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​Therisastormbrewin steps up in $100K Saginaw

by Keith McCalmont

Ryan Racing’s Therisastormbrewin will look to secure his first career stakes win in Sunday’s $100,000 Saginaw, a 1 1/16-mile main-track test for older state-breds on Closing Day of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park.

Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the 6-year-old Broken Vow gelding boasts a record of 26-5-5-7 and has hit the board in 4-of-6 starts over Big Sandy led by a gate-to-wire win last out in a state-bred one-turn mile optional-claimer on May 29 at Belmont.

Rodriguez said he is hopeful the consistent bay will again be a pace presence when exiting post 6 under Luis Saez.

“I believe that's his best weapon and we don't want to take anything away from him,” Rodriguez said. “Hopefully, he can break good and take it from there. He's coming into the race in good shape. We just have to hope that he can step up in condition. We're taking a chance.”

Therisastormbrewin finished third in the 11-furlong Stud Muffin in March at the Big A in his lone career stakes appearance. Bred by Francis Paolangeli, Therisastormbrewin is out of the stakes-winning Stormy Atlantic mare Stormy’s Smile.

Merrylegs Farm homebred Listentoyourheart will look for his second stakes score after capturing the six-furlong Aspirant in September 2019 at Finger Lakes for trainer Christophe Clement.

The 5-year-old Afleet Alex gelding returned from a nearly one-year layoff last out to capture a seven-furlong state-bred optional-claimer on May 14 over a good and sealed main track at Belmont. The 2 1/4-length score saw third-place finisher Prince of Pharoahs return to win a state-bred optional claimer here June 26 in impressive fashion.

The talented bay boasts stakes placings in the Rick Violette and Funny Cide in 2019 and the 2020 Mike Lee.

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 4.

WellSpring Stables’ homebred Market Alert has shown affinity for Big Sandy through a 6-2-1-1 record. The James Ryerson-trained son of D’Funnybone, a four-time winner from 18 starts, garnered a career-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure for a half-length state-bred optional-claiming win in November at Belmont. 

He will look for his first score since an impressive 3 1/2-length romp in an open allowance mile three starts back in March at the Big A.

Market Alert will emerge from post 5 under Jose Ortiz.

Daddy Knows, trained and co-owned by Jeffrey Englehart with Kasey K Racing Stable and Final Turn Racing Stable, will look to make amends after crossing the wire first before being disqualified and placed third last out in a one mile and 70 yard state-bred optional-claimer on June 21 at Finger Lakes.

The 6-year-old Scat Daddy gelding, bred by Chester and Mary Broman, sports a ledger of 27-5-6-5 for purse earnings of $295,008. He will look for his first win at Belmont in his 10th appearance, which includes four runner-up efforts and one third-place finish.

Daddy Knows will exit post 2 with Andre Worrie in the irons. 

Brooklyn Strong, a 4-year-old Wicked Strong gelding, enjoyed a prosperous juvenile campaign winning the Sleepy Hollow at Belmont ahead of a score in the Grade 2 Remsen. Last year, he ran fifth in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at the Big A ahead of finishing 15th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and a distant fourth in the Pegasus at Monmouth.

Previously trained by Danny Velazquez, Brooklyn Strong enters from a wide-closing third in a 1 1/16-mile claiming event on June 4 at Gulfstream Park for conditioner Victor Barboza, Jr.

Flavien Prat will ride from post 1.

Rounding out the field is nine-time winner Jemography, a veteran of 36 career starts, who captured the George W. Barker in August at Finger Lakes. Trained by Edward DeLauro for owner Eleven Stars Racing Stables, the 6-year-old Big Brown gelding will emerge from post 3 under Eric Cancel.

The Saginaw is slated as Race 8 on Sunday’s nine-race card. First post is 12:30 p.m. Eastern. 

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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