Camelot Kitten Seeks Belmont Derby Score

Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred Camelot Kitten will face some familiar 3-year-old rivals, as well as some international newcomers, when the Kitten's Joy colt tries to secure a third straight graded stakes score in the $1.25 million Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (gr. I) July 9 at Belmont Park.

Since adding blinkers, Camelot Kitten has registered narrow victories over other 3-year-olds in the American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) May 7 at Churchill Downs and the 1 1/8-mile Pennine Ridge Stakes (gr. IIIT) June 4 on the inner turf at Belmont. The Pennine Ridge serves as the local prep for the Belmont Derby Invitational which saw 13 enter the 1 1/4-mile race on the inner turf.

Like most of the U.S.-based horses entered Saturday, Camelot Kitten will be trying his longest distance to date. Camelot Kitten boasts three wins and two seconds from six lifetime starts, including two victories over Belmont's inner turf course. His only off-the-board finish came in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT), where he raced wide and faded to 12th. 

"He likes Belmont," said Brown, noting the colt's local record. "And he is undefeated with the addition of blinkers."

Brown also will send out Beach Patrol, who finished just a head behind Camelot Kitten in the American Turf, and Call Provision, who finished just a neck back in third in the Pennine Ridge. Also entered from the Pennine Ridge are runner-up Highland Sky, who also finished a neck behind the winner; and Toughest 'Ombre, who was just a half-length back in fourth.

Lightly raced New York-bred Call Provision rallied from well off the pace in his unveiling against state-breds in April at Aqueduct Racetrack to post a one-length victory. The Lemon Drop Kid   gelding followed up with the Pennine Ridge third in just his second career start.

"It's a lot to ask of Call Provision," Brown said. "We think he's a true 1 1/4-mile horse. He ran well in his first career graded stakes. I think he's an improving horse, moving up."

Beach Patrol will be making his second start for Brown following his sixth-place finish in the Penn Mile (gr. IIIT) on June 4 at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. The Lemon Drop Kid colt was under the care of West Coast-based Phil D'Amato when second in the American Turf. Before that race, he registered back-to-back turf wins at Santa Anita Park this year.

John Oxley's Airoforce will look to a major step forward Saturday for trainer Mark Casse following a game runner-up effort in the Penn Mile, in which he defeated the males but finished second to filly—and stablemate—Catch a Glimpse, who is entered in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (gr. IT) Saturday. The versatile Colonel John   colt was a winner on both grass and dirt as a 2-year-old, garnering attention last fall as an early candidate for the classics. 

"He was off form at the beginning of the year, but he needed the race on Derby Day and I thought he had a tough trip in the Penn Mile," said Norm Casse, head assistant to his father Mark Casse. "I really think he's sitting on a big one on Saturday."

Casse said Airoforce, who has not raced beyond 1 1/16 miles on the grass, should relish the extra ground of the Derby. 

"He's a horse that doesn't run as well when he gets pressed or whenever the pace is a little hotter," Casse said. "I think he showed a new dimension last time, that he can sit off of horses. The race, going from a mile to a mile and a quarter, the pace will be a little bit slower, he'll be able to relax a little bit more early, and I actually think that will actually be better for him."

The European-trained horses entered promise to be formidable. Trainer Aidan O'Brien will be represented by a pair of runners in Long Island Sound and Deauville, set to headline the European contingent. 

Long Island Sound, a Kentucky-bred colt by War Front  , will bring his talents stateside for the first time. An $800,000 weanling purchase, Long Island Sound has amassed three wins from four races since debuting as a 3-year-old in April at Dundalk. Breaking his three-race win streak in his most recent start, Long Island Sound was third in the group III Tercentenary last month at Royal Ascot.

Winner of the group III Tyros and runner-up of the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge as a 2-year-old, Deauville will look to rebound from his 11th-place finish in the group I Investec Derby on June 4 at Epsom. 

Shoring up the international delegation is Humphrey Bogart for trainer Richard Hannon. The Tagula colt proved a game winner of the Betfred Derby Trial this spring before following up with a fifth-place effort in the Investec Derby. Most recently sixth in the group II King Edward VII at Royal Ascot, Humphrey Bogart will be ridden by regular jockey Sean Levey from post 10.

Other U.S.-trained starters of interest include Ralis, a grade I winner on dirt who enters off a pair of close runner-up finishes in stakes o the Santa Anita turf; and Arlington Classic (gr. III) winner Surgical Strike.