Horse racing newsletter: Belmont Stakes starters becoming clear

IAN GLASS forced the pace early while outside rival, gained event terms on same two wide path on the turn, dueled later on the bend, grabed slim advantage, battled through the drive and edged away nearing the finish. NOTRE DAME was sent up inside to gain early lead, set pace inside, resisted when challenged on the turn, fought on along the rail in the lane, lost ground with winner in deep stretch but lasted for the place. BEDROCK settled off the leaders, tracked top pair while outside INVICTATUS, continued on same path to the stretch, came out slightly approaching the wire, surged late and missed collaring runner-up. INVICTATATUS brushed with outside rival in early stages, saved ground tracking the pace, remained along the rail into and through the stretch and weakened in final sixteenth.

BOCHOMBO bumped leaving the gate with outside rival then came in slightly shortly after the start and bumped with RICHARDS THE DREAM, tracked leading duo from off the rail, continued three wide to the stretch, made steady progress in the drive, moved past inside pair past sixteenth marker and pulled clear. BET ON MOOKIE bumped with winner at the start, recovered and forced early issue, bid alongside IKIGAI on the turn, dueled into the stretch, gained slim advantage in upper stretch, was overtaken by winner inside sixteenth pole but clearly next best. IKIGAI sped to the front, dueled inside runner-up on the turn and into the stretch, continued gamely inside through the drive, gave ground grudgingly nearing the wire but lasted for third. HIDING THE BRICK chased inside into and on the bend, drifted out slightly departing the bend, was three wide in the lane and just missed getting up for show. BARSABAS angled in bit nearing the turn, raced outside rival around the bend, came three wide into the lane and weakened. RICHARDS THE DREAM bumped with winner in opening strides, dropped well back in early stages and never recovered.

ENSLEYS DREAM emerged from pace to grab the early lead, set pace inside into the bend, dug in when challenged nearing top of the stretch, continued inside, dug in determinedly through the drive and stubbornly held. AGREETODISAGREE moved up to pressure the pacesetter, continued outside leader into bend, bid between rivals late on the bend, battled under strong handling through prolonged stretch duel but was denied. OUR LITTLE TIGER reserved early, was taken off the rail, stalked 3wide, moved up on the turn, loomed three abreast departing the turn, remained well off the rail, lost contact with top pair through the lane but held third. DANCING DANA stalked while bit off the rail, continued behind wall of leaders nearing the stretch, shifted out some in upper stretch and lacked needed late punch. SATURDAY HEIST checked off the heels of ENSLEY'S DREAM early, remained along the rail, dropped back into and around the bend and weakened.

UNO TROUBLE MAKER stepped to front early, carved out uncontested pace from the inside, retained clear advantage to the stretch and comfortably won under steady hand pressure. CHOLLIMA was closest pursuer into the turn, continued to track winner into the lane while slightly off the fence and proved clearly second best. YOU WANNA EAR RIP angled over shortly after the start, joined between rivals nearing the turn, remained in same path around the bend and stepped clear of others late. IT'S A RIDDLE settled inside, hugged the rail throughout and weakened in the late stages. TIZ TOFFEE chased outside, was three deep leaving the backstretch, remained three abreast around the bend and also weakened.

ORDER AND LAW was hustled to the front, briefly challenged early on backstretch, regained control and remained clear into the stretch, dug in through drive, drifted out some passing sixteenth marker, made light contact with RIP CITY in final yards and lasted. RIP CITY content to lag back early while slightly off the rail, advanced three wide around the last turn and into the stretch, reeled in leader through the drive, challenged in deep stretch outside that foe, made light contact with winner and could not get past in final strides. GREGDAR shifted out shortly after the start, tugged his way forward, briefly dueled outside winner early on the backstretch, backed off the stalked leader, later between rivals into the lane and weakened. STIRLING DRIVE reserved inside, tracked pace while saving ground, remained along the rail and also weakened. THE STEWARDS CONDUCTED AN INQUIRY INVOLVING THE INCIDENT NEARING THE WIRE AND LEFT THE ORIGINAL ORDER OF FINISH STAND RULING THAT DESPITE CONTACT MADE IN DEEP STRETCH IT DID NOT WARRANT A DISQUALIFICATION.

LEPRINO stepped to the front, dictated pace from the inside, responded when challenged on the last turn, regained command and drew off to convincingly score while taken in hand in final yards. CAMBY attended the early pace while outside winner, moved alongside leader on second turn, failed to sustain effort in upper stretch, weakened in the drive but safely held second. CAMINO DE ESTRELLA unhurried early, trailed from the inside, saved ground into and through the stretch but lacked any late response. KENZOU'S RHYTHM settled bit off the rail, chased three wide, was under asking around that bend, remained wide into the stretch, gave way readily, was eventually eased nearing the finish and walked off.

HUDSON RIDGE was forced out in opening strides, recovered and moved up outside pacesetter, moved alongside that rival on the second turn, gained advantage past quarter marker, came two wide into lane, dug in when challenged by SWORD ZORRO and edged away under right handed urging. SWORD ZORRO (IRE) was off bit slow, settled off the pace and off the rail, chased outside foe, tipped three wide into second bend, advanced rapidly around that turn and bid boldly entering the stretch, battled outside winner through the drive but was turned back. AIRMAN unhurried from along the rail, remained inside to last turn, angled out passing quarter marker and went willingly to the wire. JIMMY IRISH bobbled leaving the gate, came out and bumped HUBRIS, swerved back inward, recovered and stepped to the front, controlled pace from the inside to last turn, relinquished control and weakened from the inside. HUBRIS was fractious in the gate, bumped hard by JIMMY IRISH in opening strides, recovered and was prominent from outside leader into first turn, dropped back readily later on that bend, was eventually pulled up just past five-eighths marker and vanned off. FOLLOWING A STEWARDS INQUIRY INVOVLING THE START THERE WAS NO CHANGE.

EYES OPEN had good early foot, set pressured pace from the inside, resisted when challenged into the stretch, dug in from the inside, disposed of outside rival and powered away late under urging. ESAGERARE came in slightly shortly after the start, pulling a bit from along the rail, stalked inside into the stretch, could not match the winner but gamely held for the place. BOWL OF CHERRIES bumped with REEM leaving the gate, chased outside ESAGERARE then between foes. tipped out three wide in upper stretch, came in through the drive and was outfinished for second. REEM bumped with inside foe at the start, pressed the early pace outside winner, challenged late on the turn and entering the stretch on same path, lost contact through the drive and weakened from between foes. RUBY'S ORCHID was off bit slow, put in tight quarters along the rail shortly after the start and forced to steady sharply, chased inside, angled three wide leaving the turn and weakened.

IN VRONSKY STYLE was sent up inside to grab early control, controlled pace from along the rail, roused after entering the stretch, quickly spurted away and proved much best while kept to task to the wire. REALLY BIG NEWS was forced inward leaving the gate, stalked between rivals then three wide leaving the turn and was along for the place. CONSTANT CONFLICT with with inside rival at the start, briefly dueled then forced the early pace from between foes, lost contact with leaders around the turn, came in bit then re-rallied inside to gain third. MINISTER SHANE bumped with CONSTANT CONFLICT leaving the gate, chased from the inside, came out slightly into the stretch but lacked needed late response. HEAD FOR BUSINESS broke inward, recovered and showed early foot off the rail, stalked three wide, moved up bit on the turn but dropped back past eighth marker and weakened. PATRIOT MISSILE was also forced in at the start, chased between then inside, saved ground and never threatened. HELLO HANDSOME stalked while three deep leaving the backstretch, remained well off the rail and lacked any late rally.