Belmont Friday

Heavy rain turned the track to slop late Thursday, and the forecast is shaky for today's twilight card, but what the hell. In the third, Tuvia's Force (4-1) goes for a tag for the first time for Nick Zito, an unseemly 0 for 28 at the meeting thus far. Well, he's been hot at Delaware anyway. The barn wins at a 27% rate first time in claiming races. This son of Mineshaft raced well at this one-turn mile route at Gulfstream last year, running third behind a couple of nice ones in the graded stakes placed Wildcat Frankie and Bank the Eight, who won his next two, including the Tesio. He returned after a year layoff with a wide second, at six furlongs on the inner track, behind a sharp Pletcher heavy favorite in Overcommunication. Subsequent effort, on May 1, was a disappointing one. Colt has worked well being freshened since then, and interesting to note that he was shipped upstate for two works over the Saratoga training track. Class relief and stretchout could help here, and David Cohen, who rode him in that second two races back, returns to the saddle (22% for Zito). Understatement (6-5) was 5-2 in finishing a distant third in the G3 Excelsior two races back. Obvious class of the field, having earned a 115 Beyer winning the Evening Attire on the IT last year, drops precipitously after fading badly at 4-5 at Delaware in his first race for a tag. Six year old has done his best running around two turns; seems a vulnerable favorite here. Best of luck and have a great Friday.