Horse racing newsletter: Looking toward the Belmont

THIRSTY ALWAYS dueled for command with FOWLER BLUE into and around the turn and into the stretch, put that rival away nearing the sixteenth pole, battled with ASPEN SHADE late and gamely prevailed. ASPEN SHADE chased the top pair three wide through the turn, bid three deep with a furlong to go, headed rival at the sixteenth pole but could not get by. FOWLER BLUE dueled for the lead from inside to the stretch, fought back along the rail to mid-stretch and flattened in the final sixteenth. SIPPIN N KISSIN hesitated at the start to be last away, run up on the heels of I'M WINNING and had to check and alter out at the seven-sixteenths pole, drifted out late on the turn and showed a mild response to whittle the gap late. I'M WINNING broke well and was hustled early, dropped back leaving the backstretch, continued to lose ground around the turn, remained inside then two wide into the stretch and could not rally. SWANNING tracked the pacesetters from off the rail, went three wide into the turn, shied from rival late on the turn and weakened.

RAKASSAH (IRE) away quickly at the start, tailed the leader up the backstretch, drew alongside on the turn and headed rival rival at the quarter pole, took control into the stretch, held a short lead over FIVE PICS PLEASE through the lane then cleared briefly late and held well over the late charge from the runner-up. GIDGETTA settled along the rail, saved ground to the stretch, angled out in the lane, summoned a late rally and was rapidly gaining on the winner. FIVE PICS PLEASE sped to the front from inside, headed by rival at the quarter pole, lost the lead into the stretch, fought back from inside through the lane and faltered late. FIRST STAR trailed early, checked into the turn, angled to the rail around the bend and churned on to earn a minor award. ACTING OUT tracked outside a rival, three wide around the bend and flattened in the late stages. HOTITUDE chased two wide to the stretch and weakened.

JOE DON LOONEY bumped from outside at the start, pressed three deep then dueled into the turn, cleared rival at the quarter pole, met the challenge from RAGING WATERS with a furlong to go, dug in through the furlong grounds and held gamely. RAGING WATERS allowed to settle at the back, traveled along the rail then swung four wide into the stretch, rallied from outside, headed JOE DON LOONEY at the eighth pole, dueled through the final furlong but could not find the needed late kick to get by. DIVA'S FINALE set the pace under pressure from both sides, dueled into and around the bend, could not keep up nearing the quarter pole, chased along the rail into the drive and held the show. MUSICAL GEM pressed the pace from inside, chased the top pair into the turn, shifted to the two path around the bend and flattened out. THELUTEISMINE got knocked into rival at the start, stalked three wide around the bend and weakened. WESTERN RULE broke in and bumped rival, chased from outside, entered the stretch four to five wide and faded.

PREDICTABLE TULLY (IRE) traveled in mid-pack early on, bid three deep at the five-sixteenths, took control shortly after, cleared into the stretch and remained strong to the wire. I GIVE UP taken in hand in the early going, reserved near the back pack, advanced up the backstretch, ranged up four wide on the far turn, took aim three wide leaving the bend, could not threaten the winner late but held the place. GOLDEN JOURNEY stalked in the two path, lacked room behind rivals on the far turn and altered out, came four wide into the stretch and finished evenly alongside I GIVE UP in deep stretch. BELLIZE tracked the pace from inside, lacked room early on the far turn then shifted out off the rail and came three wide into the stretch, steered back inside in the stretch and finished willingly to round out the superfecta. SWEET MEG got bumped from outside at the start, settled inside, tipped out into the stretch and passed tired rivals. ROYALLY COMMAND broke in and bumped rival at the start, vied from inside then pressed up the backstretch, dropped back around the far turn and faded in the lane. CHIQUITA PIQUITA vied three deep around the first turn, inched ahead into the backstretch, set the pace under pressure from inside, lost command just past the five-sixteenths pole and gave way. CLEVER INTRUSION broke out a bit, vied between around the first turn, retreated up the backstretch, eased around the far turn, coasted to the wire and walked off.

MOUNT PELLIAR stalked two to three wide on both turns, drew alongside VERY IRISH at the eighth pole and drove clear. VERY IRISH sped to the front, angled in on the first turn, inched away up the backstretch, saved ground into the stretch, challenged at the eight pole and was outfinished in the late stages. GORDY'S BOY tracked outside a rival then off the rail, went two wide into the far turn, tipped three wide into the start, came in upper stretch and gained third. BIG WELL came in and bumped rival into the first turn, settled in the two path, moved inside on the backstretch, gained ground along the fence on the far turn, lacked the needed late kick and got edged for the show. MONGOL ALTAI stumbled leaving the gate, tucked inside on the first turn, angled out into the stretch and produced a mild rally. BY MOONLIGHT rated early along the inside then shifted outside the leader around the clubhouse turn, was closest in pursuit through the early stages, chased two wide into the drive and weakened. SALAH traveled four wide around the first turn, three to two wide on the second bend and never offered the needed response. BIG DISCOUNT was put in tight then bumped and checked into the first turn, saved ground to the stretch and failed to menace. NO MALICE steadied twice off the heels of BIG WELL early then altered out into the first turn, tracked three then four wide into the stretch and had little left.

MR. IMPOSSIBLE showed early speed then stalked from inside, bid inside the leader at the three-eighths, dueled around the turn and into the stretch, put a head in front in upper stretch and drew clear late. BEYOND BRILLIANT set the pace and moved into the two path, challenged from outside at the seven-sixteenths, shrugged off that rival then dueled with MR. IMPOSSIBLE around the turn and into the stretch, relinquished control in upper stretch, fought back to the sixteenth pole and was clearly second best. AMERICAN ADMIRAL steadied into the first turn, tracked off the inside, three to four wide around the far turn and bested the rest. MYOPIC pulled early and bumped rival into the first turn, was forwardly placed from outside, put in a mild bid at the seven-sixteenths, dropped back around the turn and faded in the lane. BENDER got bumped from inside at the start, went four wide around the bend, three wide around the second turn and never made an impact. DESTINY ONE sat off the pace, raced along the inside into the far turn, two wide into the stretch and was never a factor.

LOFTY vied four deep for the lead then cleared at the half-mile pole, angled to the inside, remained clear in the drive and held well. NU PI LAMBDA was off alertly to begin, set the pace between rivals then chased LOFTY past the half-mile pole, traveled along the inside then three wide into the drive, finished willingly through the final furlong and proved a game second. LUCKY PERIDOT settled off the rail, came five wide into the stretch and finished with a late rally for the third. DEL MAR DRAMA settled off the pace, angled four wide into the stretch and kept on through the final furlong to gain a minor award. DOLCE vied three deep early then chased past the half-mile pole, moved out and came five wide into the stretch and flattened in the lane. FANTAIL (GB) was off slow to begin, pulled early and had to steady on the inside, angled out on the turn and never rallied. ELLERSLIE LACE (FR) reserved up the backstretch, came four wide into the drive and made no impact. SHOWMETHEMAGIC vied for the lead from inside, jumped track crossing surfaces early, chased along the inside through the turn and faded.

TOBACCO ROAD stalked off the rail, angled in on the turn, bid inside at the eighth pole, inched ahead and prevailed in the closing moments. INDY JONES pressed briefly then chased the leader up the backstretch, moved off the rail and entered the stretch two to three wide, bid three deep mid-stretch and was gaining to the wire. JAN'S RESERVE off a bit slow to begin, chased inside into the turn, came out and exited the bend five wide, closed well and earned the show honors. BAM BAM AGAIN sped clear up the backstretch, showed the way in the two path into the stretch, challenged from inside at the eighth pole, ceded the lead to the winner mid-stretch and flattened between late. ROYAL SEEKER tracked off the inside, angled in on the turn and came up empty. STUDLY PERFECTION hopped at the start, was rank early then taken to the far outside and went up to press briefly, chased the leader leaving the backstretch, came four wide into the lane and tired.

SWEET DEVIL settled off the pace, moved inside, steadied at the three-eighths, angled out into the stretch, moved further out in the drive, flew late and got up at the wire. SHOUT IT OUT chased off the rail, went two wide around the turn, angled out in the stretch, rallied and was outclosed by the winner. NEW DRAMA bumped inside rival at the start, dueled for the lead then vied between rivals, bumped with inside rival into the turn, dueled around the bend and into the stretch, cleared inside rival but got nailed on the line. IRISH AURA was up close early then went up to vie for the lead from inside, bumped with NEW DRAMA at the three-eighths pole, dueled around the turn and into the stretch and weakened late. FABIOLLA (GB) bobbled at the start, unhurried in the beginning, came off the rail into the stretch, moved out further in the stretch and showed a mild rally in the final furlong. DORITA'S HAPPY broke out, tracked outside a rival then three wide around the turn and failed to produce a bid. PHOENIX TEARS traveled along the inside to the stretch and could not rally. GALARINA bumped at the start, well placed behind the top trio, chased the top pair through the turn, angled out into the stretch and weakened. CONSIDER ME GONE settled outside a rival then moved inside, bumped with outside rival at the three-eighths pole, continued along the rail to the stretch, shifted out near the eighth pole and failed to rally. HYLAND HAVEN broke out, raced three deep and got bumped at the three-eighths pole, came three wide into the drive and was not a threat. RATTRAPANTE dueled for the lead early then vied three deep, chased the top pair leaving the backstretch, went three then four wide around the turn, tired and eased in the lane and walked off. QUIET FOREST hesitate and came away slow, was rank early and jumped the track crossing surfaces early, got pinballed between rivals at the three-eighths pole and had little left for the stretch.