The BEL Sprint Championship – GII
                       BEL Race 2 7F – Dirt
                           Purse $350.000
                    Three Year Olds and Up

A group of twelve will contest the BEL Sprint Championship and try and earn a free berth into the Breeders Cup Sprint field. It’s a very good field and a number of them can win it if everything falls into place for them. Let’s take a look at the twelve runners and pick a winner hopefully.

1. Rothstein (9-2-4-1 $203.200), trained by John Henry

This three year old is coming off a stakes win last out at PIM in the Lang Stakes which he won on a sloppy track by a neck that day. This is a big step up in class from that race but I definitely think he can have a chance if he runs a big race because he seems to be moving in the right direction.

2. Red Matic (17-4-1-3 $500.100), trained by Witeout Stables

Here is a horse who is very out of form at the moment. He hasn’t won a race since last August when he won a grade one at SAR. He hasn’t even hit the board since last September and I think he needs either a break or a confidence booster. He is out of form and I don’t think he had much of a chance.

3. Vino Bambino (12-3-4-1 $204.040), trained by Chili King Stables

Here’s a horse who won his first stakes race back in February but hasn’t been able to translate that form to any graded stakes he has participated in. He did run third in the Carter Handicap by a head but other than that he hasn’t ran too great in graded stakes. He is overmatched in here I think.

4. Silver Dancer (44-10-5-9 $1716.180), trained by Night Rider Stables

The old class horse in the field he will be making his forty fifth career start when he lines up in the gate in here. He won the Metropolitan Handicap last year so we know he is a very classy horse and can win a big race if he runs his best. I don’t think seven furlongs is his very best distance though.

5. Psychotic Ruler (10-3-0-2 $281.200), trained by D J C Racing Stables

The three year old entry from the wizard D J C Racing Stables has yet to find the winners circle since his third career start. He won the Sanford last July at SAR but since then he has been winless and has actually only hit the board two times since then. Going to have to see a big turn around to win.

6. Diplomatic Moon (7-3-1-0 $125.240), trained by Gdp Inc

This New York bred son of Diplomatic Immunity is coming off a statebred stakes win right here at BEL. That was a three year old only statebred stakes race and he had been claimed and then sold since his race before that. He is going to have to take a big step up to have any chance in here.

7. Light At The End (14-2-3-3 $92.090), trained by TwinTowers Racing

This gray four year old gelding is coming off of a nice win at WO. He ran very fast that day stopping the clock in one oh eight and four. He does seem like he is improving with every race but I’m not sure he is quite this good at all. He will have to run a huge race to win in this little spot.

8. Give Your All (25-11-3-4 $1,364.160), trained by Mb Stables

This horse lives up to his name pretty well because most of the time he does give is all for his trainer Mb Stables. Most of the time when he runs his best races he comes from way behind so a fast pace will definitely benefit him a lot. He will come rolling late if there is a very fast pace up front.

9. Caydens Camel (10-4-1-3 $288.000), trained by D J C Racing Stables

The second entry from the wizard D J C Racing Stables is a three year old son of his old stallion Niagra. He was on the derby trail for a little bit but then the wizard decided to sprint him and so far it has paid off with a first and a second. Maybe running one turn is his game and he will run a big one.

10. Moon Landing (37-9-9-7 $2,949.230), trained by Mb Stables

Last years Breeders Cup Sprint winner is coming into the race off of eleven top three finishes in a row. His only win in that stretch was the biggest of them all which was the Breeders Cup Sprint last November. He shows up every single time and I’m sure he will run another big one and is my top pick.

11. Residue (9-3-2-2 $249.120), trained by Smokey Stover

This three year old Charley Farley colt is the only entry in the race from the barn of Smokey Stover but I think he might have an outside chance to win it. He is definitely going to have to run the race of his life but he has a lot better chance than a couple of the others in this race for sure.

12. Liverpool Rocket (13-3-2-2 $527.440), trained by Estero Farms

Here is a horse who adds a little more depth to the field since he is a grade one winner and ran in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness this year. He has made a name for himself going long so far but I also think that the cut back in distance might help it him too. A wildcard horse for me in here.

Summary

A very good field is lining up in here as they will all try to get into the Breeders Cup Sprint later this year. I am going to have to go with Moon Landing simply because he is the old class horse and he shows up to run almost every single time. Give Your All and Silver Dancer are the next two best horses.

10-8-4-12

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES