Pocket Cowboys to take on West Point Handicap tormentor, Compliance Officer, in the Ashley T. Cole Stakes at Belmont Park
The 5-year-old gelding, Pocket Cowboys, returns to Belmont Park. After a disappointing run at the Spa this summer he comes back to his favourite course to run in the $100,000 Ashley T. Cole Stakes on 11 September, 2011.
The villain in West Point Handicap, Compliance Officer, who tackled Pocket Cowboys at Saratoga on 18 August, 2011, and ran him down to win 1 1/16 mile event in 1 minute and 44.40 seconds.
Pocket Cowboys finished third on the day behind the second place finisher, Karakorum Legend. The gelded son of Officer, Compliance Officer, is among the 11 horses to compete in the 1 1/8 mile event on Belmont Park’s inner turf.
The real question ahead of the race, would be, can Pocket Cowboys turn the tables on the West Point Handicap's winner, Compliance Officer.
Compliance Officer has never run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles before, and it will be his first on that kind of a distance. The 5-year-old Compliance Officer, has been unbeaten since he was claimed by trainer Bruce Brown.
Winning an Allowance claimer at Belmont Park over a distance of seven furlongs, before winning the West point Handicap.
Compliance Officer has certainly got a few advantages going his way, but Pocket Cowboys has a near perfect record at Belmont Park on turf, with four of his six career victories coming at his favourite race course.
In terms of recent form, Compliant Officer is ahead by a country mile, because Pocket Cowboys is coming off a torrid run at Saratoga, where he had two losses, basically he in winless in his five starts at Saratoga.
Owner and trainer Scott Schwartz said that the horse is never comfortable at Saratoga and he always gets worked up over there, but he loves the Belmont Park and the 1 1/8 mile distance is definitely in his favour.
Apart from a 6th place finish in the one mile long Allowance claimer at Saratoga, Pocket Cowboys, in his last 4 races, has finished second twice, once third and a lone winner in the Kingston Stakes at Belmont on 29 May, 2011.
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