‘Kris Looking for a Kick-Start

A winner of four of nine and $593,540 in purses in 2003, Kicken Kris is winless in three starts this year, including off-the-board finishes in his last two races, the Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs and the Manhattan Handicap on June 5 at Belmont Park.

Over a course on which he won the Lawrence Realization as a 3-year-old last fall, Kicken Kris will try to turn things around today in the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap, a Grade II at 1 3/8 miles on the grass at Belmont.

Owned by Brushwood Stable and trained by Michael Matz, Kicken Kris was among 11 entered in the Bowling Green. Edgar Prado will ride him for the first time.

Other contenders include L’Oiseau d’Argent, Better Talk Now, Thompson Rouge and B.A. Way, who has won three in a row and four of his last five.

Race of the day: Yearly Report, a winner of four of five for owner Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm and trainer Bob Baffert, heads a field of 10 3-year-old fillies in the $500,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park. Jerry Bailey will ride Yearly Report in the Grade II at 1 1/16 miles.

It will be the General Meeting filly’s first start since she won the Black Eyed Susan on May 14 at Pimlico.

One for the road: Pop Princess, who won two of three at Woodbine last year, debuts for trainer Bobby Frankel in the seventh at Belmont Park, a $47,000 allowance at six furlongs. Prado will ride.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Hendrix and Missed Summer in the sixth, Vencer in the seventh, Lest We Forget, Full Moon Madness, Is It True Mex and Astonished in the eighth and Hold The Game, Tuscan Wine and Sip One For Mom in the ninth.

Winners (through Thursday): Previous day/meet total: 4/154. Money: Previous day/meet total: $26.40/$881. Total money bet: $1,068.