Both brothers will be racing today in Stakes races...
Lentenor andMargano
Margano will be going in the $150,000 Grade III Hill Prince Stakes (race #8) at Belmont Park, post time is about 4:34, Junior Alvarado gets the mount.
Lentenor will be racing tonight at Colonial Downs in the $50,000 Da Hoss Stakes (race #5), post time is about 7:44, Luis Garcia gets the mount.
Both brothers are the third choice in the morning line odds, with both races came up with very talented fields! Each of their races have fields of ten, with Margano breaking from the two hole and Lentenor breaking from the four hole. Also, both are coming of second place finishes at Belmont park in their last races. Margano came in second back on May 20th in the Tiller Stakes and Lentenor finished second on May 19th in a Allowance race. Totally expect both to have huge efforts today, and it would not surprise me in the least to see both in the winner's circle! Fingers crossed...
Little brother Marganos's race...
Three year old Margano will be going for his second win in five starts later today, and his first attempt in a Graded Stakes race. If he were to win, he would be close to $150,000 in earning's in just five starts. Talk about a solid, talented field of three year old colts, this is it! Margano will have his hands full facing the likes of Summer Front and Howe Great. Love the fact Margano is getting a little more distance after his freshener last out at seven furlong's. Both turf specialist's, Summer Front and Howe Great, look to return to their winning ways on the turf. Summer Front is unbeaten on the turf with a record of 3-0, including wins in the King Cugat Stakes and Dania Beach Stakes. Howe Great is 3-1 on the turf, with a 3rd last out in the American Turf Stakes, and victories in the Palm Beach Stakes (Grade III) and Kitten's Joy Stakes.
For Margano to win (he might need a longer race), he will need a quick/clean break, a trouble free trip, and a chance to open his long stride in the stretch. He also needs to change leads at the correct time in the stretch, as he is still learning the game and has a tendency to not change leads when he is so asked. With that all said, going with Margano to get his first Stakes victory, and first Graded Stakes win for a full brother of the great Barbaro.
Belmont Park
$150,000 Hill Prince Stakes (Grade III, Race 8, 4:34 p.m.) 3-Year-Olds, One Mile, Turf
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Odds
1 Summer Front R A Dominguez 120 C Clement 7-2 2 Margano J Alvarado 116 B Tagg 5-1
3 Big Screen R Maragh 116 T Albertrani 15-1
4 Film Shot E S Prado 116 W I Mott 15-1
5 Spring to the Sky M J Luzzi 116 B R Brown 6-1
6 Mr. Handsome E D Rodriguez 116 T J Tullock Jr 12-1
7 Shkspeare Shaliyah C H Velasquez 120 D Shivmangal -1
8 Our Entourage E Castro 116 T A Pletcher 6-1
9 Howe Great A Garcia 123 H G Motion 3-1
10 Star Channel J Bravo 120 T A Pletcher 6-1
Photos I took of Margano last race at Belmont Park on May 20th:
Godspeed Margano...
Replay of Margano's race:
Big brother Lentenor's race...
Five year old Lentenor will be making his 15th start of his career (3rd of 2012) tonight at Colonial Downs in the $50,000 Da Hoss Stakes. Luis Garcia will have the mount in this one mile test on the inner turf, they will be breaking from the four hole in the field of ten. Post time is about 7:44, and it is race #5 on the card. Lentenor looks to be primed and ready for the challenge, coming off a solid second place finish last out at Belmont Park on May 19th. Lentenor has had two works since then at Fair Hill for trainer Leigh Delacour. This will be his first start at Colonial Downs for Lentenor, and the second time Luis Garcia has been on Lentenor, where they finished 5th back on Feb. 25 in the Grade III Tampa Bay Stakes.
A look at the race...
Just like Margano's race, Lentenor faces nine others in this talented field of older colts. The morning line favorite is the Graham Motion trained five year old gelding, Slew's Answer. Racing in just his tenth career start, and coming off a third place finish back in April at Tampa in the Turf Classic, I think is very vulnerable here. I am more worried about Action Andy and Followmyfootsteps. Action Andy is in better form right now, but Followmyfootsteps won this race last year in a photo finish with Action Andy. Followmyfootsteps, a eight year old Giant's Causeway gelding, is my outside shot at winning since he is one for one on the turf at Colonial Downs. Action Andy, a five year old Gators N Bears gelding, is about as consistent as they come. A starter of twenty four races, he has hit the top three twenty times and is coming off a third place finish at Pimlico in the Maryland Sprint back on May 19. He has raced at Colonial Downs six times, with two wins and three seconds.
Just like Margano's race, let's hope Lentenor and Luis get a good start, and Lentenor can stalk Action Andy the whole race, since he will be your front runner trying to take it gate to wire. Just hope Lentenor reaches down and runs lights out to get past Action Andy at the wire! So, Lentenor at the wire, with Action Andy and Followmyfootsteps finishing out your top three, fingers crossed!
Some recent photos of Lentenor, taken within the last month at Fair Hill (thanks Dewey!):
