SUBURBAN HANDICAP (G2) RECAP; Saturday, July 3, 2010

Saturday, July 3, 2010

 

 

HAYNESFIELD KEEPS STREAKING WITH SUBURBAN WIN; 'REVENGE' 3^rd

By Jenny Kellner

 

ELMONT, N.Y. – Haynesfield enjoyed a perfect trip under Ramon Dominguez Saturday afternoon at Belmont Park to win the 124^th running of the Grade 2, $300,000 Suburban Handicap as favored I Want Revenge settled for third in his comeback bid.

 

After stalking Regal Ransom through early fractions of 24.10 and 46.87, Haynesfield ranged up to challenge the pacesetter on the far turn and took command at the three-eighths pole. Shrugging off a bid from I Want Revenge as the field of seven straightened for home, the 4-year-old New York-bred son of Speightstown opened up in the stretch and hit the wire 2 ¾ lengths in front of the fast-closing Convocation.

 

His time for the 1 1/8^th miles was 1:48.52.

 

"This is a horse who always felt like there was more potential there as a 3-year-old, that he was going to develop into a nice horse," said Dominguez of Haynesfield, who has won four straight dating back to last fall's Empire Classic at Belmont Park. "But today, he really surprised me, especially the second quarter when we picked it up, he was just there for me."

 

Owned by Turtle Bird Stable, Haynesfield ran his lifetime record to 8-1-1 from 11 starts with his second graded stakes win, having won the Grade 3 Discovery last fall at Aqueduct.

 

"He did it the right way," said Toby Sheets, assistant to winning trainer Steve Asmussen. "He needed to step it up, and he did."

 

Competing in both state-bred and open company, Haynesfield's only disappointing performance came in last year's Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, in which he finished eighth behind I Want Revenge, who went on to win the Grade 1 Wood and become the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby, only to be scratched the day of the race with an ankle injury.

 

Owned by IEAH Stables, I Want Revenge underwent surgery to repair ligament damage and returned to training in April, with the Suburban his first start in nearly 15 months.

 

"Our horse ran well – it looked like he needed a race," said trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. "[Joe Talamo] said he got a little tired. I thought he ran big. We'll see what happens next time."

 

Haynesfield, the third choice in the field of seven, returned $9.90 for a $2 win bet and earned $180,000 to boost his bankroll to $629,481.

 

Convocation, who was fourth to Quality Road in the Grade 1 Met Mile in his last start, rallied from sixth and hit the wire 1¼ lengths in front of I Want Revenge. Completing the order of finish were Regal Ransom, Eldaafer, Unbridled Danger, and Pictural, who had been expected to set the pace for his entrymate I Want Revenge, but who instead trailed throughout after bobbling at the start.

 

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