BELMONT

SIXTH RACE

AMERICAN POWER ran well in his first two starts sprinting, including debut win in his lone start for a tag; turns back and drops in class after failing to get to heavily-favored Hyndford going long last time. MR. PETE was a solid 2yo who managed to hold his own in stakes company right along after breaking his maiden in his second career starts over this track and trip; looking to round into form after getting dusted in a fast race (86 Beyers for the deadheat winners) at Monmouth last month. ROGUE PATRIOT has had more chances than the others, but he fits on figures as he makes his NY debut; likely best used underneath with his 10 2nd/3rd finishes to go along with just one win, and he has settled for 2nd in both starts for this trainer.

SEVENTH RACE

BYSELF made a nice debut late last year for debut ace Rick Violette as she did some chasing after an odds-on favorite in that spot, before dueling that rival down in the stretch while leaving the rest of that field behind; returns to face a field that has yet to reach her level (80 Beyer for that debut win) after 91 combined starts. MY ROXY GIRL has settled for second-best in seven of her 15 career starts, but she keeps showing up and running her race at this level; good spot to pick up her fourth career win if the top one needs a race off the bench. RACHEL’S BLUE MOON won her debut on turf with a late run, but she has more of a dirt pedigree and deserves another chance on this surface after making her lone main track start off the layoff; blinkers on.

EIGHTH RACE

MIGHT BE did her best to no avail behind a couple of better NY-breds in the Critical Eye last month and earned her third career 80+ Beyer in the process; improved filly in tough for this field to handle if running another one like that. SEEKING THE BLUE a lightly-raced 3yo with some pedigree for a top trainer, and she can improve second off the layoff after getting outrun in her first start back; switched to dirt to easily defeat maidens in her second start last year. CARTWHEEL improving from start to start for a good trainer and she improved with added distance to easily break her maiden when last seen; needs to improve again if the top one shows up.

NINTH RACE

ZECHA appeared to be a filly who could benefit from some racing while going greenly early on, and while that hasn’t necessarily been the case, she does get blinkers for the first time in this spot, and she benefits from this class drop and cut back in distance. COPPERLINE getting off to a late start debuting halfway through her 4yo year, but doing so with some pedigree as the first foal from this dam, who is a sister to a Grade 1-winning turf sprinter in Canada, and from the family of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Singletary; trainer having a good year in NY. ANDRETTA has hit the board in three of her four starts so far, all of them over turf as a 3yo; makes her 4yo debut on the drop.