Sightseek Dominates Azeri at Belmont

The first meeting involving Azeri and Sightseek wasn’t much of a contest.

Remaining unbeaten at Belmont Park in New York, Sightseek was dominant in the $285,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap for a second year in a row, winning by 3 1/4 lengths while taken in hand nearing the wire by jockey Jerry Bailey.

Azeri, meanwhile, turned in her second consecutive stinker for owner Michael Paulson and trainer Wayne Lukas, finishing last in the field of four after showing the way for nearly three-quarters of a mile as the 4-5 favorite. Storm Flag Flying was second and Passing Shot third in the Grade I.

It was the third loss in four starts for the 2002 horse of the year since she joined the Lukas barn. The 6-year-old Jade Hunter mare lost twice in 16 races for former trainer Laura de Seroux.

A winner of her four outings at Belmont by a combined 24 1/4 lengths, Sightseek completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.46 as the 2-1 second choice.

“She loves this track,” said Bobby Frankel, who trains the 5-year-old Distant View mare for Juddmonte Farms. “Azeri obviously didn’t run her race. It’s a great win. She’s a great filly. If they had the Breeders’ Cup here, Sightseek would be 1-100 [in the Distaff].”

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Trainer Vladimir Cerin made it a meet-high five stakes wins when 12-1 shot Boomzeeboom went virtually wire-to-wire in the $110,200 Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Outbattling stablemate Twice As Bad, the 5-2 second choice in the Grade III, Boomzeeboom, who had finished last in his two previous starts in the Lexington and Will Rogers, won by a half-length and completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.11.

Owned by Alan Landsburg, Larry Postaer and John Karubian, Boomzeeboom, a 3-year-old son of Explosive Red, was ridden by Victor Espinoza. The jockey picked up the mount after Capitano, the colt he was originally scheduled to ride, was scratched earlier in the day.

Wimplestiltskin, a 16-1 shot, was third and Cheiron, the 13-10 favorite, finished fourth.

“If they come out of it in good shape, both horses are going to the Swaps,” Cerin said of the $400,000 race on July 10.

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Offlee Wild, the 3-1 second choice, beat favored Funny Cide by a head to win the $500,000 Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs.

Owned by Azalea Stables LLC, Offlee Wild, a 4-year-old Wild Again colt, is two for two since joining the barn of trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.

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Court’s In Session, who was claimed for $32,000 by trainer Brian Koriner for Wind River Stables on May 9, won his third in a row, scoring a 7-1 upset in the $125,000 Bay Meadows Breeders’ Sprint Handicap.

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Lovely Rafaela, the upset winner of the Honeymoon Breeders’ Cup Handicap on June 5, is among 14 3-year-old fillies who were issued invitations to the $750,000 American Oaks, which will be run on July 3 at Hollywood Park.