Brilliant Speed vying for the Manhattan Handicap on Belmont Stakes day
The 4-year-old colt, Brilliant Speed, had experienced dirt and turf both in the early time of his racing career; with two attempts on each surface at his maiden the Thomas Albertrani trained colt finally came good on turf at downed his maiden in his fifth try.
From then onwards, Brilliant Speed as a 3-year-old last year stayed on turf for the next two starts and did quite well with a second place finish in the Dania Beach Stakes and a third place finish in the Hallandale Beach Stakes, as both starts were over Gulfstream Park’s turf course.
The season turned around early in spring when, Brilliant Speed, won the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes last year over Keeneland’s poly track - which is a major prep race for the Kentucky Derby.
The prep race in the bag, Brilliant Speed’s connections started to think about thefirst week of May, and a start on dirt was a necessity that eventually came in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, where he bowed out with a seventh place finish.
Live Oak Plantation owned colt skipped the Preakness Stakes and eyed the Belmont Stakes. The 2011"Test of the Champion" was somewhat a breakthrough race for the Dynaformer colt, who finished third to Ruler on Ice.
Except the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Brilliant Speed opted for grass over dirt and wasn’t that bad as he won the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes, second in the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap, third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf and fifth in the Grade 1 Appleton this year.
Brilliant Speed is coming off a third place finish to Little Mike in the Grade 1 Turf Classic.
"I was a little surprised the way the race set up in the Turf Classic," Albertrani said. "There really wasn't any pace, and under the circumstances I thought he ran well, he wasn't beaten very far. He had a nice, easy work this morning and has trained extremely well coming into this race."
The Florida bred colt will start on Belmont Stakes day in the 1 1/4 miles Grade 1 Manhattan. With a half mile work in 49.40 seconds on 4 June, 2012, Brilliant Speed is ready to post his first victory of the season.
Tags: