Could Fans Have Seen Best 3-Year-Old?

Fans came to Belmont Park Saturday to see who is the best 3-year-old in the land. They might have seen him, and his name is Lost in the Fog.

Facing better horses than he has in his other races and pressed a bit more, he responded gamely, winning the $170,000 Riva Ridge Breeders' Cup (gr. II) over Egg Head.

For the first time in his career, Lost in the Fog was ridden by someone other than Russell Baze, who Wednesday broke his collarbone. He was replaced by Edgar Prado and remained unbeaten in seven starts while sent off as the 2-5 favorite in the eight-horse field.

"When we were in the stretch, I hit him once and then again and he hit another gear," Prado said. "I wasn't worried about (Egg Head). He's got so much natural speed that I didn't want to push him too hard in the early going. But this colt is so good, that when I asked him for a little speed, he took off."

By Lost Soldier out of the Dr. Carter mare Cloud Break, Lost in the Fog races for Harry Aleo. He was bred in Florida by Susan Seper.

Lost in the Fog had been crushing his competition, winning his first six starts by a combined 45 lengths. He actually felt the whip a few times in the Riva Ridge before taking care of business to get his seventh victory by 1 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Greg Gilchrist, Lost in the Fog has won those seven races at five different tracks.

"I think this was his toughest race," Gilchrist said. "I could tell by the way he came back that he was tired.

"You knew that when we drew the 2-hole, we were going to get challenged two or three times in this race. It takes a pretty good horse to fend off half the field when they are laying back waiting for you and taking turns at you. They softened him up a little bit, but believe me, their tongues were hanging out trying to catch him."

The victory was his second in a grade II race (after winning the Swale at Gulfstream Park March 5) and increased his career earnings to $507,075. Saturday's victory was worth $90,000.

Gilchrist said the King's Bishop (gr. I) for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course on the Travers card Aug. 27 is the next goal for Lost in the Fog.

"As good a job as Edgar (Prado) did, I still wish Russell could have ridden this horse," he added. "That is taking nothing away from Edgar, I thought he did a great job."

Lost in the Fog ran the quarter in :22.22, the half in :44.45, six furlongs in 1:08.73, and finished the seven furlongs in 1:21.54.

Egg Head, coming off a big race at Delaware Park in the Fran LaBelle Memorial and the winner of his last three, all easily, was second under Richard Migliore, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Middle Earth and Gary Stevens in third.

"My hat is off to the winner," Migliore said. "I thought I had him coming to the three-sixteenths pole but the other horse dug in."

Lost in the Fog paid $2.80, $2.40, and $2.10 and Egg Head returned $3.30 and $2.50. Middle Earth was worth $3.30 to show.

Survivalist, Proud Accolade, Going Wild, War Plan and Tani Maru followed.

(Chart, Equibase)

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