Gucci Factor returned to Belmont yesterday, twenty days after his win in the Kingston Stakes to run in the open $300,000 G3 Poker, once again over 8 furlongs on the lawn. Breaking towards the rear, jockey Joel Rosario was in no hurry early along the inside and only got serious with the son of Gio Ponti about three panels out. He swung him out wide and without using the whip got the horse up in the last stride in a five horse nose photo. Rosario said “He was trying really hard and running at the end…he showed a lot of heart, he’s there for you all the time. He’s a real honest horse. He just loves to run.” Trainer Christophe Clement said post-race “He is a nice horse that has never stopped improving. He loves Belmont Park and he never stopped getting better.” Gucci Factor now has race earnings of $443,450.
