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Woody Stephens Stakes 2013 at Belmont Park

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes is on tap for Belmont Park in Elmont, New York this Saturday, June 8 as part of the Belmont Stakes undercard. Three year olds will dash seven furlongs on Belmont Park's dirt track as they chase the winner's portion of the $400,000 purse.

A large group of 11 three year olds will line up in the Woody Stephens which is race 9 on Belmont Park's Saturday card. Post time is 4:41 PM. Let's take a brief look into the past performances of all 11 entries for this competitive Grade 2 stakes.

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2013 Woody Stephens Stakes Race Favorites

Declan's Warrior - Nicholas Zito pupil has five career stars with four wins and enters the Woody Stephens on a three race win streak - last time out in the minor Gygistar Stakes over Tenango at this distance here May 22 after an impressive win in the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes over Clearly Now at Aqueduct April 6, and in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream March 6. He is absolutely on fire and should be a good test for the field Saturday. He is 2-for-2 at both Belmont Park and the seven-furlong distance.

Zee Bros - Bob Baffert trained colt has four career starts with two wins and a second place finish. Last time out was a nice in the minor Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico May 18 after a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Derby Trial Stakes April 27. He broke maiden three back in his second career start - at Santa Anita March 23.

Woody Stephens Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries

Forty Tales - Todd Pletcher pupil started two-for-two in his career including an Allowance score January 5 at Parx and a MSW score at Aqueduct November 24. He was a disappointing fifth in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream March 2 after a good second in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes as 9-5 favorite February 2 and last time out he posted by far his biggest victory to date in the Grade 3 Derby Trial by a neck over Capo Bastone April 27. He has won three of five career starts and is yet another interesting name to watch in the Woody Stephens.

Capo Bastone - Todd Pletcher colt was a distant ninth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes March 23 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream February 16 and a respectable third behind Shanghai Bobby in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November. He bounced back from his ugly ninth with a nice second in the Grade 3 Derby Trial Stakes behind Forty Tales April 27 at Churchill Downs. He has two wins, a second and two thirds in seven career starts.

Clearly Now - has six career starts - two wins to start his career and two thirds in his next two - one of the thirds coming in Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream January 26 at 42-1 odds and the other in the minor Display Stakes December 1. Last time out was a decent second in the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct April 6 after his best result to date - an impressive win in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream March 2.

Let Em Shine - makes his graded stakes debut Saturday for trainer Adam Kitchingman after four career starts having won three straight races - the last being the minor Came Home Stakes at Hollywood Park May 11.

Merit Man - was two-for-two to start his career -the Tim Conway Stakes October 6 by 5 1/2 lengths and a maiden score in his debut at Del Mar in September. Since then he has been OK - a nice second by a nose as 1-2 favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint was followed by yet another win in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream January 1. He had his worst career performance - a fourth in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream February 2 and was an OK third last time out in the Grade 1 Florida Derby March 30.

Woody Stephens Stakes betting at Belmont Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Honorable Dillon - has seven career starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally with three wins, a second and a third place finish. He was seventh in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby March 9 and on April 6 when he was fifth in the Grade 3 Bay Shore. He had an Allowance Optional Claiming score last time out May 1 and also had a MSW score at Saratoga in August. Other results include a second place finish to Singanothersong as 13-10 favorite in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream January 4 and a terrific win in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream February 2.

Salutos Amigos - raced in stakes company for the first time March 9 and finished a somewhat disappointing fifth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita after three MSW races produced a win by 3 3/4 lengths, a fourth and a second respectively. Last time out was another off-the-board finish - a fourth in the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct April 6.

Tenango - has 12 career starts for trainer David Jacobson with two wins, six seconds and three third place finishes. He has two minor stakes starts in his career - both resulted in respectable seconds - the Gygistar Stakes behind Declan's Warrior here last time out May 22 and the Fred "Cappy" Capossela Stakes in March. He has been no worse than second in six starts this year but takes a huge leap up in competition Saturday.

Retreive - started his career with five MSW races and took until his fifth start to break maiden. He stepped up in stakes company April 6 and finished seventh in the Grade 3 Bay Shore but bounced back in his next start with an Allowance Optional Claiming score here May 10.


2013 Woody Stephens Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Belmont Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:41 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Declan's Warrior J. Lezcano N. Zito
8-1
2 Salutos Amigos J. Leparoux E. Guillot
20-1
3 Capo Bastone J. Velazquez T. Pletcher
6-1
4 Retreive I. Ortiz, Jr. J. Englehart
30-1
5 Honorable Dillon J. Alvarado E. Kenneally
12-1
6 Zee Bros R. Napravnik B. Baffert
4-1
7 Forty Tales J. Rosario T. Pletcher
5-1
8 Tenango D. Cohen D. Jacobson
20-1
9 Clearly Now L. Saez E. Cotterill
8-1
10 Merit Man K. Desormeaux R. Hess, Jr.
10-1
11 Let Em Shine E. Maldonado A. Kitchingman
3-1

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