Bodog Beat

There are two big races to watch for this weekend at Belmont. (AP Images)

Belmont Park has two Grade I stakes races this weekend, Saturday June 28, 2008. The Suburban H. (gr. I) for three year olds and up and the Mother Goose S. (gr .I) for three-year-old fillies. In the Suburban Handicap 5-year-old Rising Moon will have a chance to show his potential. Rising Moon is owned by Four Roses Thoroughbreds and is trained by Richard Dutrow Jr. He has all four starts under Dutrow including his maiden at Gulfstream in 2007.

"He's never been beat with us with four different riders - grass, dirt, mile and a half," Dutrow said Monday at Aqueduct. "So, I'm looking for him to run big in the Suburban."

Rising Moon won the Wagon Limit Stakes at Belmont on May 18, 2007; however he broke his foot in that race. This was the reason he did not run again until last month.

"He's very good right now," Dutrow said. "He's turning into being a nice horse. He used to be mean as a snake; he'd want to hurt you. Now he's got that in him, but he's so much more manageable and so nicer to be around.”

Other horses to look at in this race are A.P. Arrow, Angliana, Harlington, and Solar Flare. The Mother Goose Stakes features Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell. On Monday Proud Spell worked five furlongs in 59.80 at Fair Hill.

According to Barclay Tagg’s assistant Robin Smullen, it looks like Hamsa may be joining the Mother Goose Stakes as well. Smullen said Hamsa had a five furlong workout clocking 59.93 seconds last Sunday at the Belmont training track which looked solid.

"I thought she worked very well," Smullen said. "Barclay got the last quarter in 23-and-change."

The confirmed runners for the Mother Goose are Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell and Music Note. Pious Ashley is also listed as a possible runner.

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