Encrypted – Delaware – Race 7 – 6/5/2021 – 25K Starter Allowance (5 furlongs on turf) – 6-year-old gelding by Showcasing out of Disclose, formerly trained by Hugo Palmer. A winner of five of his eighteen starts, the most recent of which was a Listed race in 2018. At his best, Encrypted would be a mortal lock here, but the strong suspicion is that we have long since seen the best this horse has to offer. That Listed win represents the peak of his career, and he has managed to beat only three opponents in as many starts subsequently in a bitterly disappointing 2019 campaign, eventually sold in October of that year for 70k guineas. Nearly two years on since his last run, it is difficult to know how much ability he still retains, but his morning works and a claiming tag of just $25k don’t really bode well. He handles firm turf and synthetics well, at least, and the distance should be fine for him, but it is impossible to recommend anything but a watching brief here.
Althiqa – Belmont – Race 8 – 6/5/2021 – Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes (8 furlongs on turf) – 4-year-old filly by Dark Angel out of Mistrusting, trained by Charlie Appleby. A winner of four races from nine starts. Althiqa has a very likeable and consistent profile, steadily climbing the ranks and yet to finish outside the first three in her career. Just about her best effort came when winning the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes in Meydan in January of this year, quickening up nicely from off a good pace. She wasn’t seen to best effect next time out under a penalty in the Balanchine, a more slowly-run affair, and could only finish third behind Summer Romance – more on her later. Althiqa seems adept on all going but won’t mind if there is some give in the ground, and her overall reliability must be seen as a positive. On ratings, the Racing Post have her rated below only her stablemate, Summer Romance, although Timeform give her a bit to find with the best of the home team. Althiqa appears to save her best running for when fresh, which is another tick in her box, and she might well be able to continue her run of top-three finishes, provided there is a good pace to run at, which looks probable.
Summer Romance – Belmont – Race 8 – 6/5/2021 – Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes (8 furlongs on turf) – 4-year-old filly by Kingman out of Serena’s Storm, trained by Charlie Appleby. A winner of four of her nine starts. A talented filly who tends to win or finish unplaced, Summer Romance comes into this race to face stablemate Althiqa for the third time, with the score currently tied at one win each. Summer Romance arguably has the upper hand, however, as she was victorious in their most recent meeting, recording better numbers than her rival in the process. The boom or bust nature of this horse makes it difficult for bettors to truly trust her, but she is very talented on her day and largely has excuses for her unplaced efforts. Typically a front-runner, she is unlikely to get an easy time of it with Blowout in the field, but taking a lead at a good pace might well suit this free-going sort, who seemed well suited by the application of a hood last time out. Conditions should be fine for her and much will depend on the first two furlongs, but she has a good rider on board for her running style and is capable of making the frame here if things pan out in her favour.
Desert Peace – Belmont – Race 8 – 6/5/2021 – 80K Allowance Optional Claimer (9 furlongs on turf) – 4-year-old gelding by Curlin out of Stoweshoe, trained by Charlie Appleby. A winner of three of his five starts. A $1.3m yearling, it is no surprise that Desert Peace has ended up in the US given his dirt pedigree. Indeed, he is yet to race on turf despite spending all of his career in Dubai and England, racing only on dirt and synthetics to date, with wins on both. Given that, and despite having a little turf potential in his breeding, this is quite an odd spot to be in, and I believe he would be much better suited if this race were to be moved to the main track, which seems unlikely. Desert Peace won a dirt handicap off a mark of 92 on his most recent start, although that doesn’t look particularly strong form and leaves him plenty to do here even if he is capable of replicating that effort first-up on grass. I suspect he will continue his career in the US after this, and he is probably more of a long-term project on dirt – with an eye to the future, I think a top six finish here would represent a respectable effort.
