The feature race on Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park is the $100,000 Poker Handicap (G3) for older horses going a mile on the Widener turf course. Just 7,136 fans came out on a beautiful July afternoon, with sunny skies and temperatures in the 80's. Kip Deville was the 2-5 favorite in the field of just five, winner of two straight Grade 1 turf mile events, the Breeders' Cup Mile in October then the Maker's Mark Mile in April. Godolphin Racing sent out 3-1 second choice Tam Lin, winner of the Scottish Monk Stakes in his last start, with Fort Marcy Handicap runner-up Operation Red Dawn the 6-1 third choice, coming into the race off an allowance win.
Kip Deville and Sensational Humor alternated the lead for the backstretch run, setting a pace of 24.36, 47.32, and 1:10.20 over the firm going, with Tam Lin close up in third to their outside. At the 1/4 pole, jockey Cornelio Velasquez asked Kip Deville for run and got it, as the favorite quickly opened up a 2 length advantage in mid-stretch over the tiring Sensational Humor. Kip Deville cruised under the line 2 3/4 lengths in front of Tam Lin, completing the mile in 1:32.94. It was another 2 lengths back to late-running Operation Red Dawn third.
