Belmont Report Continued

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Bowl of Colstar
The horses had just crossed the wire in the Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap, and trainer Bill Mott sat alone in his box, stunned at what had just happened. After a few seconds, he let out a deep breath and headed down to the track.

Mott had just watched his 5-year-old mare Snow Polina get nipped right on the wire after blowing a 4 1/2-length at the eighth pole under Jerry Bailey. If ever a horse looked home free it was the Beverly D (gr. IT) winner. The perpetrator of this highway robbery was Beverly Steinman's Colstar, who came charging out of nowhere under Jean-Luc Samyn to snatch victory from the 3-2 second choice. It was another 8 1/4 lengths back to Pico Teneriffe, who had a head on the 4-5 favorite Happyanunoit.

"That filly came like a rocket," Mott said after watching the replay. "At the three-sixteenths pole, I was pretty sure we had it. At the sixteenth pole, I wasn't so sure."

Colstar, last turning for home in the five-horse field, unleashed a tremendous run with a final quarter in under :23 to win by a head, covering the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.78 over the inner turf course.

Colstar's trainer, Paul Fout, like most steeplechase trainers, is a realist, and he's not anxious to tempt fate again by trying to convince the owner to supplement to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT).

"My nerves won't take it," Fout said. "And Mr. Stronach's filly (Perfect Sting) is a runnin' sonofagun. Anyway, I first have to get over this before I start thinking about other races."

Colstar, sent off at 7-1, certainly had the credentials to post an upset. After winning four races in a row under Alberto Delgado, including graded stakes at Laurel, Pimlico, and Churchill Downs, the daughter of Opening Verse was fifth in the New York Handicap (gr. IIT), then fourth in the Diana Handicap (gr. IIT), beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Perfect Sting.

"Let's just say we got out-piloted in the Diana," Fout said. "But I really thought she had a shot in here, because the top choices were all stalkers, and she has the right style for that kind of race."

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