Blacktype: Read all about it!



It’s been a while since the black-as-jet 7 year old Blacktype (FR) has seen the winner’s circle, and they can say about him as they do of many veteran equines (‘he may have lost a step’) but Blacktype (9) is well described by TimeForm US handicapper David Aragona as the most reliable runner in a field of 8 contestants in a 1m turf event pegged as the 8th race at Belmont Park on July 5. The race, and Allowance Optional Claimer with a $85,000 almost seems writ for Blacktype, trained by Christophe Clement (FR).

In Night Prowler and GetJets we have horses that have run in Blacktype’s style of company, but each is more than 200 days off a previous race. Giant Run (8) and Kharafa (1) have run in the top ranks too, and have some recency, but are neither too notable for their recent form. Among the Belmont upstarts who have been running but who are stepping up with this company are Abiding Star (4), Tapitation ( (6) and Secret Passage (2). As a fan of Blacktype who is ridden by hot Joel Rosario I am somewhat enthused.

The TimeForm projection says runners on or near the lead will have advantage in this one. That would benefit Blacktype and Abiding Star. Meanwhile, the Equibase TVG pace guesstimate puts Abiding Star ahead of Giant Run and then Blacktype at the wire. In terms of average speed, distance, and high speed, Blacktype is right in there. There’s marked consistency in the Beyer speeds for BlackType, as well as Abiding Star, Tapitation, Night Prowler and Giant Run. GetJets had highest Beyer figure (100) in its last out – as stated that was a while ago, and many track wags say GetJets doesnt want to run lately. Tho we’d say Night Prowler cant win, we respect him and will play him among a host below.

The crowd picked Get Jets by a small margin over Blacktype. With Abiding Star the third choice. Our selection is :

5 over 4,6,3,8.

Not in left field by any means. For comparison, David Argona picked 4 over 1,3,5,8.


 The results were 5-6-4-1 White steed Tabitation (6), was closing fast (above.)


To view the replay, click here and set the controls for:



Abiding Star led early. Blacktype went in as easy as could be and rated nicely, got the rail, urged coming into the lane, and then vied down the stretch manfully with an able Abiding Star, to win by 1 L.  Tapitation tracked these and got up at the wire to nip Abiding Star by a nose. There was a photo finish for second, which did not try my spirit, as I had both of them. The fractions were 23&3; 46&2, 1:09&2 and 1:33&1. Though it wasn’t a win for Joe Bravo aboard Abiding Star, who set the pace until the turn, he probably ran a sensible race and got a lot out of his charge. The race seemed truly run to form, class, pace and speed. Giant Run (ran a little early) and Night Prowler and Get Jets  gave way, lacked response and “failed to fire appreciably.” Respectively.

There is no eternal truism that seems to boil this one down, except that the race played to form as Racetrack Romeo saw it. How many times has a beloved vet ran well but failed to hit the line first for Romeo? let's not count the ways.

The winner paid $6.70, $4.30 and 3.30.  The $1  exacta happily paid $73.75

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