Belmont Thursday

[UPDATE: If I was as good as picking winners as I seem to be at picking horses that get scratched, I'd be a rich man. Krypton is scratched, never mind.]

In the 4th, the Island Sun stakes on the turf, Krypton (3-1) ships up from Gulfstream and makes his second start of the year for Kiaran McLaughlin, 30% in the second off a layoff category. Four-year old made big strides last summer, stepping up from entry-level allowance competition to three-year old graded stakes. He won the G3 Hill Prince over this course at Belmont in June, and missed by a head in the G2 Hall of Fame in Saratoga. In his return at GP last month, he raced amongst and between horses down the backstretch, and, to me, he appeared to have to wait for room on the turn for home (not noted in the race chart). One he got clear in the stretch, he closed stoutly, in 11 seconds for the final furlong, for third behind Hudson Steele, who missed by a neck in the G2 Fort Marcy here last weekend, and Guys Reward, who won his next start in allowance company at Churchill. Switches here to Eddie Castro, winning at a 37% clip for this barn. All systems go for this son of Rock Hard Ten, and from the distaff family of BC Turf winner Dangerous Midge and the G1 QEII Challenge Cup winner Alwajeeha (yes, Pedigree Query is back up!).

Zifzaf (7-2) has held his own against open Grade 1 company and should surely appreciate the class relief in this spot. French-bred Right One (5-2) won off the plane for Clement at Gulfstream with a big rally after a slow start, and steps up in allowance company here; figures to get bet off top last-out Beyer.