Suburban

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

There are no standouts or Grade 1 winners in Saturday’s $400,000 Suburban H.
(G1), which features an evenly matched field of eight over 1 1/4 miles at
Belmont Park. RISING MOON (Runaway Groom) brings a four-race winning streak into
his graded debut, and we’ll look for him to make it five straight.

The gray horse went through three trainers before landing in Richard Dutrow’s
stable for his fourth career start, and the lightly raced five-year-old has
captured his three outings for Dutrow in style, beginning with a nine-length
allowance/optional claiming trouncing at Gulfstream last year. He easily
captured the Wagon Limit S. by four lengths in his next outing, recording an
outstanding 106 BRIS Speed rating, but went on the shelf afterward. Rising Moon
displayed no signs of rust when returning in a May 30 allowance/optional
claiming event last time out, rolling to a four-length decision and registering
a 104 Speed rating, and there’s little doubt that he likes Belmont’s famed oval.
He’s won at distances from 8 1/2-to-12 furlongs, and his connections would be
hard-pressed to find a better spot for the Kentucky-bred to earn his first Grade
1 tally.

SOLAR FLARE (Arg) (Salt Lake) will be tested for class, but we like the way
he captured his U.S. bow for Larry Jones last time out. A multiple allowance
winner in his native Argentina, the four-year-old will add Lasix off a very
encouraging effort and has logged two solid workouts since that start on June 3.
The chestnut owns good tactical speed, earning a 109 BRIS E2 Pace rating last time,
and he received a terrific 110 Speed rating last time at Delaware Park. We’ll
look for another strong showing.

A. P. ARROW (A.P. Indy) is the 118-pound highweight, and the Todd Pletcher
runner merits serious respect. He closed 2007 on an excellent note, recording a
fast-finishing victory in the Clark H. (G2) at Churchill Downs, and opened his
six-year-old season with a commendable second, beaten only a half-length, in the
Donn H. (G1) at Gulfstream. The chestnut exits a respectable fourth behind
Curlin (Smart Strike) in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) and definitely has the
class to garner the Suburban with his best effort. However, he hasn’t fared that
well in two previous attempts at Belmont, and A. P. Arrow has come up short on
many occasion, winning only two-of-16 starts versus graded competition. We’ll
use the likely favorite on the bottom.

HARLINGTON (Unbridled) brings back class into this event, winning the 2006
Gulfstream Park H. (G2), but he’s been plagued by physical problems and remains
a big question mark following his third-place effort last out off a 12-month
layoff. The six-year-old did tackle a tough group of allowance/optional claiming
rivals in that one, though, and he’s certainly eligible to improve off that
tightener. The 10-furlong distance is a good fit for the dark bay horse, and
Harlington figures to sit a good stalking trip close to moderate early
fractions. Consider for the exotics.

MERCHANT MARINE (Tiznow) will enter in sharp form for Allen Jerkens,
capturing the Yankee Victor S. eight days earlier, and he’s four-for-four at
Belmont. We like that he’s earned century-topping Speed ratings in his last two
outings, and the four-year-old gelding will probably be on or close to the pace
under Javier Castellano. Merchant Marine is a threat to hold for a minor award
in his graded debut.

FROST GIANT (Giant’s Causeway), a two-time Irish Group 3 winner, brought
promising form to the United States, but he hasn’t lived up to the potential.
Favored at 6-5 in the Skip Away H. (G3) three starts back, he finished a
disappointing fourth and proceeded to drop his next two starts at low odds
versus allowance/optional claiming foes. We wouldn’t be surprised to see
eventually turn things around for Dutrow, but we can’t recommend here.

HUNTING (Coronado’s Quest) will attempt to come charging late for Shug
McGaughey, but the five-year-old gelding might need a little class relief to be
effective. NAUGHTY NEW YORKER (Quiet American) is a hard-knocking New York-bred
who is approaching $1 million in earnings, but he’s failed to hit the board in
his last three starts and would be a surprise on Saturday.