Belmont Notes

- Tale of the West transferred the front running form from her winning Keeneland debut to the Belmont feature on Thursday for Pletcher, his 5th winner of the meeting out of 28 runners. This three-year old daughter of Tale of the Cat showed impressive early speed in repulsing the speedy Loving Vindication, and cruised home after putting that one away in her first try against winners. Tale of the West is a half-sister to White Socks, second to the late Lost in the Fog in the 2005 Bay Shore, out of a graded stakes placed (in sprints) Gone West mare who's a 3/4 sister to Wouldn't We All, who won the 1999 Toboggan at seven furlongs for Kimmel; and to the dam of Dream Run, winner of the 7f Perryville, and the G2 Gulfstream Sprint Championship. So certainly a lot of speed here, and she looks like a filly to watch.

A nightmare trip for El Bandido Rojo in the third. He stumbled badly at the start, and then was severely checked right out of the race when trying to make progress on the rail nearing the turn. Deserves another shot. Pletcher's colt was the 9-5 favorite in the race, but couldn't hold off Yes It's The Truth, for David Jacobson. This horse got beat this level at 8-5 in his last, and paid $15.60 today. Jacobson has six winners, six seconds and two thirds from 19 starters at Belmont thus far, following up a successful meeting at the Big A.

Two more winners for Dutrow, 39-10-8-3 on the meeting.