Upsets at Belmont: Homeboykris wins Champagne; Devil May Care takes Frizette

Homeboykris, Devil May Care pull upsets at Belmont

NEW YORK — Homeboykris and Devil May Care pulled off upsets Saturday in a pair of $400,000 Grade 1 stakes for 2-year-olds at Belmont Park.

Homeboykris, making his first start for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., bounded to a 1½-length win in the Champagne over Discreetly Mine. The gelding, now 2-for-3, earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 7 at Santa Anita with the victory.

Dutrow was ambivalent about a trip to California

“I’d rather sit back and run him at Aqueduct,” said Dutrow, pointing to the Remsen Stakes on Nov. 28. “If the owners want to put up the money and go to the Breeders’ Cup, I’d be OK with that.”

Ridden by Edgar Prado, Homeboykris paid $13.20 to win, running the mile in 1:35.12.

Dublin was the shocker in the Champagne. The 3-5 favorite following an impressive win in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, Dublin never made a serious run as a dull fifth.

“He didn’t seem like he was handling it that well,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said of the Belmont strip. “He just didn’t get into it as much as he normally does.”

In the Frizette for fillies, Devil May Care remained unbeaten in two starts, holding off even-money favorite Awesome Maria by a head.

The win had trainer Todd Pletcher considering the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“It was a big effort,” Pletcher said. “The question about the Breeders’ Cup is how she will transfer her form from dirt to a synthetic surface. She certainly ran well enough. She was very professional for a second-time starter.”

Devil May Care paid $12.80 to win, getting the mile in 1:35.07 with John Velazquez aboard.

Pletcher and Prado each got a second Grade 1 stakes on the card as Take the Points held off Straight Story by a head in the $300,000 Jamaica Handicap for 3-year-olds on the turf.

Take the Points, who is not eligible to the Breeders’ Cup, ran the 1 1-8 miles in 1:48.51 on the firm course, paying $7.40 to win.