Race of the Day, June 6

Belmont Park, Elmont, NY

Belmont Gold Cup, 2 miles, Turf, 4 and up, 200k

It’s not every day that you see a 2-mile race here in the States.  None of the participants have raced at this epic distance before, but several are bred for it.  The M/L favorite is Twilight Eclipse (#11, 9/5) who has been racing exclusively in top level events.  He has some nice efforts in some long routes, but nothing approaching this distance.  He’s the class of the field and rates well.  Second choice is Charming Kitten (#3, 4-1), who starts for the Ramseys and Pletcher.   Classwise, he’s a notch below Twilight Eclipse.

Sky Blazer (#3, 8-1) brings a solid closing style and a likely liking for the added distance.  His biggest knock is his unimpressive 5 for 26 record.  But he seems in career form and rates a great chance.  Draw Two (#8, 6-1) has found himself under Motion and seems to relish going long.  Spy in the Sky (#5, 30-1) moves over from jumps and certainly has the stamina to do well here.

Questions

1.  Who will like the added distance?  It’s new for everybody.

2.  Does Twilight Eclipse’s class advantage trump the others?  He’s been facing tough horses consistently.

3.  Does Sky Blazer maintain his career form?  With another improvement, he should find the Winner’s Circle.

4.  Does Draw Two continue to move forward under Motion?

Analysis

Twilight Eclipse certainly stands out on page, but would need to be at least 5-2 to provide any value for the risk.  Draw Two and Sky Blazer rank well for the top spot, but need to be at least 6-1 to consider.

The Skinny:  (1) Sky Blazer (2) Draw Two (3) Twilight Eclipse (4) Spy in the Sky