ELMONT,NY—Head of Plains Partners’ Sy Dog, winner of the Central Park in November at Aqueduct Racetrack, is listed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2 American Turf, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomores at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Graham Motion, the dark bay Slumber colt is a perfect 3-for-3, graduating by four lengths on debut in a seven-furlong turf sprint in October at Belmont. He followed his Central Park score with a rallying three-quarter length win in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Transylvania on April 8 over good Keeneland turf.
Irad Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount from 7 in a field of 11 that also features the multiple graded stakes placed Portfolio Company for trainer Chad Brown.
Motion said he is pleased with how Sy Dog is training into Saturday’s event.“I feel good about it with the caveat that I worry a little bit coming back in a month off the big layoff,” Motion said. “Having said that, it wasn’t like he had a significant amount of time off. I gave him a little break in December and he’s done well since the last race.”
Motion said a good effort Saturday would propel Sy Dog towards NYRA’s Caesars Turf Triple series which kicks off with the Grade 1, $1 million Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational at 10 furlongs on July 9 at Belmont Park. The lucrative series includes the 1 3/16-miles Grade 1, $1 million Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 6 at Saratoga Race Course and concludes with the 12-furlong $1 million Caesars Jockey Club Derby Invitational in September at Belmont.
“I do think he’s a horse that’s going to like the longer races in New York over the summer,” Motion said. “He’s from a stamina-influencing stallion and I think he’ll appreciate the longer distances and perhaps it’s just a bonus what he’s done up to now.”
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Belacqua will make her North American debut in Saturday’s fourth race at Belmont, a 1 1/16-miles turf test for sophomore fillies.
The Irish-bred daughter of Havana Gold, out of the Intikhab mare Chatting, launched her career with a trio of starts over synthetic footing in England with trainer George Boughey, winning a one-mile allowance in December at Lingfield.
Belacqua has worked extensively at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, including a five-eighths breeze in 1:01 flat April 30 over the all-weather surface in company with Mia Martina, who Motion has entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont.
“It’s a logical spot to get her going here,” Motion said. “She’s had plenty of works. I wouldn’t say her works have been overly impressive, but I thought last weekend when she worked with Mia Martina, I thought they worked well together and I was pleased with her. It was an encouraging work.”
Motion said he was appreciative of finding a turf allowance restricted to fellow sophomore fillies.
“You don’t get these opportunities with 3-year-old fillies in very many places. You almost have to go to New York to run in these kind of races,” Motion said. “She’s from a European family and the turf is something I think she’ll handle, for sure.”
Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call from Post 5.
NYRA Press Office
Photo: Susie Raisher
