ESPN Horse Racing

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Midshipman, last year's champion juvenile colt, made a triumphant return to the races - and successful debut on regular dirt - winning a third-level allowance Friday at Belmont Park by 3 1/4 lengths over the speedy Just Ben.

In his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last Oct. 25 over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface, Midshipman won despite drifting out significantly in the stretch under Richard Migliore.

Migliore said Midshipman felt fine physically and that his belief on why Midshipman drifted out so much was "he took that horse so easily at the head of the lane that he just kind of got to wandering," he said. "I can't pinpoint why he would do that other than that because soundness-wise he couldn't have been better."

Midshipman broke a half-step slow but quickly recovered and raced just off the flank of Just Ben through a quarter in 22.46 seconds and was within a head of that rival through a half-mile in 44.72. Straightening away down the lane, Midshipman began to drift but he continued to run on as he pulled away from Just Ben. Midshipman, owned by Godolphin Stable, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.83 and returned $5.70 as the third choice in the five-horse field. Storm Play, the 7-5 favorite, finished fourth, beaten 11 lengths.

Migliore said Midshipman - who made all four of his prior starts on synthetics - handled the dirt "sensational."

"As good as he was on synthetics who knows maybe he's even better on conventional dirt," Migliore said. "He certainly was very fresh, he was very sharp, he went to the gate very, very tough, really strong. He broke a half step slow, then had his feet under him that instantly. For a big horse he was like a cat. All the way down the backside I was like 'whoa papa, whoa papa, whoa papa,' he didn't want to be behind that horse as long as he was."

Midshipman missed three months of training earlier this year after he suffered a soft tissue injury in his left foreleg while training in Dubai. Rick Mettee, the assistant trainer who oversees Godolphin's New York string, admitted there was a sense of relief getting him back to the winner's circle.

"It's just good to get him back; they don't always come back form those soft tissue problems," Mettee said. "It worked out well getting him on a fast dirt track. One-fifteen-and-change off a layoff is a pretty good time. Obviously, he handled the dirt pretty well. I don't know what to make of him drifting out like that down the lane."

Mettee said he did not know what would be next for Midshipman.