Bordonaro's Trip Was Long, Strange

ELMONT, N.Y., June 9 -- Trainer Bill Spawr shipped Bordonaro across the country from California to showcase the top sprinter on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Instead, all Bordonaro got was a nice view of the parking lot from Belmont Park's far turn.

A little more than a quarter-mile into the Grade II $200,000 True North Handicap, leader Keyed Entry decided not to turn left and he drove Bordonaro, stalking from his right side, out to the rail on the grandstand side. The two favorites drifted completely out of the picture as 10-1 shot Will he Shine, ridden by Edgar Prado, enjoyed an easy journey on the rail and pulled away to a 1 3/4 -length victory.

Bordonaro finished seventh and Keyed Entry, right behind him in last, crossed the finish line giving the fans a close-up of a racehorse on the wrong side of the track.

"My horse was scrambling to keep stride, and it took him about an eighth of a mile to find his stride," said Bordonaro's rider, Richard Migliore. "Once we caught up with Keyed Entry, that horse bore out really badly and took us out of the race."

"Richie said he had to use him to keep him up there and to keep that other horse in," Spawr said. "Otherwise, he was going to wipe us out."

Pletcher Takes Acorn

Trainer Todd Pletcher has entered his filly Cotton Blossom in the toughest races her division has to offer. Last year, she finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and this year checked in a well-beaten ninth in the Kentucky Oaks behind Rags to Riches, but yesterday she broke through and won the Grade I $250,000 Acorn at a mile.

Ridden by jockey John Velazquez, the 3-year-old daughter of Broken Vow ran down leader Dream Rush to win by a length, getting the mile in a fast 1 minute 34.70 seconds.

"She had a nightmarish trip in the Kentucky Oaks," Pletcher said. "She wasn't going to win, but she was going to hit the board. She was a deserving Grade I winner today."

Silmaril Wins Skipat

With a relentless charge on the far outside, Silmaril closed out the Pimlico spring meet with a photo-finish victory over My Sister Sue in the $95,000 Skipat Stakes for fillies and mares. The 6-year-old Silmaril, who has earned more than $800,000 in her 31-race career, ran the six-furlong race in 1:10.89 under jockey Ryan Fogelsonger for trainer Chris Grove and Stephen Quick and Chris Feifa, who bred the horse.

Racing shifts to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Va., beginning Friday with the $1 million Grade III Colonial Turf Cup for 3-year-olds the following day.

Live races ceases in Maryland until August, with Pimlico, Laurel Park and the off-track betting outlets open for simulcast wagering.