The rail on the main track has been like the Bermuda Triangle: horses positioned along the inside disappear without a trace, no matter how well regarded at the windows.
Metulla (4th, $9.50), making his first start off a trainer change to Rudy Rodriguez, improved by many lengths to loop a field of $7.5k milers with the ol' Belmont Balcony Move, and win going away.
Biz Jet (5th), pounded to 3-10 in her first start against winners and first in a route, broke from the outside in a field of six, but wound up on the rail through the stretch and faded to fourth, as the bridgejumpers took a bath in the show pool. Hot Trip ($28.80, $13.00 and $20.20) broke from the rail, but was maneuvered to the far outside around the turn by Javier Castellano, and won decisively for Dominic Giglio Jr., who is filling in for the suspended Bruce Brown. Suzanne closed to get second at 18-1, returning $15.20 and $22.60. Next Exit nailed a tiring Biz Jet at the wire for third, paying $16.00.
Right now, there isn't much to do with this dead-rail opinion except file it away as a possible continuing factor tomorrow, because we're on the turf the rest of the way - and perhaps on the way to a double carryover after Biz Jet's vanishing act.
