Manila headlines the Saturday Belmont at the Big A card

By NY Hot List Staff | Thursday, June 27, 2024

With a return to Saratoga imminent, the penultimate weekend of the Belmont at the Big A meet takes place with the Manila, a turf stakes for 3-year-olds, topping the Saturday card. The mile test attracted a field of just six, but there was one interesting entrant. Deterministic, the beaten favorite in the Wood Memorial for the Clement barn, will try to get back on track in his turf debut after back-to-back disappointing tries in the Peter Pan and Wood.

“He breezed at Saratoga [on turf], it was a very good work, moving rather effortlessly,” said Clement. “It is just a question whether he shows an affinity for the turf. We think he should, and he is a top-class horse who can overcome whatever adversity comes his way.” 

The $250,000 Manila (G3) at Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 7, 3:40 pm ET.

(4) Move to Gold has only top three finishes in her four-race career and at the beginning of June he just missed the win in the Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park. (6) Deterministic gets moved to the grass after two disappointing performances in the Wood Memorial (G2) and the Peter Pan (G3). The surface change hopes to bring the impressive winner of his first two starts back into form. (3) Neat will need to get a pass from his poor result in the American Turf (G2). Before that he was a winner of the Transylvania (G3) at the Keeneland spring meeting. (5) Please Advise won his maiden at first asking and since then ran in several stakes races with a victory in the Atlantic Beach to end 2023.

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