Belleski Is Daisycutter Favorite

Only once in eight starts on turf has Belleski finished worse than third for owners Jerry and Ann Moss.

Thrown to the wolves in the Matriarch, a Grade I, on Nov. 30 at Hollywood Park, the daughter of Polish Numbers finished last of 14 at 40-1.

Rested since that debacle, Belleski will be a much shorter price today -- she is the 9-5 morning line favorite -- when she returns for trainer John Sadler in the $75,000 Daisycutter Handicap at five furlongs.

A five-time winner on grass, Belleski has picked up most of her wins sprinting and has run well after a vacation. In her only other race on the Del Mar turf, she was second to Arabic Song in last year’s Osunitas Handicap at 1 1/16 miles.

The 3-1 second choice in the Daisycutter is Market Garden. A winner of two in a row, she was claimed out of her last victory for $80,000 by trainer Bill Spawr for owners Sid and Jenny Craig.

Race of the day: Nothing To Lose, who broke his maiden over the Saratoga turf at 15-1 in his debut on Aug. 31, 2002, returns to the track for the first time since in today’s $150,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap. A Grade II at 1 1/8 miles, the Baruch also attracted Quest Star, Evening Attire, Irish Colonial, Quiet Ruler, Mr. Light, Silver Tree and Union Place. John Velazquez, who earned his 3,000th win Thursday at Saratoga, will ride Nothing To Lose.

One for the road: Caribbean Cruiser has trained well at Finger Lakes for trainer Donna Bireta and can win at first asking in today’s fourth at Saratoga. The 5 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old New York bred maidens is the first leg of a pick six with a two-day carry-over of $186,075.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Grey Misty in the sixth, Belleski, Market Garden and Shezsospiritual in the seventh and Good Eater and House Of Gems in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 4/19. Money: Previous day/meet total: $20.40/$101.40. Total money bet: $136.