Scrappy Apprentice

- The apprentice jockey Channing Hill is back from injury and riding at Belmont, and I’d noticed during his absence numerous instances in which he tended to move horses up. He was back at it Thursday at Belmont, his second day back in action. Meet My Buddy’s recent form warranted his 36-odds; but he was a game second to even money Incredible Speed, completing a $125 exacta. Halo Duty was a dismal eighth at 74-1 in his debut at Saratoga, but in the 9th he swept past the field 4 wide on the turn and rallied for a nose victory at 27-1. It was a rare win for trainer Howie Tesher, once a force on the NY circuit.

- Post time for the Indiana Derby will be around 9:45 PM Saturday night. Scrappy T is the 5-2 morning line favorite despite his five month layoff since the Preakness. A look at his PP's shows a horse that was really coming on, and if he's ready I think he outclasses these, even though there's a lot of quality in the field. Scrappy T’s trainer Robert Bailes says: "The last few months he’s been training like a monster and really doing good.” [Indiana Herald Bulletin]

Correction: Greater Good, who will return in the Indiana Derby, last ran in the Kentucky Derby, not the Arkansas Derby.