[Kasept]

An agonizing and frustrating Saturday at Belmont as we were inches away from all kinds of nice hits... There was success, but we didn't take advantage of opportunities like we needed to. The most glaring was the omission of Wild Gams from the Prioress. Silvestris and Capote's Crown (shockingly), were awful, while Wildcat Bettie B (Jonesy strikes again!) and Livermore Valley ran to expectation. Using 'Gams' in the tri box would have produced the $1,500 triple... Ugh.. (Results below Sunday's selections...)

There's a carryover of $63,000, which could have been monsterous had the Friday pool not been surprisingly taken down with the assorted big prices... We don't have a great feeling for this sextet as they feature too many turf races to generate a narrow P6 ticket. Here's a glance at the afternoon's affairs...

(NOTE: The featured 9th today at Churchill is the 1st Bet on Sunshine.. Bet on Sunshine was a great gelding sprinter that was murder at the Downs and finished third in the Breeders Cup Sprint twice (2000, 1997). The performance in the '00 dash at 20-1 helped us nab a $2,100 trifecta when we keyed Kona Gold over Honest Lady, 'Sunny', More Than Ready and Caller One.. the top 5 finishers and a big part of our best day ever at a racetrack... So here's a tip o' the cap to a trouper of a horse who had a great career and is certainly worthy of having a race named in his honor!)


SELECTIONS -- Belmont Park, 7/9/06 (R4-9, P6, P4, P3's, Grand Slam, DD)

4th: MSW, F&M-3+, 6f-IT

1. #10 Left Me Breathless 3-1: Gomez must navigate; red just missed in debut
2. #7 Lemon Drop Cello 5-1: Hoping for better price on new Toner acquisition
A. #6 Averinsky 12-1: Note O'Brien's ITM numbers; Danger on repeat of last
B. #11 Dowell House 7-2: Many have awaited this debut; Draw compromises

LONGSHOT ALERT: #3 PRINCESS GLACKEN 12-1: Not thrilled that Mr. Jerkens goes to Chantal here, though they click 21%, but filly is fast enough if lawn proves to her liking...


5th: ALW/N2X, F&M=3+, 1m-T

1. #7 Masseuse 2-1: Toner again; 'Rooting against' but can't 'stand against'
2. #2 Cologne 4-1: Big try last went for naught; Capable on repeat
A. #5 Quikfire 9-5: Frankel, Juddmonte, Johnny V...
B. #1 (poe) Mpenzi 15-1: Big tab on sneaky Pregman getting 'FTL'


6th: Clm, 4+, 6f

1. #9 Catch My Cat 8-1: Araya enjoying meet; Got off effort out of way last
2. #10 Breezy Way 12-1: Could be part of a good day for Chantal
A. #3 Say Cousin Lenny 3-1: Fan favorite back, now under Levine; Gamer
B. #4 High Stakes Holdem 7-2: Owner Rice returns $75k buy back for $14k


7th: Clm, 3yo, 1m-T

1. #7 Armament 3-1: Focus on grass tries and Harty red looks solid
2. #4 Wood Winner 4-1: Our Man Sciacca terrorizing Hempsted Ave.
A. #9 Smoke'n Cherokee 5-2: Prado stays on MC winner that just missed last
B. #5 Don'tleaveamarc 8-1: Using KO'B again who's hitting board with value

LONGSHOT ALERT: Have an interest in #1a Unbridled Bridel (20-1) who is making turf bow with poor grass debut sire. Colt is absolutely fast enough if Scettino is right about going green..


8th: 42nd LEXINGTON (Gr. III), $100,000, 3yo, 9f-IT

1. #4 To Sender 3-1: Frankel-Juddmonte-Kent; Was wide all way Gr. III last
2. #2 After Market 8-5: Storm Cat colt from Mott-Wygod done nothing wrong
3. #1e Hapsburg-Carnera 2-1: Darley pair will be winging it on front end


9th: NYB-ALW/N1X, 3+, 8.5f-T

1. #1 Trick Meeting 9-5: Hate chalk in 9th, but Hough is tough; Can't dawdle
2. #5 Storm N Lightning 12-1: Schosberg gelding perked up in grass return
A. #10 Gimme Credit 8-1: Respect Tim Hills and Artax son can get away soft
B. #6 Super Nationals 9-2: Can't pass bay that hasn't missed Super in 7 tries

LONGSHOT ALERT/SUPER ADD-IN: #9 Himmarshee has spotty record and Disanto struggling. But Vicar red fits with these and has near pace style that could work..


<$100 P6:

4: 6-7-10-11
5: 2-5-7
6: 9-10
7: 7
8: 4
9: 1-10

4x3x2x1x1x2 = 48 x $2 = $96


$5 Grand Slam:

5: 2-7
6: 9
7: 7
8: 2-4

2x1x1x2 = 4 x $5 = $20


$1 P4:

6: 9-10
7: 4-7
8: 2-4
9: 1-5-6-10

2x2x2x4 = $32


RESULTS -- BELMONT, 7/8 (R5-9):

5th: 7 firsters and a consistent quitter in likely fave Endless Virtue, and the quitter got it done by 3 over top choice Mrs. Anna B for the $30 exacta...

1. #1 Mrs. Anna B 7-2: 2nd @ 4-1
2. #9 April Storm 4-1: 6th @ 5-2
A. #5 Morning Jewel 12-1: 5th @ 12-1
B. #6 Endless Virtue 5-2: WINS @ 2-1


6th: Wanted to throw up when I discovered My Apology was a scratch, as winner Dixie Baghdad was next on the list! Strikeup and Longshot Alert Continental come 2nd/3rd for a $128 tri...

1. #5 My Apology 3-1: SCR
2. #8 Strikeuptheblues 5-2: 2nd @ 1-1
A. #1 Almaviva 6-1: 7th @ 5-1
B. #4 General Congress 10-1: 6th @ 19-1

LONGSHOT ALERT: #3 Quite Continental (15-1) makes 16th start and showed signs of life off long break last out in Philly. Krebs hits 22% 2nd of layoffs: 3rd @ 24-1


7th: This was another fist-biter as wiseguy trainer Alan Goldberg puts Winzalot over at 11-1.

1. #3 Kal El 5-1: 2nd @ 9-2
2. #2 Mach Three 6-1: 3rd @ 8-1
A. #1 Kingoftheknight 4-1: 6th @ 5-2
B. #6 Thought Leader 5-2: 9th @ 2-1

LONGSHOT ALERT: Dizney-bred/owned #7 American Revolution from Mott is overlaid like crazy at 12-1... Has drilled 26f stoutly since 5/20 comebacker, and isn't far off top tabs at top of game... Use: 5th @ 11-1


8th: Good run by price 'Azul', but leaving Oz (3rd) out costs the tri...

1. #2 Cool Spring Saint 3-1: 2nd @ 3-2
2. #6 Moon's Halo 9-2: WINS @ 5-1
A. #9 Strummer 15-1: 8th @ 17-1
B. #8 Azul Da Guanabara 8-1: 4th @ 13-1


9th: PRIORESS BREEDERS CUP (Gr. I): Subbing Wild Gams for Silvestris the difference between blah day and hayday...

1. #5 Capote's Crown 3-1: 7th @ 2-1
2. #8 Livermore Valley 10-1: 3rd @ 21-1 (STILL never off board career..)
A. #1 Silvestris 6-1: 8th @ 16-1
B. #4 Wildcat Bettie B 5-1: WINS @ 11-2 (Larry Jones is a hot ticket folks..)


10th: The third head-shaker of the day. I'd been warned that Silver Timber was turf eligible, and not including him was a fatal error as he wins impressively for Mig and Rice at 18-1... We run 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th with the obvious Bagavond, Cozadoro courageous on the front end at 18-1, and Longshot Alert player Prince Billy missing the Super by a nose and a half at 50-1... You see why this was an agonizing day...?

1. #3 Cozadoro 15-1: 3rd @ 18-1
2. #4 Bagavond 8-5: 2nd @ 1-1
A. #7 One Day Soon 15-1: 5th @ 21-1
B. #5 Sigh You 10-1: 10th @ 16-1

LONGSHOT ALERT/SUPER ADD-IN: #6 Prince Billy (20-1) would be a helpful addition to the bottom of exotics: 6th @ 50-1