Familiar Faces Highlight New York Showcase

An opportunity to run for $200,000 in a one-turn mile has enticed several members of the New York-bred community to spend their Memorial Day at Belmont Park. The Commentator Stakes has a strong field of 10 older runners, while Critical Eye Stakes for older fillies and mares drew 11.

And what would a state-bred grass race be without long-time rivals Lubash, King Kreesa, and Kharafa? That trio and six others will mix it up in the $125,000 Kingston Stakes at a mile on the turf.

All told there are six stakes on the Big Apple Showcase card for New York-breds May 29, with purses worth $900,000.

Weekend Hideway, who took last year's Commentator by 3 3/4 lengths, returns—and the 7-year-old Speightstown   horse had a pair of sprint sharpeners in getting ready for the summer season. A beaten favorite last time out behind Celtic Chaos in the seven-furlong Affirmed Success Stakes—along with a pair of breezes in May—will have the Red and Black Stable runner ready for the mile.

Also looking to move forward is Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bluff Stables' Governor Malibu, who sports a 1-3-1 Belmont mark from six starts and was second last year as a 3-year-old in both the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) and Jim Dandy Stakes (G2). In between he ran a solid fourth behind Creator in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

Added to the mix is Royal Posse, who won four straight stakes last season including the Empire Classic Handicap, but has yet to reach that form in three outings this year in open company. The 6-year-old son of Posse certainly likes "Big Sandy," with a 3-5-1 mark in 11 career starts.

The power of the program can be witnessed in Royal Posse's millionaire status and the $812,751 earned by Empire Dreams, who will break from post 10 for West Point Thoroughbreds. The Empire Classic winner in 2015 also has an affinity for Belmont Park but will be making his first start since a runner-up effort in the Alex M. Robb Stakes on New Year's Eve.

The Critical Eye offers a well-balanced bunch, with a nod toward Kennesaw Mountain Racing's Picco Uno, a winner of her last four—in state-bred and open allowance optional claiming company—and outsider Kathryn the Wise, a winner of both of her starts, her last coming April 5, dusting a field of state-breds by 12 lengths at 1-9 going 6 1/2 furlongs. Lawrence Goichman's filly is another runner from the first crop of Uncle Mo  .

The Kingston appears more like a family reunion than horse race, as Lubash (post 2), King Kreesa (post 4), and Kharafa (post 9) have a combined 45 starts over the turf at Belmont.

The 10-year-old Lubash polished off 2016 with a win via DQ in Gulfstream Park West's Tropical Turf Handicap (G3T), and the son of Freud   made his 2017 debut April 29 with a third-place outing, beaten a length, in Gulfstream Park's Miami Mile Stakes (G3T).

Eight-year-old King Kreesa is also adept stepping into the graded stake waters. Now under the care of Linda Rice, he makes his seasonal debut in the Kingston.

Paul Braverman and Tim Pinch's Kharafa, also 8, was third in this race last year behind Tapitation and King Kreesa.

All three, though, must watch Trinity Farm's Macagone, who starred April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack with a 1 1/2-length score in the open Danger's Hour Stakes.

Commentator S.

Belmont Park, Monday, May 29, 2017, Race 8

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:13 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Celtic Chaos (NY)	Eric Cancel	120	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	10/1
2	2Bellamy Way (NY)	Manuel Franco	116	David A. Cannizzo	20/1
3	3Eye Luv Lulu (NY)	Paco Lopez	118	Rudy R. Rodriguez	15/1
4	4Hit It Once More (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	Gary Sciacca	8/1
5	5Diversify (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	116	Richard A. Violette, Jr.	5/2
6	6Royal Posse (NY)	Javier Castellano	123	Rudy R. Rodriguez	4/1
7	7Loki's Vengeance (NY)	Rajiv Maragh	120	Michael E. Hushion	20/1
8	8Weekend Hideaway (NY)	Luis Saez	120	Philip M. Serpe	6/1
9	9Governor Malibu (NY)	Joel Rosario	120	Christophe Clement	5/1
10	10Empire Dreams (NY)	John R. Velazquez	118	George Weaver	12/1
11	11Gypsum Johnny (NY)	Cornelio H. Velasquez	118	Linda Rice	20/1

Critical Eye S.

Belmont Park, Monday, May 29, 2017, Race 6

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:09 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Daisy Cutter (NY)	Cornelio H. Velasquez	118	Linda Rice	8/1
2	2Wonderment (NY)	Joel Rosario	123	Kenneth G. McPeek	6/1
3	3Jules N Rome (NY)	Manuel Franco	120	Gary C. Contessa	8/1
4	4Literata (NY)	Javier Castellano	116	Rudy R. Rodriguez	10/1
5	5Picco Uno (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Jason Servis	4/1
6	6Jc's Shooting Star (NY)	Angel S. Arroyo	116	David G. Donk	15/1
7	7Big Mara (NY)	Dylan Davis	114	Assaf Ronen	30/1
8	8Bee Noteworthy (NY)	Rajiv Maragh	118	H. James Bond	12/1
9	9Tricky Zippy (NY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Thomas Morley	15/1
10	10Play Me a Memory (NY)	Charles C. Lopez	116	Ramon F. Martin	20/1
11	11Kathryn the Wise (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	114	Chad C. Brown	2/1