(from Belmont Park report)
Zayat Stable’s favored Marcavelly, who broke his maiden at first asking on Belmont Park’s Widener Turf Course last summer, returned to the course Friday to win the $107,700 Hill Prince (gr. IIIT) {VIDEO} for 3-year-olds at a mile by 1 1/4 lengths over second choice Distorted Reality.
Florida invader Storm In May set the pace on the firm course, pressed inside by Distorted Reality through splits of :24.51 and :47.52. Distorted Reality then took the lead into the stretch. Jockey Edgar Prado who had saved ground with Marcavelly, then swung wide into the lane and powered on to win in 1:33.45.
A son of Johannesburg, Marcavelly returned $4.10, $2.20 and $2.20.
“We were a little concerned with the lack of early pace on paper,” said trainer Bill Mott after Marcavelly posted his fourth win from seven starts. “Some pace developed up in front of him. He relaxed well and he comes with a nice kick. He was much quieter today.
Marcavelly is now unbeaten in two Belmont starts.
"He’s obviously quite good at a mile and a mile and a sixteenth," Mott said. "We don’t know what distance limitations, if any, he has at this point.”
The colt rebounded from a fourth-place finish in the Crown Royal American Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs a month ago.
“He broke a little slow, but I was able to get a good spot,” Prado said. “The last time, he was a little rank and didn’t finish the way he was supposed to. Today, he sat beautifully right behind the speed. When he found a clear spot, he just took off.”
Distorted Reality, ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Todd Pletcher, returned $2.50 and $2.20 while finishing nearly five lengths in front of Irish-bred Codeword ($3.10), guided by Javier Castellano. Reptilian Smarts and Storm in May trailed.
Believeinmenow was scratched as a main-track only candidate, while Royal War Acedemy was scratched by trainer Jamie Sanders.
(Chart, Equibase)
