Mo Diddley got the jump on Gucci Factor but Gucci Factor's long run proved too much for Mo Diddley in the featured eighth race Wednesday at Belmont. Gucci Factor in the end was comfortably home in this 1 1/16 mile turf race restricted to New York-breds and open to second-level allowance horses or $40,000 claimers. 

Gucci Factor, ridden from the back of the field by Joel Rosario for trainer Christophe Clement and owner Castleton Lyons, was timed in 1:41.09 over firm going and paid $7. Gucci Factor is a lightly raced 5-year-old by Gio Ponti (whom Clement also trained for Castleon Lyons) who won for the third time in nine starts but seems to have found a home on grass, over which he has sharply won his last two races. 

Nothing wrong with the performance by Mo Diddley, who rated nicely and made a sharp move of his own while up in class after a first-level NY-bred allowance win and out in distance (perhaps farther than ideal?) from seven furlongs.