Grunge showed speed and determination Thursday at Belmont Park, leading throughout and prevailing by a nose in a $105,000 allowance optional claimer on the inner turf.

Paired with Manny Franco for the first time, the 3-year-old colt established demanding fractions of 21.76 and 44.03 seconds. He opened a two-length advantage in the stretch and then dug in to withstand challenges on both sides, completing 5 1/2 furlongs on firm turf in 1:01.96.

GRUNGE showed the way in hand along the inside through swift splits, got roused taking the inside route into upper stretch, edged away to the eighth pole, dug in under growing threat from flanking rivals, drifted out inside the final sixteenth and just held on at the wire.

The victory was Grunge’s second of the season and improved his record to two wins, two seconds and three thirds from nine starts. The son of Beau Liam has now earned $166,620 for West Point Thoroughbreds and LJSS Thoroughbreds under trainer Miguel Clement.

 Just getting up in between horses: