Bernardini Faces Three in Jockey Club Gold Cup
Belmont Park will offer five Grade I stakes races in a row on its card today, including the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
A 1 1/4 -mile race, the Gold Cup will feature the return of Bernardini, who has won five of six and is widely considered the top horse in the country.
Owned by Darley Stable and trained by Tom Albertrani, the 3-year-old A.P. Indy colt is facing only three rivals in the Gold Cup. One of them isn’t Invasor, who was declared out of the race a week ago because of a fever.
Bernardini, who won the Travers by 7 1/2 lengths in his most recent start on Aug. 26 at Saratoga in his first try at 1 1/4 miles, will break from the rail against Dylan Thomas, Wanderin Boy and Andromeda’s Hero.
A winner five times in nine tries on turf and earner of more than $2.4 million, Dylan Thomas will be making his main-track debut today for trainer Aidan O’Brien. John Velazquez will ride the 3-year-old Danehill colt, who won the Irish Derby on July 2 at Curragh.
The other Grade I races at Belmont are the $600,000 Beldame for older fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles, the $600,000 Flower Bowl for older fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf, the $400,000 Vosburgh for sprinters at six furlongs and the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for older horses at 1 1/2 miles.
Race of the day: Circular Quay, who is unbeaten in three races, will make his first start around two turns today in the $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. Garrett Gomez will ride the 2-year-old Thunder Gulch colt for trainer Todd Pletcher in the Grade II at 1 1/16 miles. Seven others are scheduled to run, including Hollywood Juvenile, Best Pal and Del Mar Futurity runner-up Great Hunter, who will be ridden by Victor Espinoza.
One for the road: Abovesecondchances, who drops and gets a barn change, can wire his eight opponents in the sixth race today at Golden Gate Fields. Roberto Gonzalez will ride the 3-year-old Six Below gelding for owner Wade Marshall and trainer Greg James in the $8,000 maiden claimer at six furlongs.
Exotically speaking: A pick three using Return Of The King, I B Bad and Sunset Place in the seventh; Marked Warrior, Capt. Joe Blow and Game Of Skill in the eighth; and Bordonaro and Spellbinder in the ninth.
Winners: (previous day/meet total): 2/29. Money: (previous day/meet total): $37.80/$169.60. Total money bet: $136.
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