Saturday, Belmont Park
WOODFORD RESERVE MANHATTAN H.-GI, $500,000, BEL, 6-9, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 1:59 3/5, fm.
1--@DESERT BLANC (GB), 116, c, 4, by Desert Style (Ire)
        1st Dam: Lumiere Rouge (Fr), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
        2nd Dam: Lumen Dei, by Raise a Native
        3rd Dam: Light of Realm (Ire), by Realm (GB)
(€72,000 RNA yrl '09 ARQAUG). O-Swift Thoroughbreds Inc, Mackie Racing, Vintage Thoroughbreds LLC et al; B-Haras du Mezeray (GB); T-Chad C Brown; J-Ramon A Dominguez; $300,000. Lifetime Record: SW & GSP-Fr, 7-4-1-1, $428,094. *1/2 to Lumiere Noire (Fr) (Dashing Blade {GB}), SW-Ger, $107,771. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Papaw Bodie, 116, g, 5, Strong Hope--Trillion Wing, by In the Wings (GB). ($150,000 yrl '08 KEESEP). O-Connie M Apostelos; B-Omega Farm, BD Gibbs Farm LLC & Chancey Mill Farm (KY); T-Michael J Maker; $100,000.
3--Boisterous, 119, h, 5, Distorted Humor--Emanating, by Cox's Ridge. O-Phipps Stable; B-Cynthia Phipps (KY); T-Claude R McGaughey III; $50,000. 
Margins: NO, 1HF, NO. Odds: 6.40, 10.20, 4.80.
Also Ran: Hudson Steele, Brilliant Speed, Al Khali, Omayad (Chi). Scratched: Top Surprize.
Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs, the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree or the video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales.
   Desert Blanc took the first three starts of his career for Pascal Bary, following a Longchamp maiden win June 4 with a Deauville all-weather conditions success July 8. The bay validated favoritism in the Listed Prix de Tourgeville on the turf at Deauville July 31, then endured a tough trip when third beaten a length and a nose in the G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange Sept. 17. The bay closed out the European portion of his career with a well-beaten eighth-place effort behind Byword (GB) (Peintre Celebre) and Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) in the G2 Prix Dollar Oct. 1 at Longchamp and made his Stateside debut in the Fort Marcy, leading past the furlong marker before getting run down by Boisterous by a length. Whereas he was off slowly in the Fort Marcy, Desert Blanc was away without incident and held the rail into the first turn before allowing Hudson Steele (Johannesburg) to lead and took a sit just off his heels. Content to save ground beneath Ramon Dominguez, it was increasingly apparent that the British-bred was going to need some luck, as Papaw Bodie and Brilliant Speed (Dynaformer) stacked up to his outside and left him in jail. Still galloping just behind Hudson Steele turning for home, he came out to the two path and jumped onto his incorrect lead, but was able to bull his way through and outfought a game Papaw Bodie for a narrow victory. "I had a great trip," Dominguez stated. "I was fortunate enough to get in between horses turning for home and he was pretty determined to get up. I was concerned about the lack of early speed but I just trying to do my best to keep him cool and we prevailed at the end."