Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Disco Partner back where he excels in Turf Sprint
ELMONT, N.Y. – Back on his preferred course and probably his best distance, Disco Partner looks to get back to the winner’s circle when he heads a field of five in Saturday’s $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational going six furlongs over the inner turf course.
The last time Disco Partner ran six furlongs at Belmont it was on the outer turf course where he set a North American record of 1:05.67 for six furlongs in the Grade 3 Jaipur on Belmont Stakes Day. From there, he successfully stretched out to a mile in the Forbidden Apple, his sixth win from 10 starts at Belmont.
Trainer Christophe Clement stretched him out around two turns in the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga, where he finished fourth, beaten 8 3/4 lengths by World Approval. Clement felt it was the yielding turf course – it rained heavily in the middle of the card – that compromised his horse more than the two-turn configuration of the race.
“After an eighth of a mile you could tell he hated the soft turf,” Clement said. “I think firm is good for him.”
Very little rain has fallen at this meet, and the turf course should be firm Saturday. Disco Partner likely will have to run down a potential loose-on-thel-ead runner in Bold Thunder, though that horse has done his best work at five furlongs.
The horse to fear is We Deer You, who comes in off a solid victory in the Lucky Coin Stakes on Sept. 1 at Saratoga. We Deer You rallied from last in the Lucky Coin and won by 1 3/4 lengths, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
“It did take him a little while for him to learn how to do it,” trainer Michael Trombetta said. “He broke his maiden early on, then went off the tracks a little, but he’s rounded nicely back into form.”
Asked about taking on a horse like Disco Partner, Trombetta said, “You can only avoid them for so long. It comes a time to take them on. He’s a special horse for sure, we’ll give it our best shot.”
Snowday and Ready for Rye complete the field.
The Belmont Turf Sprint will go as race 3 on the 11-race program.
Zhukova back for Flower Bowl
Zhukova, who came to the United States from Ireland in May to dominate the boys in the Grade 1 Man o’ War, will now take on females in Sunday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park.
Zhukova drew post 4 in a field of six entered for the 1 1/4-mile Flower Bowl, which awards the winner a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.
Zhukova relished a yielding turf course when she won the Man o’ War here in May. She may not get that type of ground Sunday.
“She’s at her best on the softer ground,” said Caroline Cashman, who traveled with Zhukova for trainer Dermot Weld. “We’d like a drop of rain. We wouldn’t like it too firm.”
Zhukova was here in time to run in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic last week, but was not entered. It rained early on the card, making that turf course a little bit on the softer side. Cashman said the Joe Hirsch may not have been a good idea for Zhukova because she needed more time to acclimate.
“She was better off giving her the week to settle in and get into a routine,” Cashman said. “She’s a very routine-type horse.”
Trainer Chad Brown will have the two favorites in the Flower Bowl in Dacita and Grand Jete, who finished 1-2 in the Grade 1 Beverly D. on Aug. 12 at Arlington.
Beauly, War Flag, and Guilty Twelve complete the field.
Field of 10 in Frizette
Separation of powers, the beaten 3-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Spinaway, will look to bounce back in Sunday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.
Separation of powers was a sharp debut winner at Saratoga but then got hooked up in a vicious speed duel with Pure Silver in the Spinaway, costing both horses a chance at victory. The Spinaway was won by Lady Ivanka, who is training up to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Separation of powers drew post 4 in the field of 10 that includes Spinaway runner-up Maya Malibu and solid maiden winners Caledonia Road, Critique, and Purrfect Miss.
Others entered include Drama Run, Go, Strategic Dreams, Wall of Compassion, and the firsttime starter Teen Angel.
The Frizette, a one-turn mile, offers a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.