Four times a runner-up in stakes races this season, including a second-place finish to Palace in the Forego (gr. I), Big Business will try to secure the first stakes win of his career in the Hudson Handicap for New York-bred sprinters Oct. 18 at Belmont Park.
The $150,000 Hudson, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint, has attracted 11 entrants, which is the last of eight stakes races for New York-breds on Saturday's Empire Showcase Day card.
Gary Barber's Big Business will try to bounce back from a third-place finish as the 4-5 favorite in a one-mile allowance race for state-breds Sept. 20 at Belmont. Before that effort, the David Jacobson trainee finished 3 1/2 lengths behind Palace in the Forego and second against other New York-breds in the John Morrissey Stakes won by Hudson entrant Weekend Hideaway.
A 6-year-old Eddington gelding, Big Business also finished second in two other restricted stakes this year, the Commentator Handicap at Belmont and Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
Red and Black Stable's Weekend Hideaway will be making his first start since finishing sixth in the Forego. That effort followed his two-length score in the John Morrisey, which marked the fourth career stakes win for the 4-year-old son of Speightstown .
Captain Serious will be facing older horses in a stakes race for the first time. Earlier this year, Barry Schwartz's Captain Serious capped a three-race win streak to start his career with a clear victory in the Mike Lee Stakes against other New York-bred 3-year-olds at Belmont.
After that effort the Successful Appeal gelding placed in a pair of graded stakes for 3-year-olds, finishing second in the Dwyer Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont and third in the Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Also Saturday, New York-bred filly and mare sprinters will try their luck in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes, where grade II winner La Verdad will try to halt a three-race losing streak. Lady Sheila Stable's La Verdad enters off a runner-up finish by a head to Artemis Agrotera in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) Sept. 20 at Belmont.
A 4-year-old daughter of Yes It's True, La Verdad will try to nail down her fifth stakes win this season.
Among the eight expected to face La Verdad in Saturday's 6 1/2-furlog sprint is James Iselin, Charlotte Assoulin, and Eli Gindi's Willet, who enters off a close third-place finish in the Gallant Bloom. She was also third in the Ballerina (gr. I) at Saratoga in her race prior to the Gallant Bloom.
Belmont Park, Saturday, October 18, 2014, Race 10Entries: Hudson H.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Chapman (NY) Manuel Franco 113 Chris J. Englehart - 2 2West Hills Giant (NY) Edgar S. Prado 120 John P. Terranova, II - 3 3Noble Cornerstone (NY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 115 Thomas Morley - 4 4Weekend Hideaway (NY) Jose Lezcano 121 Philip M. Serpe - 5 5Big Business (NY) Cornelio H. Velasquez 122 David Jacobson - 6 6Sandy'z Slew (NY) Junior Alvarado 116 Richard E. Schosberg - 7 7Moonlight Song (NY) Joel Rosario 117 Charlton Baker - 8 8John's Island (NY) Angel S. Arroyo 113 James A. Jerkens - 9 9Laila's Jazz (NY) Luis Saez 114 Chris J. Englehart - 10 10Captain Serious (NY) Jose L. Ortiz 115 Michael E. Hushion - 11 11Crafty Dreamer (NY) Dylan Davis 115 James H. Iselin -
Belmont Park, Saturday, October 18, 2014, Race 5Entries: Iroquois S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Capella Dancer (NY) Daniel P. Vergara 124 Michael S. Ferraro - 2 2Make the Moment (NY) Manuel Franco 119 Charlton Baker - 3 3Kimmies Lucky Star (NY) Israel O. Rodriguez 117 Phillip Scott - 4 4Willet (NY) Joel Rosario 119 James H. Iselin - 5 5Irish Whisper (NY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 117 Jeremiah C. Englehart - 6 6Risky Rachel (NY) Cornelio H. Velasquez 121 George Weaver - 7 7Cape Cod Carol (NY) John R. Velazquez 119 James T. Ryerson - 8 8La Verdad (NY) Jose L. Ortiz 121 Linda Rice - 9 9Champagne Ruby (NY) Taylor B. Rice 122 Linda Rice -
