BELMONT Guildsman needs better start

ELMONT, N.Y. – Guildsman knows how to finish a race. He just needs to get a better handle on how to start one.

Hampered by slow breaks in his first two starts in the United States, Guildsman will need a better beginning to be there at the end of Friday’s $80,000 Sir Cat Stakes at Belmont Park. The Sir Cat, run at six furlongs on the inner turf for 3-year-olds, will match the top three finishers from a May 17 allowance at Churchill where Guildsman finished third behind Chimney Rock and Jack and Noah.

Trainer Brendan Walsh said Guildsman is gradually getting better at the gate, but “it’s something we can’t force or we’ll go back to having trouble.”

In the five-furlong Texas Glitter Stakes on March 21 at

Gulfstream, Guildsman broke last of eight, made a strong move around the far turn, and rallied widest of all when finishing third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Cajun Casanova and R Man Joe. Going 5 1/2 furlongs at Churchill on May 17, Guildsman was again away slowly, appeared to toss his head up while on the inside around the turn, and finished third behind Chimney Rock, who wore down a stubborn pace-setting Jack and Noah.

“He broke better last time,” Walsh said. “He got pinched more than anything. I think this time he should break well. Three-quarters is going to suit him better. He’s got a little to make up on [Chimney Rock and Jack and Noah]. Hopefully with the distance and a little bit better luck in running early on, he should be a little better.”

Guildsman, who will break from post 4 under Luis Saez, gets six pounds from Chimney Rock and Jack and Noah in the Sir Cat.

Jack and Noah won his career debut going six furlongs here last September. He also won the Atlantic Beach Stakes going that distance at Aqueduct in November. After a failed attempt going a mile in January, Jack and Noah set the pace before getting run down by Chimney Rock in his most recent out. Jack and Noah raced inside of Chimney Rock in that race, and trainer Mark Casse thinks that might have made the difference.

“He wants to do one thing and that’s go as fast as he can for as long as he can,” Casse said. “I was proud of him in his last race at Churchill. He fought back; he tried really hard. There was some give in the ground. I find at Churchill there is a bit of an outside bias when you get some rain. Had you switched the two horses around, it may have made us a winner. I think they’re going to have to run us down.”

John Velazquez will ride Jack and Noah.

Casse also will run Old Chestnut, who Casse figures will be rallying from well off the pace under Junior Alvarado.

Chimney Rock, trained by Mike Maker, finished second in three turf sprint stakes last year, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint to Four Wheel Drive. He earned a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure in his May 17 allowance win at Churchill.

The competitive field includes Maxwell Esquire, Turned Aside, and So Street for the turf. Mr. Shortandsimple would run if the race is moved to the dirt.