(from Belmont Park report)
Hilly Fields Stable's Rousing Victory, an improving colt since trainer Phil Serpe added blinkers this summer, will take a crack at the $100,000-added Lawrence Realization Handicap (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds Saturday on the Belmont Park turf.The Victory Gallop colt is coming off a 5 ΒΌ-length defeat to Artie Schiller in the Jamaica Handicap (gr. IIT) Sept. 26. Artie Schiller did Rousing Victory and everyone else in the Realization field a favor by sitting this one out."We put blinkers on him at Saratoga and he was pretty impressive breaking his maiden," trainer Phil Serpe said. "We always thought he had talent."I though he ran well in the Jamaica," Serpe said. "It looked like a good opportunity with the short field. He seemed to be able to do some good in there."Jockey Cornelio Velasquez, enjoying a banner Belmont fall meet, has the mount on Rousing Victory in the 1 1/2-mile Lawrence Realization.
Serpe will also send out another son of 1998 Belmont winner Victory Gallop in the Lawrence Realization. Flying Zee Stable's Victory Circle is still seeking his first grass win. His only victory, on dirt, was on April 7 when he broke his maiden by a head as the 3-5 favorite."He was up a little too close to the pace last time," Serpe said of a Sept. 4 Saratoga allowance try in which the colt faded to sixth. "Both horses are bred to handle the distance."David Donk is another trainer excited to run in a turf stakes for 3-year-olds without Artie Schiller involved. He sends out William Bloom's Second Performance Saturday.After running fourth in the Hall of Fame, Second Performance was shortened to a mile and then stretched back out to 1 3/8 miles. Both efforts resulted in off-the-board finishes against older, second-level allowance foes.Second Performance, a Theatrical colt, broke his maiden at 10 furlongs June 4 four months ago. John Velazquez, aboard for the colt's last win on June 27 in the restricted MacDiarmida, has the return call. Second Performance carries co-high weight of 119 pounds.
Dark Equation and Generous One will try stakes company for the first time after running well in separate entry-level allowance races. Dark Equation rallied from off a strong pace to win Sept. 26 while Generous One came up a head short in his first start back since breaking his maiden.Gunning For, who also carries 119 pounds, is stepping up but he has won three of his last four starts, including the $55,000 Stanton at Delaware Sept. 6. The gelding's other two victories were an entry-level allowance at Tampa in March and a $32,000 claimer at Monmouth.Tracy Farmer's Royal Assault, a son of Kris S., will make his first turf start on Saturday. With rain in the forecast over the next couple days, Royal Assault would have a big chance if the race were to be switched to the main track. He comes off a drubbing in the Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II), but did run a respectable third behind Birdstone and Smarty Jones in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Royal Assault races without blinkers.Navesink River and Zakocity, two Spa allowance winners, have been entered for the main track only. $100,000-added Lawrence Realization Handicap (gr. IIIT), 3-year-olds, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
PP. HORSE, TRAINER, JOCKEY, WGT.
1. Generous One, Jimmy Toner, Aaron Gryder, 115
2. Victory Circle, Phil Serpe, Fernando Jara, 115
3. Rousing Victory, Phil Serpe, Cornelio Velasquez, 115
4. Defrocked, Tom Voss, Jean-Luc Samyn, 115
5. Second Performance, David Donk, John Velazquez (2), 119
6. Dark Equation, Christophe Clement, Richard Migliore, 115
7. Royal Assault, Nick Zito, Javier Castellano, 115
8. Gunning For, Tim Walsh, Joe Bravo, 119
Main Track Only
9. Zakocity, Pat Reynolds, no rider, 117
10. Navesink River, Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez (1), 115