<h2>Three-year-olds Have Inside Track to Gold Cup at Belmont Park</h2><p>Only a half-dozen 3-year-olds since 1980 have captured the prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont. But this year a pair of sophomores appear to hold the upper hand in the 87th running of $1 million race at 1 ? miles, one of five Grade 1 stakes scheduled on Saturday.</p><p align="justify"><a href='http://www.bodog.com/welcome/60353-7674/racebook' target='_blank'><img src="http://m2.2mdn.net/viewad/1057365/breeders-cup-250x250.gif" border='0' alt='' align="left" hspace="10" width="250" height="250" /></a>Improving Flower Alley, breaking from post 4 or Sun King, post 5, are quite capable of making it to the winner?s circle and would be the first 3-year-old since Albert the Great in 2000 to do so.</p><p>In the ?40s and ?50s, the younger set scored 13 times, including nine in a row from ?47 to ?55 when the purse wasn?t even three figures. Ironically, winner of the first running in ?19 was a 3-year-old named Purchase when the purse was $5,800.</p><p>Trainer Todd Pletcher's Flower Alley is the colt to beat, coming off victories in the Jim Dandy and Travers at Saratoga. "More than anything he has become a more professional horse in races," he said.</p><p>?That was the biggest change in him from the Arkansas Derby, the Kentucky Derby, even the Lane's End, which he won. Part of that is probably the blinkers, some of it is just racing experience, physical maturity.?</p><p>Nick Zito's Sun King recorded an impressive victory in the Pennsylvania Derby after finishing second to Roman Ruler in the Haskell Invitational.</p><p>Older horses coming off stakes victories in their last outing are Borrego, post 3, and Imperialism, post 7. Other starters in the eight-horse field are Lava Man, post 6, third to Borrego in the Pacific Classic after taking three straight; Suave, post 1; Bishop Court Hill, post 2; and Grand Reward, post 8.</p><p align=center><a href=http://www.bodog.com/welcome/60353-7674/promotions/racebook><img src=http://adshout.com/ads/bodog/468x60-racebook-1125.jpg width=468 height=60 border=0><br />BODOG Online Horse Racing Betting Action</a></p>
<h3>How the other Saturday stakes shape up:</h3><p>$750,000 Flower Bowl Invitational for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 ? miles on the turf: Riskaverse, breaking from the outside post in the nine-horse field, returns to defend her title. The main contenders are Angara, Melhor Ainda, Sand Springs and Wonder Again.</p><p>$750,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational fore 3-year-olds and up at 1 ? miles: Bill Mott?s unbeaten Shakespeare, breaking from the outside post, and English Channel, post 3, head an eight-horse field that lacks early speed. Other starters are Ace, Alost, Evening Attire and Meteor Storm.</p><p>$750,000 Beldame for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles on the turf: Ashado, post 6, will be favored to get back on the winning path after suffering a bruised foot while finishing fourth in the Personal Ensign. She faces six topnotch challengers, including Grade 1 winners Dream of Summer, Happy Ticket, Island Sand, Society Selection and Sweet Symphony.</p><p>$500,000 Vosburg for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs: A wide-open affair pits Pletcher's entry of Lion Tamer, post 3, coming off a fourth place finish in May, and Pomeroy, post 8, impressive winner of the Alfred G. Vanderbilt on Aug. 13 at Saratoga against eight challengers including I'm the Tiger, Mass Media, Silver Wagon, Taste of Paradise, Unfurl the Flag and Woke Up Dreamin.</p>
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<h3>How the other Saturday stakes shape up:</h3><p>$750,000 Flower Bowl Invitational for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 ? miles on the turf: Riskaverse, breaking from the outside post in the nine-horse field, returns to defend her title. The main contenders are Angara, Melhor Ainda, Sand Springs and Wonder Again.</p><p>$750,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational fore 3-year-olds and up at 1 ? miles: Bill Mott?s unbeaten Shakespeare, breaking from the outside post, and English Channel, post 3, head an eight-horse field that lacks early speed. Other starters are Ace, Alost, Evening Attire and Meteor Storm.</p><p>$750,000 Beldame for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles on the turf: Ashado, post 6, will be favored to get back on the winning path after suffering a bruised foot while finishing fourth in the Personal Ensign. She faces six topnotch challengers, including Grade 1 winners Dream of Summer, Happy Ticket, Island Sand, Society Selection and Sweet Symphony.</p><p>$500,000 Vosburg for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs: A wide-open affair pits Pletcher's entry of Lion Tamer, post 3, coming off a fourth place finish in May, and Pomeroy, post 8, impressive winner of the Alfred G. Vanderbilt on Aug. 13 at Saratoga against eight challengers including I'm the Tiger, Mass Media, Silver Wagon, Taste of Paradise, Unfurl the Flag and Woke Up Dreamin.</p>
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