Lure winner Ballagh Rocks in for claiming tag

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Bill Mott made a late decision to supplement Ballagh Rocks to the Lure Stakes on closing day of the Saratoga meet, and the audible worked out as the 7-year-old horse won the $80,000 stakes by 2 1/4 lengths at 7-1.

Ballagh Rocks figures to be a shorter price Thursday at Belmont when he runs in the featured second-level allowance on turf whose purse, at $84,000, is actually higher than that of the black-type event he won six weeks ago.

The 1 1/16-mile race also carries an optional-claiming provision, and Ballagh Rocks is available to be claimed for $62,500. No one took him in his two previous starts in this condition, where he finished second both times. On July 4 at Belmont, Ballagh Rocks lost a head bob to Tribhuvan while finishing 2 3/4 lengths clear of Conviction Trade, who won a $50,000 claiming race here Sunday.

Mott said he elected to supplement Ballagh Rocks to the Lure because “I thought he fit,” he said. “The pace scenario of the race worked out well for him.”

In the Lure, Ballagh Rocks stalked a moderate pace and won pretty handily under Junior Alvarado. Largent, second in the Lure, came back to win a restricted turf stakes Oct. 9 at Laurel Park. Devamani, third in the Lure, came back to win Sunday’s Grade 2 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park.

Ballagh Rocks, who won the Grade 3 Poker here in 2017, could get a similar stalking trip with King’s Honor or Abiding Star setting the pace.

Abiding Star, like Ballagh Rocks, is a 7-year-old who is in for the claiming price. Abiding Star, based at Delaware Park with Ned Allard, won once at the 2016 Belmont fall meet, twice at the 2017 Belmont fall meet, and took a $40,000 claiming race here in May 2019.

“He’s a horse that’s always had a tendency to want to bear out a little bit, not serious,” Allard said. “If ridden correctly, he behaves himself just fine. I think those big, sweeping turns at Belmont suit him really well. I look at that race and I think I’ve got a shot.”

Luis Saez, who won four races here last Friday and the Floral Park Stakes on Saturday, has the mount on Abiding Star.

Trainer Christophe Clement sends out the French-bred Zarkallani who is eligible for the allowance condition. In May, he finished fourth behind Half Light, a filly who has since won a Group 3 stakes in Germany and was second in a pair of Group 1s.

Zarkallani shows several works over the Belmont turf course and has the services of leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr.

King’s Honor, winner of two straight, Soulmate, Sentry, and Winning Factor complete the field on turf. Winston’s Chance, Expert, and Dark Storm are entered only for the main track.

With nine races carded for Thursday, first post is 12:50 p.m.