Belmont: Veteran field set to go in Grade 2 Suburban

By Rick Francis —-

BELMONT PARK

Race 9) 1&1/4 Mile Suburban S. Grade II. Purse $700,000 FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.
Post Time: ( 6:18)/ 5:18/ 4:18/ 3:18 ADVANCED FORECAST: Sunny, High 74 Low 67

2) War Story – placed last out in the G2 Brooklyn, a contest he led until the 16th pole. 6-year-old is in solid form posting some the highest speed figures in the field. Trainer Jorge Navarro is over 30 percent here and on the year, and with a beaten favorite next out, 36 percent; the cutback plays to his strengths.

8) Hoppertunity – veteran has won 2-of-3, including the Brooklyn last out. 7-year-old brings his best each and every time out, expect nothing less here.

5) Dr. Dorr – though he weakened late last out in the Grade 1 Gold Cup, 5-year-old out of Lookin At Lucky had won four of his previous five starts; you know Baffert will have him ready to fire.

10) Diversify – enters off a game overnight score here; is a 5-time winner at the Big Sandy, one of which was last years Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in gate-to-wire fashion.

4) Tapwrit – stayed on to finish third in his 2018 debut; Belmont Stakes winner from a year ago has been brought along nicely with an eye on several key Graded contests at Saratoga.

Selections: 2, 8, 5, 10, 4

The field from the rail out:

1) Name Changer (Goldberg/Saez)
2) War Story (Navarro/Castellano)
3) Zanotti (Guerrero/Alvarado)
4) Tapwrit (Pletcher/Ortiz, J)
5) Dr. Dorr (Baffert/Talamo)
6) Discreet Lover (St. Lewis/Franco)
7) Take Your Guns (Brown/Rosario)
8) Hoppertunity (Baffert/Prat)
9) Sorry Erik (Desormeaux/Desormeaux)
10) Diversify (Violette/Ortiz, I)
11) The Lieutenant (McCarthy/Velazquez)