By Joe Bianca
Eight 2-year-old males will line up looking for their first stakes victory in the GIII Pilgrim S. Saturday at Belmont, and a case can be made for just about everyone in the octet.
Two good-looking recent graduates from the two top barns in New York will likely vie for favoritism, with Klaravich Stables' Voting Control (Kitten's Joy) carrying the flag for Chad Brown and Treadway Racing Stable's Maraud (Blame) heading a one-two punch for Todd Pletcher. The former overcame a wide journey to get up late on debut here Sept. 10, while the latter was bet strongly and ran to the money with a professional score first out Sept. 2 at Saratoga. Pletcher also sends out the maiden Seabhac (Scat Daddy), who ran second in his career bow Aug. 5 at the Spa before finishing fourth in the GIII With Anticipation S. there Aug. 30.
An intriguing player is the runner-up in Maraud's debut, Zayat Stables' Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a rare U.S. starter for his sire. Bought for gns280,000 as a Tattersalls October yearling, the bay ran a winning race at 15-1, but cost himself any chance at victory by lugging in greenly throughout the stretch (video). Drawn inside, an advantageous position in 1 1/16-mile inner turf races at Belmont, which begin on the clubhouse turn, Desert Stone has drilled sharply since his debut, including a half-mile bullet in :48.56 (1/24) Sept. 23 at Aqueduct.
Roddy Valente and Darlene Bilinski's Looking Ready (More Than Ready) tries turf and open company for the first time, but has a right to flourish on the green. Out of a Giant's Causeway mare, the homebred's second dam Seeking the Pearl (Seeking the Gold) won Group 1's against males on grass in Japan and France. Without much speed signed on, Looking Ready, stretching out from a trio of sprints, may lead this field on a merry chase.
R and H Stable's Evaluator (Overanalyze) attempts to rebound after a seventh-place run as the favorite in the With Anticipation. The chestnut was an impressive victor in his career bow Aug. 9 at Saratoga, but lacks any early foot and will likely need some help up front to be heard from late
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