True Timber Looks For Third Straight Win in Bold Ruler

Calumet Farm's True Timber will return to stakes competition off back-to-back wins in optional-claiming allowance races when he competes against five others in the $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) for 3-year-olds and older Oct. 27 at Belmont Park.

Contested at seven furlongs on the main track, the Bold Ruler is the last of 18 graded stakes for the Belmont fall meet. It also will be the feature of a 10-race card that will offer three stakes, including the $100,000 Awad for 2-year-olds and the $100,000 English Channel for 3-year-olds.

True Timber posted a 1 1/4-length score June 10 at the Bold Ruler distance and a neck win over Patternrecognition last time out Sept. 16 at six furlongs. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said True Timber missed the Saratoga Race Course meet because of a superficial cut on his leg.

"He had a little incident, but it worked out and he's OK," McLaughlin said. "He's gotten good and he's happy, and seven-eighths shouldn't be an issue. He ran very fast last time. He's doing well, so we're hoping everything continues to go well."

The 4-year-old Mineshaft  colt has a 2-1-1 record in five starts at Belmont. He will again have the services of jockey Joe Bravo from post 3.

"(Bravo) did a good job on him last time," McLaughlin said. "I think seven-eighths is good for him, so we'll see." 

Multiple graded stakes winner Coal Front, who last raced in September of 2017, when he won the Gallant Bob (G3) at Parx Racing, has four victories in five starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. The 4-year-old son of Stay Thirsty , who was purchased for $575,000 as a 2-year-old by co-owner Robert LaPenta, has four wins from five starts, all in 2017.

Lael Stables' No Dozing will cut back in distance after he finished fourth in the one-mile Kelso Handicap (G2) Sept. 22 at Belmont. Over the summer the son of Union Rags  made a successful 4-year-old debut off an eight-month layoff to win an optional claimer at Saratoga. 

The Arnaud Delacour trainee was gelded during the time off, and Delacour said dropping in class should help No Dozing, who won his only previous stakes in the 2017 Concern at Laurel Park.

"I think it's a good spot for him. He should appreciate the seven-eighths at Belmont," Delacour said. "He likes a big turn like that. I thought he ran a good race the last time. Maybe the one mile wasn't exactly what he wanted. I'm not sure. But he's been training well since the last race, and I've been looking forward to running him."

Entries: Bold Ruler H. (G3)

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 27, 2018, Race 9

• Grade III
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:08 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1No Dozing (KY)	Joel Rosario	119	Arnaud Delacour	2/1
2	2Bon Raison (KY)	Manuel Franco	112	Gary C. Contessa	30/1
3	3True Timber (KY)	Joe Bravo	117	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	4/1
4	4Coal Front (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Todd A. Pletcher	7/5
5	5Petrov (KY)	Luis Saez	117	Ron Moquett	12/1
6	6Delta Prince (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	James A. Jerkens	7/2