Proxy Statement, Left Bank Top New York Stakes

By Paul Volponi

Belmont Park's Saturday card will be highlighted by the Nassau County Breeders' Cup (gr. II) at seven furlongs and the Bold Ruler Stakes (gr. III) at six furlongs.

In the Nassau County, trainer Shug McGaughey will send out Stuart Janney III's Proxy Statement. The daughter of A.P. Indy has won three of four lifetime starts with a third-place finish in last year's Demoiselle (gr. II), her only stakes encounter.

However, Proxy Statement has yet to race at a distance of less than one mile.

"Seven-eighths is probably not her bag," said McGaughey of Proxy Statement. "But she's going so good, I don't mind backing her up."

Wopping runs for trainer Mark Hennig and owner Edward P. Evans. The daughter of Prenup scored by a whopping 12 lengths in an April allowance sprint at Gulfstream Park.

"She's a different horse this year," Henning said. "She's grown up and matured. Of her recent victory, Hennig commented, "She was training like she would run that way."

On April 27th, Wopping went four furlongs in :46 3/5, the best of 55 such works over Belmont's main track.

Dust Me Off goes out for trainer Allen Jerkens and owner Cynthia Knight after a solid victory in the Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream. Richard Dutrow will send out Carson Hollow, who is two-for-two in her brief career, including an 18 3/4-length romp in her maiden tally.

In the Bold Ruler, Left Bank will make his 5-year-old debut for trainer Todd Pletcher. The son of French Deputy hasn't started since winning the grade I Cigar Mile at Aqueduct last November.

"He's doing well," Pletcher said. "He's training good.

The trainer acknowledges Left Bank might be a little short off of the layoff. Yet Pletcher also emphasized, "We expect him to do well."

Say Florida Sandy, who last finished fourth in the Carter (gr. I), will now go out for trainer Victor Cuadra with the departure from racing of former trainer Juan Serey. The 8-year-old won six of 16 starts for Serey last year, including the True North Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park.

Jimmy Jerkens will send out Wrangler for Stronach Stables. Wrangler impressively captured the General George Handicap (gr. II) at Laurel before finishing a well-beaten fourth in the Toboggan at Aqueduct.