Yellow Ribbon.

Who’s not: Thunder Dragon. A 10-1 shot in today’s fourth, the 5-year-old gelding is 1 for 24 lifetime and 0 for 16 in 2000.

Exotically speaking: Exacta boxes in the third keying Warum Nicht with Prenuptual Deal and Love All The Way.