Mogador the One to Beat

Mogador, a consistent 4-year-old son of Danzig, tops a field of 10 scheduled to go a mile on the turf in the $60,000 Elusive Quality today at Belmont Park.

Owned by Brushwood Stable and trained by Christophe Clement, Mogador has been first, second or third in all eight of his races.

A Pennsylvania-bred, he will be seeking his fifth win and his third in four starts on the Belmont Park grass. Edgar Prado, who ranks fourth behind John Velazquez, Cornelio Velasquez and Javier Castellano in the local standings, has the mount.

Other contenders in the Elusive Quality include No Parole, Miesque’s Approval and L’Oiseau d’Argent.

A loser of 13 consecutive races until he won at nearly 17-1 in his return to turf on Sept. 16, No Parole will be ridden by Jorge Chavez as he aims for his sixth lifetime victory for owner Tom Mina and trainer Joe Aquilino.

Miesque’s Approval is a six-time winner on the grass for Live Oak Plantion and trainer Bill Mott, and L’Oiseau d’Argent has won three of seven for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin since coming to the U.S. late last year.

Maybry’s Boy, who is winless in three starts on the turf, Colonial Bay, Royal Affirmed, Macaw, Bailero and Sir Walter Rahy complete the field.

Race of the day: Ms Mintons Excess, who has been first or second in his last five starts for trainer Marty Jones, heads a field of eight Cal-breds going 1 1/16 miles in today’s seventh at Santa Anita. Victor Espinoza will ride the 3-year-old In Excess gelding in the $44,000 allowance.

One for the road: Maximum Appeal debuts for trainer Peter Walder, who is winning at a 29% clip in 2004, and gets a jockey change to Velazquez in today’s fifth at Belmont. The 4-year-old Demaloot Demashoot filly will break from the rail in the $20,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles. This will be her first start at Belmont.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Yummy Yummy and Alpenwald in the fourth, Yankee Val in the fifth and Max Power, Fail Me Not and More Modern in the sixth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 5/20. Money: Previous day/meet total: $24.30/$115.70. Total money bet: $88.