Trainer Christophe Clement will be well represented with two starters in the $150,000 Fort Marcy Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the turf at Belmont Park May 4, including 2-1 morning line favorite Speaking of Which.
The Fort Marcy is the seventh race with a 4:13 p.m. EDT scheduled post. It is one of two graded turf stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the Belmont card for Kentucky Derby day, along with the Beaugay (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares. Clement also entered a pair in the Beaugay, Naples Bay and Ruthenia.
Six are entered in the Fort Marcy, with Speaking of Which the lone group or graded stakes winner in the field.
Previously trained by Dermot Weld, Irish-bred Speaking of Which was a group III winner in his native land before crossing the Atlantic last fall to run in two West Coast stakes.
The 4-year-old Invincible Spirit colt finished second as the favorite in the Twilight Derby (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park and then was last of 14 with a much-troubled trip in the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) Nov. 25.
This is the first start back for Speaking of Which, who spent the winter at Payson Park, where he most recently breezed five furlongs in 1:01 April 24. He drew the rail and will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez.
"We got him in late November, early December, and he's definitely an exciting horse," said Clement of the Moyglare Stud Farm product. "He might want to go a bit further."
Clement's other starter is Aliyu Ben J Stables' Lubash, a 6-year-old New York-bred son of Freud . Lubash is 3-3-1 from 11 starts at Belmont and enters the Fort Marcy off a second to Street Game in the Dave overnight stakes April 14 after a five-month layoff. Junior Alvarado draws the riding assignment on Lubash, who is listed at 9-2 on the morning line.
Trainer Chad Brown will send out Real Solution in the Fort Marcy, the second choice at 3-1 for owners/breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Real Solution began his career in Italy, where he won his first three starts, and will be making his first United States appearance. Rajiv Maragh is aboard the Pennsylvania-bred 4-year-old son of Kitten's Joy , who will race with Lasix for the first time.
Goldmark Farm's Bombaguia, runner-up in the Bowling Green Stakes (gr. IIT) on the inner turf course at Belmont last September, is pegged at 4-1 on the morning line for trainer John Kimmel. The 5-year-old Borrego gelding opened the year with a runner-up finish in a one-mile allowance/optional claiming race on the turf at Gulfstream Park March 30.
King Kreesa (5-1) looks to improve off his third-place effort at 33-1 in the one-mile Appleton Stakes (gr. IIIT) also March 30 at Gulfstream. Jeremiah Englehart trains the 4-year-old New York-bred King Cugat gelding for Gerald Kresa.
$150,000 Fort Marcy Stakes (gr. IIIT), Race 7, 4:13 p.m. EDT), 3 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Speaking of Which (IRE), C H Velasquez, 118, C Clement, 2/1
2. Real Solution (PA), R Maragh, 118, C C Brown, 3/1
3. Lubash (NY), J Alvarado, 118, C Clement, 7/2
4. King Kreesa (NY), I Ortiz Jr., 118, J C Englehart, 5/1
5. Bombaguia (KY), J L Ortiz, 118, J C Kimmel, 4/1
6. Abilio (NY), A O Solis, 118, T Albertrani, 15/1