BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Arindel homebred Tank, a winner of three consecutive stakes in his native Florida, travels to upstate New York and Saratoga Race Course for the $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational (Grade 1) Friday where he will face seven 3-year-old rivals going a mile-and-one-eighth on the turf.
Trained by Carlos David, the son of Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie started his win streak on Florida Cup Day, March 30, at Tampa Bay Downs with a two-length victory in the $110,000 Equistaff Sophomore Turf for 3-year-old Florida-breds at a mile-and-a-sixteenth. He returned to Gulfstream Park to successfully take on open stakes company, winning the $80,000 English Channel going a mile on the turf on May 3 before scoring once more against open company in the $75,000 Not Surprising on June 7 at Gulfstream, winning by three lengths.
Expect Tank to be on or near the lead in the Belmont Derby as he won his last two while leading or pressing the pace during the early going.
The bay colt has been consistent throughout his career with four wins, two seconds and a third in 10 starts while banking $240,120. Bred in Florida, Tank is the only foal out of Arindel’s Brethren mare Vegas.
Tank will be ridden from post one by Luis Saez and is 12-1 on the morning line.
Final Gambit makes his first start on grass since finishing third on debut in a maiden special weight going a mile at Churchill Downs in November. He broke his maiden two races later on the synthetic course at Turfway Park on Feb. 15 before winning the Grade 3 JR Steaks going nine furlongs on the all-weather course there on May 22.
He then finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), four-and-a-half lengths behind winner Sovereignty over a sloppy mile-and-a-quarter on May 3 before finishing fourth again in the Grade 3 Matt Winn won by East Avenue going a mile-and-a-sixteenth at Churchill on June 8.
A homebred for Juddmonte, Final Gambit has won two of six career starts with a second and a third. He is by Not This Time out of Pachinko, by Tapit and has lifetime earnings of $790,639.
Final Gambit is the 5-2 morning line favorite and will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post six.
Trainer Brendan Walsh has New Century (GB) set to make his second start since coming to the United States from Great Britain this spring.
Owned by Qatar Racing, New Century exits a third-place finish behind winner Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 1 American Turf presented by Ford at Churchill Downs on May 3, a race in which he was just a nose behind runner-up and Belmont Derby rival Test Score.
New Century is 3-1 in the program while Test Score in 4-1. New Century breaks from post four with Oisin Murphy named to ride while Manny Franco rides Test Score from post five.
Rounding out the field are the Chad Brown-trained Early Adopter (GB) and jockey Jose Ortiz, Luther (GB), who invades from France with rider Kieran Shoemark; Jaime Torres rides World Beater, winner of the $273,000 Audobon at Churchill last time; and Flying Mohawk with Frankie Dettori in the saddle.
Return to the July 3 issue of Wire to Wire
