Man O War the Top Draw At Belmont Closing Weekend

All eight entrants will be seeking their first Grade 1 victory, but Saturday's $600,000 Man 'o War at Belmont Park still features a couple of the top U.S. turf horses in training, Boisterous and Optimizer. They figure to vie for favoritism in the 1 3/8-mile affair on the inner course.

Bill Mott’s Al Khali, Group 3 winner Speaking of Which, Pan American H. (G3) star Twilight Eclipse, Fort Marcy (G3) runner-up Bombaguia and Exclusive Strike, a big winner of two straight over lesser, add to the likely starters in this spot.

Belmont will also offer the $100,000 Solar Splendor for three-year-olds and a nice field of nine has been entered for the 1 1/16-mile inner turf test. Chad Brown has entered a pair of top contenders in Noble Tune and Balance the Books.

Other Man 'o War Stakes and other news

By Handicappers Edge
July 12, 2013

All eight entrants will be seeking their first Grade 1 victory, but Saturday's $600,000 Man 'o War at Belmont Park still features a couple of the top U.S. turf horses in training, Boisterous and Optimizer. They figure to vie for favoritism in the 1 3/8-mile affair on the inner course.

Boisterous is five for eight on Belmont's turf, including back-to-back wins in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker (2011-12) and last year's Grade 3 Fort Marcy, and the multiple Grade 2 hero has replaced the injured Point of Entry as the leading turf horse in Shug McGaughey's barn. The six-year-old returned to the races this year with a closing second to Successful Dan in the April 21 Ben Ali on Keeneland's Polytrack before scoring a 1 1/4-length triumph in the June 9 Monmouth on turf.

A son of Distorted Humor, Boisterous loves the 11-furlong distance (4-3-0-1) and shows a pair of bullet works in preparation. John Velazquez, who regained the mount in the Monmouth, will ride.

Optimizer recorded a pair of Grade 3 wins on Fair Grounds' turf earlier this season and enters the Man o' War off a trio of placings versus better rivals. Second to Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic three back, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained colt posted a fast-finishing third, beaten only a half-length, in the Dixie at Pimlico prior to a runner-up finish in the June 8 Manhattan at Belmont, threatening to win in deep stretch before weakening slightly against the odds-on Point of Entry.

A four-year-old son of English Channel, Optimizer will keep Joel Rosario in the saddle.

Twilight Eclipse, a sharp winner of the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream Park two back for trainer Tom Albertrani, is eligible to improve upon his fifth-place effort in the Manhattan off a freshening. Javier Castellano will guide the four-year-old gelding. Speaking of Which, an Irish Group 3 scorer and second in the Twilight Derby at Santa Anita last year, also merits consideration. After opening 2013 with a dull sixth as the favorite in the May 4 Fort Marcy, the Christophe Clement-trained four-year-old colt logged a confidence-building, 2 3/4-length win in a June 21 optional claimer at Monmouth Park. He will return to stakes competition with new rider Jose Lezcano.

Grade 1 runner-up Finnegans Wake, fourth in the Manhattan, will attempt to keep moving forward in his third start of the year for trainer Dale Romans. Seven-year-old Al Khali, a Grade 2 winner and two-time Grade 1 runner-up for Bill Mott, has run well over the course previously but will need to rebound Saturday following a pair of disappointing unplaced efforts.

Exclusive Strike and Folk Singer, a pair of longshot recent claimers, round out the field.

Bet the Man o' War stakes online right here at TwinSpires.com!