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Horse Racing News and Commentary |
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Met Mile full of stars on Memorial Day |
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Written by Gohorsepower.com
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Monday, 28 May 2007 |
 Corinthian, Lawyer Ron, Latent Heat, Silver Wagon, and Silent Name, are just a few in a field of 10 who stand a chance to win the Grade 1 $600,000 Metroploitan Mile Handicap at Belmont Park this Memorial Day.
From the rail:
Lawyer Ron is coming off a four-length win the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap (1 1/8 mile). Edgar Prado pilots the four-year-old Todd Pletcher trainee for the second straight time. With lots of speed on the front, Lawyer Ron could end up cruising in mid-pack.
Half Ours will be ridden by John Velazquez for Todd Pletcher.The gray son of Unbridled's Song took his only career loss in his previous race, the Grade 3 Alysheba, where he couldn't beat the leader over 1 1/16 miles of sealed slop. Half Ours should be up front early.
Mr. Umphrey has never raced a route distance in 11 starts, and looks like a pace-setter to set-up Dick Dutrow's other entry, Silver Wagon.
Sun King missed a win in this race by a head last year. He finished third last time out, also at a mile, but was bounced around and placed second by disqualification. It's also notable that he finished second to Invasor by only a nose in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga last year. The Nick Zito trainee will have Eibar Coa up.
Silver Wagon has won his last two starts at 7 furlongs for trainer Dick Dutrow. The six-year-old gray has yet to make a win in three tries at a mile at Belmont. Javier Castellano will ride.
Account For The Gold is a front-runner who has set the pace in his last five outtings. The Gary Contessa charge will have regular rider Michael Luzzi up, and wired it as the favorite last time in a $65,000 Aqueduct stakes at 1 1/8 miles.
Latent Heat set a quick pace in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap last time out, but faded to finish fourth. His last four races have been just one furlong under the Met's mile, winning a $75,000 3X-N mile before that. Rafael Bejarano will ride Latent Heat, trained by Bobby Frankel.
Political Force was placed from second to third by DQ in the Grade 3 Westchester in his prior race. The Allen Jerkins trainee has Cornelio Velazquez up, and could be close to pace.
Corinthian made an impressive return to the tracks this year when he defeated Jazil by 9 1/2 lengths in his four-year-old debut. He next won the Gulfstream Park Handicap by a neck, but broke in the air of the Excelsior BC Handicap next time out, finishing fifth. Corinthian is not the best-behaved horse, and the bad break wasn't a big surpirse. Kent Desormeaux picks up the mount for trainer James Jerkins.
Silent name races for Gary Mandella, with Corey Nakatani in the irons. The five-year-old son of Sunday Silence won the 7-furlong Grade 2 Commonwealth Breeders Cup Handicap by four lengths on April 14. He started the year with a third in a very close finish in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile over Santa Anita's turf.
The Metropolitan Mile is Race 8 at 4:43 PM Eastern TIme.
Belmont Park
Past Performances
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