BELMONT Home game for Big Handsome

ELMONT, N.Y. – The allure of big money had trainer Tony Dutrow strongly considering shipping Big Handsome to Kentucky Downs for next Thursday’s $250,000 FranklinSimpson Stakes. In the end, the comforts of home led Dutrow to keep Big Handsome at Belmont Park for Sunday’s $100,000 Allied Forces.

“It’s so much easier to run him right here,” Dutrow said Thursday. “There’s way too much at Kentucky Downs that I don’t have experience with and are question marks to me. Ultimately, Belmont has everything. It’s just that Kentucky Downs had a little more money. But I’m not letting money get in the way of this decision.”

Big Handsome is 2 for 3 at Belmont, with a dominant allowance win at the Allied Forces distance of six furlongs, a victory in the Paradise Creek Stakes going seven furlongs, and a neck loss to Bricks and Mortar going a mile in the Manila Stakes.

At Saratoga, Big Handsome attempted two turns in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame and ran a creditable third, beaten threequarters of a length by Bricks and Mortar.

“He did fantastic at Saratoga, and he does fantastic at Belmont Park,” Dutrow said. “I think he’s at the top of his generation in one-turn turf races. I do not think he’s at the top of his generation at twoturn turf races.”

White Flag, a son of War Front, went 2 for 4 at Belmont during the spring-summer meet and was freshened by trainer Christophe Clement with this race in mind. Fact Finding won his first three starts before finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 11. He has not run since then, and this will be his first start on turf.

Proforma, another stakes winner on dirt, will try turf for the first time.

KEY CONTENDERS

Big Handsome, by Street Boss Last 3 Beyers: 83-89-98

◗ He is 3 for 3 in turf sprints, including two wins at Belmont.

◗ Big Handsome has the speed to be on the lead but also has shown the ability to sit off another horse when needed. He will break from post 7 under Javier Castellano, with the speedy Hardened breaking from the rail and Jewel Heist from the outside in the eight-horse field.

“He’s easy to ride,” Dutrow said. “Javier will have him where he wants.”

White Flag, by War Front Last 3 Beyers: 93-87-80

◗ After five races in 72 days, including wins in his last two starts, he was given most of the summer off to point for a fall campaign, Clement said.

◗ Master Merion and Let’s Get Loud, who finished second and third behind him in a six-furlong maiden race here June 14, both came back to win their next two starts.

◗ Likely will be running at Big Handsome late.

Fact Finding, by The Factor Last 3 Beyers: 82-92-76

◗ Undefeated around one turn on dirt but makes his turf debut off a seven-month layoff. Trainer Todd Pletcher said Fact Finding got in some breezes on the turf at Stonestreet Farm, and the reports from farm trainer Ian Brennan were positive.

“Ian Brennan said he worked well on the turf at Stonestreet, and we felt like this is a place to get him started,” Pletcher said.