by Mike Curry

The connections of Grade 1 winner Fabulous Strike scratched him on Sunday morning from the $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park.

Trainer Todd Beattie and owner Walter Downey instead will point the six-year-old Smart Strike gelding toward the $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G2) on August 9 at Saratoga Race Course.

"He's doing great," Beattie said. "[But] we weighed out the positives and negatives. I have a lot of respect for Munnings and we were giving him 11 pounds today. With the difference in weight, drawing the one hole, and going seven furlongs, we just felt there wasn't a lot working in his favor. He ran a monstrous effort four weeks ago.

“I had a long discussion with Mr. Downey and he felt the same."

Fabulous Strike won the True North Handicap (G2) on June 6 at Belmont Park to improve to 13 wins in 22 career starts. He is winless in three starts at seven furlongs.

"The Vanderbilt going three-quarters is a much better distance for him," Beattie said.  "Some extra time will be good for him."

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor