P2W 6/7 Belmont Stakes Day - Thoughts For Entire Card
- Thread starter Play2win
- Start date
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
:cheers: Thanks buddy. Taking a shot in the turf, wasn't really a race for him on the dirt and the dam was a bit of a turfer. Think if he takes to the surface we have a shot here.
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
Respectable 2nd for the first time on the turf, talked to Mott after the race and he liked the way he ran, will probably be looking for a 7/8 or a flat mile on the grass next out.
Nice call here Play.
thanks for the thread.
I may get involved on the todays card at SA & Belmont.
Wet my whistle for next weekend....
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
With a strong wind at his back as he came through the Belmont Park stretch, Triple Crown hopeful California Chrome breezed a half-mile in 47.69 seconds this morning in his final serious move before the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 7.
Under jockey Victor Espinoza, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner continued on strongly, caught in 59.93 for five furlongs, galloping out in 1:12.95 and credited with a double gallop-out in 1:26.28 over a fast track by NYRA clockers.
The handsome chestnut colt, who is bidding to become the first horse to sweep all three races since Affirmed in 1978, was given a rousing round of applause from dozens of "Breakfast at Belmont" guests who lined the rail to watch him work shortly after 6:30 a.m.
<object class="RDVideoObject" type="application/x-rn-downloaderpepperflashvideoshim-plugin" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JU9T7-PwGH0" width="480" height="390" data-offsetleft="544" data-offsettop="719"></object>
<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JU9T7-PwGH0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true" id="adm_overlay_autostart" vmode="transparent">"I couldn't ask for anything more," said Alan Sherman, son of and assistant to trainer Art Sherman, who is scheduled to arrive in New York from California on Monday. "He galloped out great and [we got] exactly what we wanted today."
California Chrome, who worked without blinkers - "So he wouldn't go too fast," said Sherman - will walk tomorrow, jog on Monday, gallop from Tuesday through Friday and jog the morning of the 1 ½-mile Belmont.
Espinoza, who had not seen California Chrome since the Preakness on May 17, was equally delighted with the move.
"It was great," he said. "I started not too fast. We were going :12, :12, :12. We picked it up a little at the end. Across the wire I dropped the reins a little bit. That's what he always does."
Espinoza, who will remain in New York this week, is getting a second chance at a Triple Crown. In 2002, he was aboard the front-running War Emblem when he stumbled badly at the start of the Belmont, and lost all chance.
"I'm more confident this time than in 2002," said Espinoza, who is scheduled to throw out the first pitch at the New York Yankees game on Monday evening and also has a guest appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday night. "With War Emblem, he only had one way to go: in the front. It was not that easy for me to ride him; it was difficult [which is] typical when you have a front-running horse. You don't have many options. If something happens, that's it. Your chances are gone. With California Chrome, it's different. I have a lot of options with California Chrome. I believe I have a better chance than I did in 2002 because I have a different kind of horse."
Under jockey Victor Espinoza, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner continued on strongly, caught in 59.93 for five furlongs, galloping out in 1:12.95 and credited with a double gallop-out in 1:26.28 over a fast track by NYRA clockers.
The handsome chestnut colt, who is bidding to become the first horse to sweep all three races since Affirmed in 1978, was given a rousing round of applause from dozens of "Breakfast at Belmont" guests who lined the rail to watch him work shortly after 6:30 a.m.
<object class="RDVideoObject" type="application/x-rn-downloaderpepperflashvideoshim-plugin" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JU9T7-PwGH0" width="480" height="390" data-offsetleft="544" data-offsettop="719"></object>
<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JU9T7-PwGH0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true" id="adm_overlay_autostart" vmode="transparent">"I couldn't ask for anything more," said Alan Sherman, son of and assistant to trainer Art Sherman, who is scheduled to arrive in New York from California on Monday. "He galloped out great and [we got] exactly what we wanted today."
California Chrome, who worked without blinkers - "So he wouldn't go too fast," said Sherman - will walk tomorrow, jog on Monday, gallop from Tuesday through Friday and jog the morning of the 1 ½-mile Belmont.
Espinoza, who had not seen California Chrome since the Preakness on May 17, was equally delighted with the move.
"It was great," he said. "I started not too fast. We were going :12, :12, :12. We picked it up a little at the end. Across the wire I dropped the reins a little bit. That's what he always does."
Espinoza, who will remain in New York this week, is getting a second chance at a Triple Crown. In 2002, he was aboard the front-running War Emblem when he stumbled badly at the start of the Belmont, and lost all chance.
"I'm more confident this time than in 2002," said Espinoza, who is scheduled to throw out the first pitch at the New York Yankees game on Monday evening and also has a guest appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday night. "With War Emblem, he only had one way to go: in the front. It was not that easy for me to ride him; it was difficult [which is] typical when you have a front-running horse. You don't have many options. If something happens, that's it. Your chances are gone. With California Chrome, it's different. I have a lot of options with California Chrome. I believe I have a better chance than I did in 2002 because I have a different kind of horse."
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Belmont Stakes contender Tonalist, trained by Christophe Clement for Robert Evans, put in his final work before the June 7 "Test of the Champion" on Saturday morning at Belmont Park. The son of Tapit was clocked in 1:00.11 for five furlongs, working in company with stablemate Life in Shambles.
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<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/keibUmyVSb4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true">"We are excited about the work and excited about the horse," said Clement. "I got him in a minute and am very happy about everything. He went in company with Life in Shambles and it was a good work."
Tonalist won the Grade 2 Peter Pan by four lengths on May 10 at Belmont Park over a sloppy, sealed main track. Prior to his Peter Pan score, the 3-year-old colt took a maiden race at Gulfstream Park during the winter, and finished second in an optional claimer, 3 ¼ lengths behind eventual Grade 1 Florida Derby winner Constitution.
<object class="RDVideoObject" type="application/x-rn-downloaderpepperflashvideoshim-plugin" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/keibUmyVSb4" width="480" height="390" data-offsetleft="544" data-offsettop="689"></object>
<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/keibUmyVSb4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true">"We are excited about the work and excited about the horse," said Clement. "I got him in a minute and am very happy about everything. He went in company with Life in Shambles and it was a good work."
Tonalist won the Grade 2 Peter Pan by four lengths on May 10 at Belmont Park over a sloppy, sealed main track. Prior to his Peter Pan score, the 3-year-old colt took a maiden race at Gulfstream Park during the winter, and finished second in an optional claimer, 3 ¼ lengths behind eventual Grade 1 Florida Derby winner Constitution.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Social Inclusion, third in the Preakness, sizzled in a Saturday workout at Belmont Park, with his owner, Ronald Sanchez, saying a final decision on whether he competes in the Belmont Stakes or Grade 2 Woody Stephens to be made later today and announced tomorrow.
NYRA clockers credited Social Inclusion with a three-furlong breeze in 33.55 seconds and caught him galloping out a half-mile in :45 2/5, five-eighths in :58, and six furlongs in 1:09 4/5.
<object class="RDVideoObject" type="application/x-rn-downloaderpepperflashvideoshim-plugin" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFlggBgecIA" width="480" height="390" data-offsetleft="544" data-offsettop="1532"></object>
<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFlggBgecIA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true">"We weren't expecting him to go that fast," said Sanchez. "The horse was real good. The track was lightning fast, and that was the best gallop out he's ever had. He showed them this morning how good he is feeling."
Social Inclusion, who is trained by Manuel Azpurua, easily won his first two races before finishing third in both the Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial in April and in the Preakness.
NYRA clockers credited Social Inclusion with a three-furlong breeze in 33.55 seconds and caught him galloping out a half-mile in :45 2/5, five-eighths in :58, and six furlongs in 1:09 4/5.
<object class="RDVideoObject" type="application/x-rn-downloaderpepperflashvideoshim-plugin" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFlggBgecIA" width="480" height="390" data-offsetleft="544" data-offsettop="1532"></object>
<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFlggBgecIA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true">"We weren't expecting him to go that fast," said Sanchez. "The horse was real good. The track was lightning fast, and that was the best gallop out he's ever had. He showed them this morning how good he is feeling."
Social Inclusion, who is trained by Manuel Azpurua, easily won his first two races before finishing third in both the Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial in April and in the Preakness.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Away from the commotion at Belmont Park, where California Chrome and Tonalist logged their final works before the Belmont Stakes on Saturday morning, Samraat geared up for the final leg of the Triple Crown at Aqueduct Racetrack. The son of
Noble Causeway went an easy mile in 1:47.55 seconds.
"It was very, very good," said Samraat's trainer, Rick Violette, who trains the colt for Len Riggio's My Meadowview Farm. "He went the last quarter in :24, which was just what we were looking for. He didn't break any stop watches, but it was pretty cool."
Samraat has not raced since the May 3 Kentucky Derby, in which he finished fifth after contesting the early pace. The 3-year-old colt started his career with five consecutive victories before finishing second behind Wicked Strong in the Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
Noble Causeway went an easy mile in 1:47.55 seconds.
"It was very, very good," said Samraat's trainer, Rick Violette, who trains the colt for Len Riggio's My Meadowview Farm. "He went the last quarter in :24, which was just what we were looking for. He didn't break any stop watches, but it was pretty cool."
Samraat has not raced since the May 3 Kentucky Derby, in which he finished fifth after contesting the early pace. The 3-year-old colt started his career with five consecutive victories before finishing second behind Wicked Strong in the Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
General a Rod, 11th in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Preakness, has joined the list of contenders for the Belmont Stakes after breezing five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on Saturday at Churchill Downs. He'll join California Chrome and Ride On Curlin in the group of horses who are set to run in all three legs of the Triple Crown.
"His workout was nothing out of character," said Mike Maker, who trains General a Rod for Skychai Racing and Starlight Racing. "He's always been a good work horse, and he had good energy this morning."
Rosie Napravnik will ride General a Rod in the Belmont Stakes, Maker said.
General a Rod won the Gulfstream Park Derby in January before finishing second in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in February and third in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in March. He was steadied on the first turn and in the stretch when beaten 9 ¼ lengths in the Derby and was shuffled back when beaten eight lengths in the Preakness.
"Sooner or later we'll have a good trip," said Maker.
General a Rod will fly to New York on Thursday, Maker said.
Trainer Dale Romans today sent out Belmont contender Medal Count for a second straight bullet work at Churchill Downs, where the bay son of Dynaformer covered six furlongs in a brisk 1:10 3/5, fastest of eight at the distance. Last week, Medal Count - who had an eventful trip when eighth in the Kentucky Derby in his most recent start - breezed five furlongs in 59 2/5.
Medal Count, who counts the Grade 3 Transylvania among his three career victories, will arrive at Belmont Park on Thursday on a flight from Kentucky along with the Mike Maker-trained General a Rod.
Medal Count will be the fifth Belmont starter for Romans, who was third in 2005 with Nolan's Count, third in 2010 with First Dude, fifth in 2011 with Preakness winner Shackleford, and seventh in 2012 with favored Dullahan.
"Like I said two years ago [before I'll Have Another scratched], I'm not out to spoil a Triple Crown, I want to win the Belmont Stakes," said Romans. "I wouldn't be coming if I didn't think the horse could do it."
"His workout was nothing out of character," said Mike Maker, who trains General a Rod for Skychai Racing and Starlight Racing. "He's always been a good work horse, and he had good energy this morning."
Rosie Napravnik will ride General a Rod in the Belmont Stakes, Maker said.
General a Rod won the Gulfstream Park Derby in January before finishing second in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in February and third in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in March. He was steadied on the first turn and in the stretch when beaten 9 ¼ lengths in the Derby and was shuffled back when beaten eight lengths in the Preakness.
"Sooner or later we'll have a good trip," said Maker.
General a Rod will fly to New York on Thursday, Maker said.
Trainer Dale Romans today sent out Belmont contender Medal Count for a second straight bullet work at Churchill Downs, where the bay son of Dynaformer covered six furlongs in a brisk 1:10 3/5, fastest of eight at the distance. Last week, Medal Count - who had an eventful trip when eighth in the Kentucky Derby in his most recent start - breezed five furlongs in 59 2/5.
"I thought he worked great and I was really happy with the way he galloped out," said Romans of the Spendthrift Farm color-bearer. "Belmont Park should suit him well and I don't think the mile-and-a-half will be an issue for him."Medal Count, who counts the Grade 3 Transylvania among his three career victories, will arrive at Belmont Park on Thursday on a flight from Kentucky along with the Mike Maker-trained General a Rod.
Medal Count will be the fifth Belmont starter for Romans, who was third in 2005 with Nolan's Count, third in 2010 with First Dude, fifth in 2011 with Preakness winner Shackleford, and seventh in 2012 with favored Dullahan.
"Like I said two years ago [before I'll Have Another scratched], I'm not out to spoil a Triple Crown, I want to win the Belmont Stakes," said Romans. "I wouldn't be coming if I didn't think the horse could do it."
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 6m
Wicked Strong breezed alone for <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes in :59 flat on training track
Wicked Strong breezed alone for <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes in :59 flat on training track
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 1h
<s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>belmontstakes contenders Commissioner & Matterhorn worked a little before 8am in company on the training track, :49 4/5 from NYRA clockers
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 1h
Princess of Sylmar, runs in Ogden Phipps on Belmont undercard, also worked in company with Divine Energy, :49 1/5 from NYRA clockers.
<s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes contender Commanding Curve also breezed this am, in company with Cost Effective. :47.38
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 50m
<s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes contender Ride On Curlin gets 1:28 and change for 7f at Belmont , will get more time info as available.
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 4m
Leading Met Mile contender and 2013 <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes winner Palace Malice after breezing :47.78 on the training track
<s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>belmontstakes contenders Commissioner & Matterhorn worked a little before 8am in company on the training track, :49 4/5 from NYRA clockers
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 1h
Princess of Sylmar, runs in Ogden Phipps on Belmont undercard, also worked in company with Divine Energy, :49 1/5 from NYRA clockers.
<s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes contender Commanding Curve also breezed this am, in company with Cost Effective. :47.38
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 50m
<s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes contender Ride On Curlin gets 1:28 and change for 7f at Belmont , will get more time info as available.
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 4m
Leading Met Mile contender and 2013 <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes winner Palace Malice after breezing :47.78 on the training track
Gandolf
Leader of the Van Buren Boys
They're really lining up for the Acorn now that Untapable is not coming.
Only four Grade 1 winners, three Grade 2 winners and four Grade 3 winners in the Met Mile, yikes. The lone non-graded stake winner in the field is Normandy Invasion.
Weather forecast is improving - 76 and partly sunny per the Weather Channel. Sunny day forecast for Friday should give us fast and firm all day.
And even though the turf at Big Sandy hasn't been playing well to early speed, there is no way I'm letting Little Mike beat me on another big race day.
Only four Grade 1 winners, three Grade 2 winners and four Grade 3 winners in the Met Mile, yikes. The lone non-graded stake winner in the field is Normandy Invasion.
Weather forecast is improving - 76 and partly sunny per the Weather Channel. Sunny day forecast for Friday should give us fast and firm all day.
And even though the turf at Big Sandy hasn't been playing well to early speed, there is no way I'm letting Little Mike beat me on another big race day.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
David Grening @DRFGrening · 8h
Pletcher happy enough w/ Unlimited Budget's turf breeze this morning to run her in Just a Game. She worked w/ Manhattan-bound Boisterous.
Pletcher happy enough w/ Unlimited Budget's turf breeze this morning to run her in Just a Game. She worked w/ Manhattan-bound Boisterous.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
[TABLE="class: ckeditor-styled-table, width: 100%"]
<tbody style="border-top-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; ">[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #CCCCCC, colspan: 6, align: center"][h=2]Belmont Stakes Contender Workouts[/h][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD="width: 15%"]HORSE / TRAINER[/TD]
[TD="width: 5%"]DATE[/TD]
[TD="width: 4%"]TRACK[/TD]
[TD="width: 1%"]DISTANCE[/TD]
[TD="width: 5%"]TIME[/TD]
[TD="width: 35%"]COMMENT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Wicked Strong
Jimmy Jerkens[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont training[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]59.17[/TD]
[TD]Wicked Strong impresses with late drill[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Commanding Curve
Dallas Stewart[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]47.20[/TD]
[TD]Commanding Curve finishes well[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ride On Curlin
Billy Gowan[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]7f[/TD]
[TD]1:28.03[/TD]
[TD]Ride On Curlin picks up pace turning for home[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Matterhorn
Todd Pletcher[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]49.74[/TD]
[TD]Matterhorn, Commissioner work in tandem[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Commissioner
Todd Pletcher[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]49.94[/TD]
[TD]Matterhorn, Commissioner work in tandem[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Matuszak
Bill Mott[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]1:00.92[/TD]
[TD]Matuszak surprises with impressive drill[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]California Chrome
Art Sherman[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]47.47[/TD]
[TD]California Chrome sharp in workout for Belmont Stakes[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]General a Rod
Mike Maker[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]TTC (Louisville)[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]1:00.20[/TD]
[TD]General a Rod to enter Belmont[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Samraat
Rick Violette[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Aqueduct[/TD]
[TD]1m[/TD]
[TD]1:47.43[/TD]
[TD]Violette pleased with final work[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Social Inclusion
Manny Azpurua[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]45.13[/TD]
[TD]Social Inclusion full of run[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tonalist
Christophe Clement[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]59.91[/TD]
[TD]Tonalist drills for Belmont Stakes[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
<tbody style="border-top-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; ">[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #CCCCCC, colspan: 6, align: center"][h=2]Belmont Stakes Contender Workouts[/h][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD="width: 15%"]HORSE / TRAINER[/TD]
[TD="width: 5%"]DATE[/TD]
[TD="width: 4%"]TRACK[/TD]
[TD="width: 1%"]DISTANCE[/TD]
[TD="width: 5%"]TIME[/TD]
[TD="width: 35%"]COMMENT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Wicked Strong
Jimmy Jerkens[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont training[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]59.17[/TD]
[TD]Wicked Strong impresses with late drill[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Commanding Curve
Dallas Stewart[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]47.20[/TD]
[TD]Commanding Curve finishes well[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ride On Curlin
Billy Gowan[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]7f[/TD]
[TD]1:28.03[/TD]
[TD]Ride On Curlin picks up pace turning for home[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Matterhorn
Todd Pletcher[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]49.74[/TD]
[TD]Matterhorn, Commissioner work in tandem[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Commissioner
Todd Pletcher[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]49.94[/TD]
[TD]Matterhorn, Commissioner work in tandem[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Matuszak
Bill Mott[/TD]
[TD]6/1[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]1:00.92[/TD]
[TD]Matuszak surprises with impressive drill[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]California Chrome
Art Sherman[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]47.47[/TD]
[TD]California Chrome sharp in workout for Belmont Stakes[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]General a Rod
Mike Maker[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]TTC (Louisville)[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]1:00.20[/TD]
[TD]General a Rod to enter Belmont[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Samraat
Rick Violette[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Aqueduct[/TD]
[TD]1m[/TD]
[TD]1:47.43[/TD]
[TD]Violette pleased with final work[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #F3F2F1"]
[TD]Social Inclusion
Manny Azpurua[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]4f[/TD]
[TD]45.13[/TD]
[TD]Social Inclusion full of run[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tonalist
Christophe Clement[/TD]
[TD]5/31[/TD]
[TD]Belmont[/TD]
[TD]5f[/TD]
[TD]59.91[/TD]
[TD]Tonalist drills for Belmont Stakes[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
I know Belmont has been running really fast the past few days but a 45.13 4F work is ridiculous
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
David Grening , Belmont Park<abbr class="timeago" title="" style="cursor: inherit; border-bottom-style: none;">about an hour ago</abbr>
[h=2]Social Inclusion "70-30' to Woody Stephens[/h]After a disappointing experience at the gate on Monday, Social Inclusion is now most likely to run in the $500,000 Woody Stephens at seven furlong on Saturday as opposed to the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes at 1 1-2-miles, owner Ron Sanchez said Monday morning.
“I’d say it’s 70-30 Woody Stephens,” said Sanchez, who added he would wait til Wednesday _ entry day _ to make it official.
Social Inclusion acted up at the gate to the point where his connections are required to bring him back to school again on Wednesday. According to Sanchez, Social Inclusion acted up a little bit the first time but went in okay. After being backed out, Social Inclusion got "nervous and sweaty" and was difficult to load, Sanchez said. "To tell you the truth we were disappointed,” Sanchez said. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Sanchez noted that with the Belmont Stakes starting in front of the grandstand, thus in front of a large crowd, Social Inclusion could possibly become unglued waiting to load. The Woody Stephens, a seven-furlong race, starts on the backside where there is no crowd.
[h=2]Social Inclusion "70-30' to Woody Stephens[/h]After a disappointing experience at the gate on Monday, Social Inclusion is now most likely to run in the $500,000 Woody Stephens at seven furlong on Saturday as opposed to the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes at 1 1-2-miles, owner Ron Sanchez said Monday morning.
“I’d say it’s 70-30 Woody Stephens,” said Sanchez, who added he would wait til Wednesday _ entry day _ to make it official.
Social Inclusion acted up at the gate to the point where his connections are required to bring him back to school again on Wednesday. According to Sanchez, Social Inclusion acted up a little bit the first time but went in okay. After being backed out, Social Inclusion got "nervous and sweaty" and was difficult to load, Sanchez said. "To tell you the truth we were disappointed,” Sanchez said. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Sanchez noted that with the Belmont Stakes starting in front of the grandstand, thus in front of a large crowd, Social Inclusion could possibly become unglued waiting to load. The Woody Stephens, a seven-furlong race, starts on the backside where there is no crowd.
Gandolf
Leader of the Van Buren Boys
If he defects to the Woody then I have a hard time seeing a pace scenario where Chrome is not sitting at the 1/4 pole in a strong position, either on the lead or just off the flank of Samraat or General a Rod under not too taxing fractions.
Saturday is going to be a race day unlike anything they've seen on the east coast in a long time. Triple Crown meets Breeders Cup!
Saturday is going to be a race day unlike anything they've seen on the east coast in a long time. Triple Crown meets Breeders Cup!
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
Looks like you guys won't have to worry about Little Mike
Ray Paulick @raypaulick <small class="time" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(136, 153, 166);"> now</small>
Trainer Carlo Vaccarezza says Little Mike, Little Daddy won't go to New York for #BelmontStakes day races because of licensing issues 1/2
Ray Paulick @raypaulick <small class="time" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(136, 153, 166);"> now</small>
Vaccarezza has been denied license in past by NY State Racing & Wagering Board, precursor to @NYSGamingComm, over John Gotti friendship.
Ray Paulick @raypaulick <small class="time" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(136, 153, 166);"> now</small>
Trainer Carlo Vaccarezza says Little Mike, Little Daddy won't go to New York for #BelmontStakes day races because of licensing issues 1/2
Ray Paulick @raypaulick <small class="time" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(136, 153, 166);"> now</small>
Vaccarezza has been denied license in past by NY State Racing & Wagering Board, precursor to @NYSGamingComm, over John Gotti friendship.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Triple Crown contender California Chrome returned to the Belmont Park main track on Monday morning, jogging once clockwise around the 1 ½-mile oval under regular exercise rider Willie Delgado.
The handsome chestnut colt, who is easy to spot on the track with his distinctive white blaze, had walked the shedrow Sunday morning following Saturday's final serious work for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes. The winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness is attempting to become the first horse since Affirmed to sweep all three races and become the 12th Triple Crown winner.
California Chrome is scheduled to resume galloping Tuesday morning, this time with trainer Art Sherman in attendance. The 77-year-old trainer returned to California following the Preakness, with his son, Alan, overseeing the colt's preparations in New York.
Matterhorn, most recently fourth in the Grade 2 Peter Pan at Belmont Park on May 10, will make his next start in Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
After speaking this afternoon with Aron Wellman, president of owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Pletcher confirmed that the bay Tapit colt will run in the 1 ½-mile Belmont and be ridden by Joe Bravo.
On Sunday, Matterhorn breezed a half-mile in 49.90 seconds over Belmont's training track in company with stablemateCommissioner, who also is Belmont Stakes-bound. Commissioner, owned by WinStar Farm, was timed in 49.86.
"The distance is the biggest [factor]," Pletcher said concerning Matterhorn's Belmont candidacy. "I thought he ran OK in the Peter Pan and made a pretty good middle move. I was encouraged by the way he galloped out afterward that a mile and a half would be in his wheelhouse."
Bravo will be riding in his third Belmont Stakes and first in 16 years. He was ninth with In Contention in 1996 and last of 11 on Basic Trainee in 1998.
Commissioner broke his maiden at Saratoga last August and was off until winning his 3-year-old debut going 1 1/8 miles on January 3 at Gulfstream Park. Since then, the A.P. Indy colt has finished off the board in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, second in the Peter Pan and third in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby.
"I thought his Peter Pan was an encouraging effort," Pletcher said. "The main thing is, we've always felt like the mile and a half was kind of what he was looking for."
In addition to Commissioner and Matterhorn, Pletcher also worked several horses on Sunday for this weekend's stakes, including Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap contender and 2013 Belmont winner Palace Malice (47.38, four furlongs), and multiple Grade 1 winnning-filly Princess of Sylmar (1:01.31, five furlongs) for the Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps.
"Everybody came out of their works well from yesterday," Pletcher said.
Belmont Stakes contender Tonalist appears to have bounced out of his Saturday morning work in good shape, according to the colt's trainer Christophe Clement.
"He went a mile and a quarter today and trained well," said Clement. "Everything is good; we'll plan on the same tomorrow. He schooled yesterday at lunch time and might school once more, either Wednesday or Thursday."
Tonalist went five furlongs in 1:00.11 over a tight Belmont main track, working in company with Life In Shambles an hour before California Chrome put in his final serious work before the June 7 Belmont Stakes.
The son of Tapit, owned by Robert Evans, captured the Grade 2 Peter Pan at Belmont by four lengths over another likely Belmont starter, Commissioner. The Belmont Stakes will mark only his fifth career start.
Clement says he has familiarized himself with the prospective field, but that ultimately Tonalist's fate is in the hands of jockey Joel Rosario.
"I've got a pretty good idea who's running, but I'm going to leave that up to [Joel Rosario]," said Clement. "I train and the jockey rides, and he's very good at what he does. My deal is to bring him there as fit as possible and feeling as good as possible and perfectly sound, and [Rosario] will have to worry about the race."
Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong had a quiet morning, walking the shed row of trainer Jimmy Jerkens' barn following Sunday's bullet five-furlong breeze in 59.10 seconds over Belmont's training track.
"We just wanted a decent work, and we got it," Jerkens, 55, said. "He's doing good."
Owned by Centennial Farms, Wicked Strong stumbled in the May 3 Kentucky Derby and ran into traffic before rallying to be fourth, beaten 5 ¾ lengths by California Chrome. Jerkens bypassed the Preakness on May 17 to point for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
"Unless you thought your horse had a real good excuse, which I guess we did, we just thought it would have been better to skip the Preakness," Jerkens said. "We thought we had the best shot in the Belmont out of all of them, even before we went to Kentucky. There's nothing like the Derby, but we thought the Belmont fit the horse a little better."
His victory in the Preakness makes California Chrome the 12th horse since Affirmed in 1978 with a chance to sweep the Triple Crown. A victory would follow in the family tradition established by his father, Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens, now 85, who gained a reputation as the "Giant Killer" for upsetting horses such as Secretariat, Kelso and Buckpasser.
"You can't concede races to horses," Jimmy Jerkens said. "You have to take a shot."
Jerkens said his father, now based at Gulfstream Park year-round, did not offer any words of wisdom for the Belmont.
"No, and I didn't think he would, either," Jerkens said. "If there was something glaring that he thought he should say something about, I'm sure he would. He's a man of few words."
With trainer Dallas Stewart holding the shank, Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve enthusiastically grazed outside barn 9 this morning after putting in his final tune-up for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
"He looks great," Stewart said. "He ate good last night, cooled out good yesterday, has good energy today, and his appetite's good. Everything so far is good with him."
This is the second straight year that Stewart comes to New York with a horse that ran second in the Derby and skipped the Preakness. Golden Soul was ninth of 14 behind Palace Malice in the 2013 Belmont.
"This horse, we were able to train a little more steady and a little more aggressive," Stewart said. "The other horse lost a little weight out of [the Derby]. It was muddy and he ran so hard, it was hard to get him back on that plateau. He felt good enough to run, but it just took some time with him."
Stewart said both Golden Soul and filly Unbridled Forever both emerged from Sunday's works in good shape. Golden Soul went a half-mile in 47.15 seconds and Unbridled Forever covered the same distance in 48.59, both over the main track.
Golden Soul will run in the Grade 2, $500,000 Brooklyn Invitational at 1 ½ miles, and Unbridled Forever is scheduled to start in the Grade 1, $750,000 TVG Acorn for 3-year-old fillies. Both races are part of Saturday's Belmont undercard.
"I'm very happy with all my horses," Stewart said. "They each bounced back out of their races good. I'm looking forward to Saturday."
Despite being one of only three horses this year in position to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown, Grade 1 Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin continues to flourish for trainer Billy Gowan.
The bay son of two-time Horse of the Year and 2007 Belmont Stakes runner-up Curlin walked the shed row this morning following his seven-furlong work in 1:28.03 over Belmont's main track on Sunday.
Saturday's 146th Belmont Stakes will be the seventh start this year for Ride On Curlin, who was seventh behind California Chrome in the Kentucky Derby.
"He's perfect. Real good. I couldn't hold him on the ground," Gowan said. "He was like that the day after the Derby, too. He's just a tough horse; you can't knock him out. I worked him seven-eighths yesterday and he was bucking and playing this morning. I had to walk him with the lip chain. It's pretty amazing really. You don't find horses like that every day."
Once again, Ride On Curlin shares a shed row with California Chrome, who pushed his win streak to six races with a 1 ½-length victory in the Preakness. It was the closest any horse has gotten to the Triple Crown candidate during the streak.
"It's fun being in it, for sure. Being part of the Triple Crown is great," Gowan said. "This is just another race to me. You pull the girth the same as you do on a $5,000 claimer. It's a fact. You don't do anything different. You bridle them, you put the chamois on, you pull the girth and hope the rider doesn't screw it up."
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott continues to be pleased with the way Belmont Stakes contender Matuszak is progressing into the race.
The son of 2006 3-year-old champion Bernardini walked this morning after going five furlongs in 1:00.94 in company with stablemate Maximus Mike on Sunday.
"He looks fine," Mott said. "He worked well, and he's feeling good."
Among the horses that breezed for Mott on Monday was filly Close Hatches, one of the top choices in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps for older females. She was timed by NYRA clockers in 47.25 seconds for a half-mile over the main track, the fastest of 37 works.
"She went well," Mott said. "We liked the way she went. I thought she was showing good energy."
Close Hatches is 2-for-2 this year, opening her 4-year-old campaign with victories in the Grade 2 Azeri on March 15 and the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 11, both at Oaklawn Park.
Last year, the daughter of First Defence won five of eight starts with two seconds, including triumphs in the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Cotillion before finishing second behind Ogden Phipps contender Beholder in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
"She'll have to keep improving, of course, to win the type of races that she's going to be in on Saturday," Mott said. "She's kind of maintained that desire to win."
A decision is expected on Wednesday morning whether Social Inclusion, third in both the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and Grade 1 Preakness, will compete in either the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes or Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens at seven furlongs on Saturday.
Owner Ron Sanchez said the Pioneerof the Nile colt was "70-30" to run in the Woody Stephens after having trouble schooling at the gate this morning. He is scheduled to school again during training hours on Wednesday.
"This morning we schooled him and he was acting up a little bit," Sanchez said. "He started getting a little bit nervous and sweating, and we have to work on that. He was kind of nervous before he went to the gate the first time, but he was calm. When he went back again, he was acting up. We have to do it again on Wednesday and then we'll see. If the entries were taken today, we would not run [in the Belmont]. It wouldn't make any sense."
Wherever he runs next, Social Inclusion will have a new rider. Irad Ortiz, Jr., leading the current Belmont Park meet in wins (24) and mounts (138), replaces Luis Contreras, who had been aboard for each of the horse's first four starts.
"He's a local rider, and he's in a good frame of mind," Sanchez said. "I like the way he rides, and he fits with the horse. Definitely, no matter which race we are going, he has to take the lead. We are focused on the future, and to keep this horse healthy. He's healthy, so we'll see what happens."
Looking down the road, Sanchez mentioned the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, and the Breeders' Cup as targets for Social Inclusion.
"We have time. We are going to do what's best for the horse," he said. "There's a lot of good races coming up."
The handsome chestnut colt, who is easy to spot on the track with his distinctive white blaze, had walked the shedrow Sunday morning following Saturday's final serious work for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes. The winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness is attempting to become the first horse since Affirmed to sweep all three races and become the 12th Triple Crown winner.
California Chrome is scheduled to resume galloping Tuesday morning, this time with trainer Art Sherman in attendance. The 77-year-old trainer returned to California following the Preakness, with his son, Alan, overseeing the colt's preparations in New York.
Matterhorn, most recently fourth in the Grade 2 Peter Pan at Belmont Park on May 10, will make his next start in Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
After speaking this afternoon with Aron Wellman, president of owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Pletcher confirmed that the bay Tapit colt will run in the 1 ½-mile Belmont and be ridden by Joe Bravo.
On Sunday, Matterhorn breezed a half-mile in 49.90 seconds over Belmont's training track in company with stablemateCommissioner, who also is Belmont Stakes-bound. Commissioner, owned by WinStar Farm, was timed in 49.86.
"The distance is the biggest [factor]," Pletcher said concerning Matterhorn's Belmont candidacy. "I thought he ran OK in the Peter Pan and made a pretty good middle move. I was encouraged by the way he galloped out afterward that a mile and a half would be in his wheelhouse."
Bravo will be riding in his third Belmont Stakes and first in 16 years. He was ninth with In Contention in 1996 and last of 11 on Basic Trainee in 1998.
Commissioner broke his maiden at Saratoga last August and was off until winning his 3-year-old debut going 1 1/8 miles on January 3 at Gulfstream Park. Since then, the A.P. Indy colt has finished off the board in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, second in the Peter Pan and third in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby.
"I thought his Peter Pan was an encouraging effort," Pletcher said. "The main thing is, we've always felt like the mile and a half was kind of what he was looking for."
In addition to Commissioner and Matterhorn, Pletcher also worked several horses on Sunday for this weekend's stakes, including Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap contender and 2013 Belmont winner Palace Malice (47.38, four furlongs), and multiple Grade 1 winnning-filly Princess of Sylmar (1:01.31, five furlongs) for the Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps.
"Everybody came out of their works well from yesterday," Pletcher said.
Belmont Stakes contender Tonalist appears to have bounced out of his Saturday morning work in good shape, according to the colt's trainer Christophe Clement.
"He went a mile and a quarter today and trained well," said Clement. "Everything is good; we'll plan on the same tomorrow. He schooled yesterday at lunch time and might school once more, either Wednesday or Thursday."
Tonalist went five furlongs in 1:00.11 over a tight Belmont main track, working in company with Life In Shambles an hour before California Chrome put in his final serious work before the June 7 Belmont Stakes.
The son of Tapit, owned by Robert Evans, captured the Grade 2 Peter Pan at Belmont by four lengths over another likely Belmont starter, Commissioner. The Belmont Stakes will mark only his fifth career start.
Clement says he has familiarized himself with the prospective field, but that ultimately Tonalist's fate is in the hands of jockey Joel Rosario.
"I've got a pretty good idea who's running, but I'm going to leave that up to [Joel Rosario]," said Clement. "I train and the jockey rides, and he's very good at what he does. My deal is to bring him there as fit as possible and feeling as good as possible and perfectly sound, and [Rosario] will have to worry about the race."
Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong had a quiet morning, walking the shed row of trainer Jimmy Jerkens' barn following Sunday's bullet five-furlong breeze in 59.10 seconds over Belmont's training track.
"We just wanted a decent work, and we got it," Jerkens, 55, said. "He's doing good."
Owned by Centennial Farms, Wicked Strong stumbled in the May 3 Kentucky Derby and ran into traffic before rallying to be fourth, beaten 5 ¾ lengths by California Chrome. Jerkens bypassed the Preakness on May 17 to point for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
"Unless you thought your horse had a real good excuse, which I guess we did, we just thought it would have been better to skip the Preakness," Jerkens said. "We thought we had the best shot in the Belmont out of all of them, even before we went to Kentucky. There's nothing like the Derby, but we thought the Belmont fit the horse a little better."
His victory in the Preakness makes California Chrome the 12th horse since Affirmed in 1978 with a chance to sweep the Triple Crown. A victory would follow in the family tradition established by his father, Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens, now 85, who gained a reputation as the "Giant Killer" for upsetting horses such as Secretariat, Kelso and Buckpasser.
"You can't concede races to horses," Jimmy Jerkens said. "You have to take a shot."
Jerkens said his father, now based at Gulfstream Park year-round, did not offer any words of wisdom for the Belmont.
"No, and I didn't think he would, either," Jerkens said. "If there was something glaring that he thought he should say something about, I'm sure he would. He's a man of few words."
With trainer Dallas Stewart holding the shank, Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve enthusiastically grazed outside barn 9 this morning after putting in his final tune-up for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
"He looks great," Stewart said. "He ate good last night, cooled out good yesterday, has good energy today, and his appetite's good. Everything so far is good with him."
This is the second straight year that Stewart comes to New York with a horse that ran second in the Derby and skipped the Preakness. Golden Soul was ninth of 14 behind Palace Malice in the 2013 Belmont.
"This horse, we were able to train a little more steady and a little more aggressive," Stewart said. "The other horse lost a little weight out of [the Derby]. It was muddy and he ran so hard, it was hard to get him back on that plateau. He felt good enough to run, but it just took some time with him."
Stewart said both Golden Soul and filly Unbridled Forever both emerged from Sunday's works in good shape. Golden Soul went a half-mile in 47.15 seconds and Unbridled Forever covered the same distance in 48.59, both over the main track.
Golden Soul will run in the Grade 2, $500,000 Brooklyn Invitational at 1 ½ miles, and Unbridled Forever is scheduled to start in the Grade 1, $750,000 TVG Acorn for 3-year-old fillies. Both races are part of Saturday's Belmont undercard.
"I'm very happy with all my horses," Stewart said. "They each bounced back out of their races good. I'm looking forward to Saturday."
Despite being one of only three horses this year in position to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown, Grade 1 Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin continues to flourish for trainer Billy Gowan.
The bay son of two-time Horse of the Year and 2007 Belmont Stakes runner-up Curlin walked the shed row this morning following his seven-furlong work in 1:28.03 over Belmont's main track on Sunday.
Saturday's 146th Belmont Stakes will be the seventh start this year for Ride On Curlin, who was seventh behind California Chrome in the Kentucky Derby.
"He's perfect. Real good. I couldn't hold him on the ground," Gowan said. "He was like that the day after the Derby, too. He's just a tough horse; you can't knock him out. I worked him seven-eighths yesterday and he was bucking and playing this morning. I had to walk him with the lip chain. It's pretty amazing really. You don't find horses like that every day."
Once again, Ride On Curlin shares a shed row with California Chrome, who pushed his win streak to six races with a 1 ½-length victory in the Preakness. It was the closest any horse has gotten to the Triple Crown candidate during the streak.
"It's fun being in it, for sure. Being part of the Triple Crown is great," Gowan said. "This is just another race to me. You pull the girth the same as you do on a $5,000 claimer. It's a fact. You don't do anything different. You bridle them, you put the chamois on, you pull the girth and hope the rider doesn't screw it up."
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott continues to be pleased with the way Belmont Stakes contender Matuszak is progressing into the race.
The son of 2006 3-year-old champion Bernardini walked this morning after going five furlongs in 1:00.94 in company with stablemate Maximus Mike on Sunday.
"He looks fine," Mott said. "He worked well, and he's feeling good."
Among the horses that breezed for Mott on Monday was filly Close Hatches, one of the top choices in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps for older females. She was timed by NYRA clockers in 47.25 seconds for a half-mile over the main track, the fastest of 37 works.
"She went well," Mott said. "We liked the way she went. I thought she was showing good energy."
Close Hatches is 2-for-2 this year, opening her 4-year-old campaign with victories in the Grade 2 Azeri on March 15 and the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 11, both at Oaklawn Park.
Last year, the daughter of First Defence won five of eight starts with two seconds, including triumphs in the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Cotillion before finishing second behind Ogden Phipps contender Beholder in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
"She'll have to keep improving, of course, to win the type of races that she's going to be in on Saturday," Mott said. "She's kind of maintained that desire to win."
A decision is expected on Wednesday morning whether Social Inclusion, third in both the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and Grade 1 Preakness, will compete in either the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes or Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens at seven furlongs on Saturday.
Owner Ron Sanchez said the Pioneerof the Nile colt was "70-30" to run in the Woody Stephens after having trouble schooling at the gate this morning. He is scheduled to school again during training hours on Wednesday.
"This morning we schooled him and he was acting up a little bit," Sanchez said. "He started getting a little bit nervous and sweating, and we have to work on that. He was kind of nervous before he went to the gate the first time, but he was calm. When he went back again, he was acting up. We have to do it again on Wednesday and then we'll see. If the entries were taken today, we would not run [in the Belmont]. It wouldn't make any sense."
Wherever he runs next, Social Inclusion will have a new rider. Irad Ortiz, Jr., leading the current Belmont Park meet in wins (24) and mounts (138), replaces Luis Contreras, who had been aboard for each of the horse's first four starts.
"He's a local rider, and he's in a good frame of mind," Sanchez said. "I like the way he rides, and he fits with the horse. Definitely, no matter which race we are going, he has to take the lead. We are focused on the future, and to keep this horse healthy. He's healthy, so we'll see what happens."
Looking down the road, Sanchez mentioned the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, and the Breeders' Cup as targets for Social Inclusion.
"We have time. We are going to do what's best for the horse," he said. "There's a lot of good races coming up."
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
David Grening @DRFGrening · 5h
Bob Baffert aiming 3 horses for the Belmont Stakes undercard: Bayern (Woody Stephens), Shakin It Up (Met Mile), Cat Burglar (Brooklyn)
Bob Baffert aiming 3 horses for the Belmont Stakes undercard: Bayern (Woody Stephens), Shakin It Up (Met Mile), Cat Burglar (Brooklyn)
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Beholder and Close Hatches both work: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/85443/beholder-close-hatches-work-for-ogden-phipps
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
[h=1]Sparkman: Does California Chrome have a Triple Crown pedigree?[/h]By John P. Sparkman
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The short answer to that headlined question is no.
The longer – much longer – answer is: Well, maybe, depending on how you look at it.
Navigating from the short, easy answer to the longer, more equivocal answer requires at least a cursory analysis of the pedigrees of the 11 previous Triple Crownwinners as a baseline.
As illustrated by the first column in the accompanying box that details the basic pedigree data of the 11 previous American Triple Crown winners, the reason the short answer to the question must be no is California Chrome’s sire, Lucky Pulpit. Every one of the sires of the 11 American Triple Crown winners to date won the equivalent of a modern Grade 1 or Group 1 race. Lucky Pulpit did not.
Star Shoot, sire of the first Triple Crown<nobr>winner</nobr>, Sir Barton, was a brilliant 2-year-old in England in 1900, and the last of his three victories was a dead heat in the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, then one of the two richest <nobr>juvenile</nobr> races in England and certainly the equivalent of a modern Group 1 race. Star Shoot developed wind problems after those first three victories and never won again but clearly possessed brilliant speed for his era.
Gallant Fox’s sire, Sir Gallahad III, won the 1923 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French equivalent of the classic 2000 Guineas, and Gallant Fox’s Triple Crown victories were obviously Grade 1 equivalents. No one would question that Man o’ War, War Admiral’s sire, was the equivalent of a modern Grade 1 winner, and Whirlaway’s sire, Blenheim II, won the Epsom Derby, while Count Fleet’s sire, Reigh Count, was a Kentucky Derby winner.
Assault’s sire, Bold Venture, won both the Derby and the Preakness, while Citation’s sire, <nobr>Bull</nobr>Lea, captured the Widener Handicap at 4, which was a higher-class race in the 1930s than the Blue Grass Stakes that Bull Lea won at 3. Secretariat’s sire, Bold Ruler, was another classic winner and champion, capturing the 1957 Preakness. Seattle Slew’s sire, Bold Reasoning, won the 1971 Jersey Derby, while Affirmed’s sire, Exclusive Native, captured the 1968 Arlington Classic, both races that were classified as Grade 1 races when the American graded race system was<nobr>inaugurated</nobr> in 1973.
The weakest claims to Grade 1 status among those 11 sires are probably Star Shoot, Bold Reasoning, and Exclusive Native. All three, however, were undeniably far more accomplished racehorses in their time than was Lucky Pulpit. As we detailed in the April 13, 2014, issue ofDaily Racing Form, Lucky Pulpit was a good and perhaps slightly unlucky racehorse who won the 2005 Smile Stakes over five furlongs on turf at Arlington Park. His best performances at graded stakes level, though, were second, finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind St Averil in the 2004 Grade 2 Santa Catalina Stakes, and third, beaten a nose and two lengths by Castledale and Dealer Choice in the 2003 Grade 3 Generous Stakes. In Lucky Pulpit’s only start in a Grade 1 race, the 2004<nobr>Santa Anita</nobr> Derby, he finished seventh, 11 1/2 lengths behind winner Castledale.
All 11 sires of American Triple Crown winners were also highly successful sires, and seven of the 11 led the American sire list at least once. Gallant Fox ranked among the top five American sires twice and sired Triple Crown winner Omaha in his first crop and Belmont winner and Horse of the Year Granville in his second, but his production declined sharply in subsequent crops. Reigh Count, sire of Count Fleet, never sired another champion but was a solid sire of tough stayers who also ranked among the top five sires twice.
Bold Venture, sire of Assault, was subfertile, siring only 178 foals in 20 crops, but Derby and Belmont winner Middleground was also among his 12 stakes winners. Bold Reasoning stood less than three seasons at stud before a fatal breeding shed accident and sired only 64 foals, but 10 were stakes winners, including French champion 2-year-old Super Concorde in addition to Seattle Slew.
California Chrome is from Lucky Pulpit’s fourth crop, and though he has shown some promise from a relatively modest opportunity, there is no way to argue that Lucky Pulpit is anywhere close to the same class as either a racehorse or sire as the sires of the 11 previous Triple Crown winners. That does not mean he was a bad racehorse or that he is a bad sire, but his record either on the track or at stud simply does not match up to any of the previous Triple Crown sires.
Analysis of the qualifications of California Chrome’s dam, Love the Chase, as the dam of a potential Triple Crown winner is a bit more problematic and provides some pedigree-based hope for the 2014 Derby and Preakness winner’s millions of fans. Her race record as the winner of a maiden race is as good as some of the other dams of Triple Crown winners and better than that of most. Flambino, dam of Omaha and winner of the 1927 Gazelle Stakes, is the only Triple Crown dam who was the equivalent of a modern graded stakes winner, but Seattle Slew’s dam, stakes winner My Charmer, Count Fleet’s dam, 32-time winner Quickly, and Affirmed’s dam, five-time winner Won’t Tell You, showed more racing class than Love the Chase.
Eight of the 11 dams of Triple Crown winners also produced other stakes winners during their broodmare careers, including seven who produced other winners of Grade 1/Group 1 races or their equivalents. California Chrome is Love the Chase’s first foal, and it is certainly possible that she will produce other high-class runners before her breeding career is over, especially if she is eventually covered by stallions who have repeatedly proven their ability to sire Grade 1 winners. The dams of Gallant Fox, Omaha, Assault, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed all produced their second-best runner after producing their Triple Crown winners, so the likelihood of Love the Chase being a multiple-stakes producer is actually relatively high.
Though it has not been productive at the top level in recent generations, Love the Chase’s female line does have connections, though genetically distant, to the American classics. Her eighth dam, Uncle’s Lassie, by Uncle, was the dam of 1929 Kentucky Derby winner Clyde Van Dusen, by Man o’ War, third dam of 1957 Derby winner Iron Liege, and fourth dam of 1955 Derby winner Swaps.
The influence of those distant female line relatives on the pedigree of California Chrome is tenuous at best, but there is another factor in his dam’s pedigree that is arguably more propitious. As has been widely publicized, Love the Chase is inbred 3x3 to 1971 champion 2-year-old filly Numbered Account. That inbreeding, plus a 3x4 duplication of the great Northern Dancer, gives Love the Chase an inbreeding coefficient of 5.52 percent.
As the accompanying table shows, the dams of three of the last four Triple Crown winners – Citation, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed – all were highly inbred. Hydroplane II, dam of Citation, was inbred 5x4x3 to St. Simon, with two additional crosses of St. Simon’s sire, Galopin, within the first six generations and a double of Hampton in the fifth, for an inbreeding coefficient of 3.99 percent. Seattle Slew’s dam, My Charmer, carries the full sisters Striking and Busher in the third generation of her pedigree, making her inbred 4x4 to their sire, War Admiral, and dam, Baby League.
Won’t Tell You, dam of Affirmed, is the most intensely inbred dam of a Triple Crown winner to date. Like My Charmer, she is inbred through full siblings, with full brothers Fighting Fox and Gallant Fox in her pedigree making her inbred 3x5 to both Sir Gallahad III and Marguerite, and she also carries another cross of Sir Gallahad in the fourth generation, plus a fourth-generation cross of Sir Gallahad’s full brother Bull Dog, which helps to increase her inbreeding coefficient to 5.18 percent.
Love the Chase’s inbreeding to Numbered Account in fact gives her an interesting connection to the pedigree of Seattle Slew’s dam, My Charmer. Numbered Account herself is inbred to 3x4 to War Admiral through her third dam, Striking, and through Striking’s three-quarter sister Busanda, who was by War Admiral out of Baby League’s half-sister Businesslike, and also carries a third cross of War Admiral through Iron Maiden, the dam of Iron Liege and grandam of Swaps.
Numbers-crunchers will tell us that previous inbreeding to Numbered Account (or just about any other inbreeding target one can name) has failed to produce top-class runners with significantly higher frequency than predicted by chance. They would be correct.
What that number-bludgeoning approach cannot tell us, though, is whether such inbreeding is significant in an individual case like California Chrome. Just because a particular genetic combination does not, on average, offer a performance advantage does not mean that it never does. Genetic analysis simply is not advanced enough at this stage to tell us which genes are inherited from specific ancestors.
Until that day arrives, we are left with speculation, and crediting California Chrome’s unexpected talent partly to inbreeding to Numbered Account is as good a guess as any.
Likewise, we will have to wait until California Chrome hits the finish line June 7 at Belmont Park to find out whether he has a Triple Crown winner’s pedigree.
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Barbara D. Livingston
John Sparkman examines California Chrome's pedigree in relation to the 11 Triple Crown <nobr>winners</nobr>.The short answer to that headlined question is no.
The longer – much longer – answer is: Well, maybe, depending on how you look at it.
Navigating from the short, easy answer to the longer, more equivocal answer requires at least a cursory analysis of the pedigrees of the 11 previous Triple Crownwinners as a baseline.
As illustrated by the first column in the accompanying box that details the basic pedigree data of the 11 previous American Triple Crown winners, the reason the short answer to the question must be no is California Chrome’s sire, Lucky Pulpit. Every one of the sires of the 11 American Triple Crown winners to date won the equivalent of a modern Grade 1 or Group 1 race. Lucky Pulpit did not.
Star Shoot, sire of the first Triple Crown<nobr>winner</nobr>, Sir Barton, was a brilliant 2-year-old in England in 1900, and the last of his three victories was a dead heat in the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, then one of the two richest <nobr>juvenile</nobr> races in England and certainly the equivalent of a modern Group 1 race. Star Shoot developed wind problems after those first three victories and never won again but clearly possessed brilliant speed for his era.
Gallant Fox’s sire, Sir Gallahad III, won the 1923 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French equivalent of the classic 2000 Guineas, and Gallant Fox’s Triple Crown victories were obviously Grade 1 equivalents. No one would question that Man o’ War, War Admiral’s sire, was the equivalent of a modern Grade 1 winner, and Whirlaway’s sire, Blenheim II, won the Epsom Derby, while Count Fleet’s sire, Reigh Count, was a Kentucky Derby winner.
Assault’s sire, Bold Venture, won both the Derby and the Preakness, while Citation’s sire, <nobr>Bull</nobr>Lea, captured the Widener Handicap at 4, which was a higher-class race in the 1930s than the Blue Grass Stakes that Bull Lea won at 3. Secretariat’s sire, Bold Ruler, was another classic winner and champion, capturing the 1957 Preakness. Seattle Slew’s sire, Bold Reasoning, won the 1971 Jersey Derby, while Affirmed’s sire, Exclusive Native, captured the 1968 Arlington Classic, both races that were classified as Grade 1 races when the American graded race system was<nobr>inaugurated</nobr> in 1973.
The weakest claims to Grade 1 status among those 11 sires are probably Star Shoot, Bold Reasoning, and Exclusive Native. All three, however, were undeniably far more accomplished racehorses in their time than was Lucky Pulpit. As we detailed in the April 13, 2014, issue ofDaily Racing Form, Lucky Pulpit was a good and perhaps slightly unlucky racehorse who won the 2005 Smile Stakes over five furlongs on turf at Arlington Park. His best performances at graded stakes level, though, were second, finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind St Averil in the 2004 Grade 2 Santa Catalina Stakes, and third, beaten a nose and two lengths by Castledale and Dealer Choice in the 2003 Grade 3 Generous Stakes. In Lucky Pulpit’s only start in a Grade 1 race, the 2004<nobr>Santa Anita</nobr> Derby, he finished seventh, 11 1/2 lengths behind winner Castledale.
All 11 sires of American Triple Crown winners were also highly successful sires, and seven of the 11 led the American sire list at least once. Gallant Fox ranked among the top five American sires twice and sired Triple Crown winner Omaha in his first crop and Belmont winner and Horse of the Year Granville in his second, but his production declined sharply in subsequent crops. Reigh Count, sire of Count Fleet, never sired another champion but was a solid sire of tough stayers who also ranked among the top five sires twice.
Bold Venture, sire of Assault, was subfertile, siring only 178 foals in 20 crops, but Derby and Belmont winner Middleground was also among his 12 stakes winners. Bold Reasoning stood less than three seasons at stud before a fatal breeding shed accident and sired only 64 foals, but 10 were stakes winners, including French champion 2-year-old Super Concorde in addition to Seattle Slew.
California Chrome is from Lucky Pulpit’s fourth crop, and though he has shown some promise from a relatively modest opportunity, there is no way to argue that Lucky Pulpit is anywhere close to the same class as either a racehorse or sire as the sires of the 11 previous Triple Crown winners. That does not mean he was a bad racehorse or that he is a bad sire, but his record either on the track or at stud simply does not match up to any of the previous Triple Crown sires.
Analysis of the qualifications of California Chrome’s dam, Love the Chase, as the dam of a potential Triple Crown winner is a bit more problematic and provides some pedigree-based hope for the 2014 Derby and Preakness winner’s millions of fans. Her race record as the winner of a maiden race is as good as some of the other dams of Triple Crown winners and better than that of most. Flambino, dam of Omaha and winner of the 1927 Gazelle Stakes, is the only Triple Crown dam who was the equivalent of a modern graded stakes winner, but Seattle Slew’s dam, stakes winner My Charmer, Count Fleet’s dam, 32-time winner Quickly, and Affirmed’s dam, five-time winner Won’t Tell You, showed more racing class than Love the Chase.
Eight of the 11 dams of Triple Crown winners also produced other stakes winners during their broodmare careers, including seven who produced other winners of Grade 1/Group 1 races or their equivalents. California Chrome is Love the Chase’s first foal, and it is certainly possible that she will produce other high-class runners before her breeding career is over, especially if she is eventually covered by stallions who have repeatedly proven their ability to sire Grade 1 winners. The dams of Gallant Fox, Omaha, Assault, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed all produced their second-best runner after producing their Triple Crown winners, so the likelihood of Love the Chase being a multiple-stakes producer is actually relatively high.
Though it has not been productive at the top level in recent generations, Love the Chase’s female line does have connections, though genetically distant, to the American classics. Her eighth dam, Uncle’s Lassie, by Uncle, was the dam of 1929 Kentucky Derby winner Clyde Van Dusen, by Man o’ War, third dam of 1957 Derby winner Iron Liege, and fourth dam of 1955 Derby winner Swaps.
The influence of those distant female line relatives on the pedigree of California Chrome is tenuous at best, but there is another factor in his dam’s pedigree that is arguably more propitious. As has been widely publicized, Love the Chase is inbred 3x3 to 1971 champion 2-year-old filly Numbered Account. That inbreeding, plus a 3x4 duplication of the great Northern Dancer, gives Love the Chase an inbreeding coefficient of 5.52 percent.
As the accompanying table shows, the dams of three of the last four Triple Crown winners – Citation, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed – all were highly inbred. Hydroplane II, dam of Citation, was inbred 5x4x3 to St. Simon, with two additional crosses of St. Simon’s sire, Galopin, within the first six generations and a double of Hampton in the fifth, for an inbreeding coefficient of 3.99 percent. Seattle Slew’s dam, My Charmer, carries the full sisters Striking and Busher in the third generation of her pedigree, making her inbred 4x4 to their sire, War Admiral, and dam, Baby League.
Won’t Tell You, dam of Affirmed, is the most intensely inbred dam of a Triple Crown winner to date. Like My Charmer, she is inbred through full siblings, with full brothers Fighting Fox and Gallant Fox in her pedigree making her inbred 3x5 to both Sir Gallahad III and Marguerite, and she also carries another cross of Sir Gallahad in the fourth generation, plus a fourth-generation cross of Sir Gallahad’s full brother Bull Dog, which helps to increase her inbreeding coefficient to 5.18 percent.
Love the Chase’s inbreeding to Numbered Account in fact gives her an interesting connection to the pedigree of Seattle Slew’s dam, My Charmer. Numbered Account herself is inbred to 3x4 to War Admiral through her third dam, Striking, and through Striking’s three-quarter sister Busanda, who was by War Admiral out of Baby League’s half-sister Businesslike, and also carries a third cross of War Admiral through Iron Maiden, the dam of Iron Liege and grandam of Swaps.
Numbers-crunchers will tell us that previous inbreeding to Numbered Account (or just about any other inbreeding target one can name) has failed to produce top-class runners with significantly higher frequency than predicted by chance. They would be correct.
What that number-bludgeoning approach cannot tell us, though, is whether such inbreeding is significant in an individual case like California Chrome. Just because a particular genetic combination does not, on average, offer a performance advantage does not mean that it never does. Genetic analysis simply is not advanced enough at this stage to tell us which genes are inherited from specific ancestors.
Until that day arrives, we are left with speculation, and crediting California Chrome’s unexpected talent partly to inbreeding to Numbered Account is as good a guess as any.
Likewise, we will have to wait until California Chrome hits the finish line June 7 at Belmont Park to find out whether he has a Triple Crown winner’s pedigree.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Clocker's Report videos: http://www.drf.com/events/belmont-stakes
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
Probably not going to run in the Belmont, more likely to run in the Woody Stephens. No way Social Inclusion wins at 12 furlongs in my opinion.
Gandolf
Leader of the Van Buren Boys
Did Gyno steal your password or something?
Gandolf
Leader of the Van Buren Boys
The reason being that Social Inclusion looks like a horse that needs to be in the lead to be at his best, and its a tall order to run 1 1/2 miles on the lead. It's happened but its rare. If your leading you're probably going to fast to maintain for the full distance.
Throw in the fact that Social Inclusion is a horse that tends to get stressed pre-race (washed out, acts up heading to the gate) and you've got a horse that wants the lead but has already burned some of the energy he'll need to conserve to last the distance before the gate even opens.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Claire Novak @BH_CNovak · 9h
Linda Rice says still no decision on Kid Cruz for <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes, will make call tomorrow am (entry day). Could run in Dwyer instead.
Linda Rice says still no decision on Kid Cruz for <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210); ">#</s>BelmontStakes, will make call tomorrow am (entry day). Could run in Dwyer instead.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Nice try, Claire..
David Grening @DRFGrening · 6h
Kid Cruz "definitely not running in the Belmont," per Linda Rice. "We may enter in the Easy Goer and take a look at that."
David Grening @DRFGrening · 6h
Kid Cruz "definitely not running in the Belmont," per Linda Rice. "We may enter in the Easy Goer and take a look at that."
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
This is shocking to me:
David Grening @DRFGrening · 9h
Art Sherman sounds confident California Chrome would race as a 4 year old even if he wins Triple Crown
David Grening @DRFGrening · 9h
Art Sherman sounds confident California Chrome would race as a 4 year old even if he wins Triple Crown
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Under the watchful eye of trainer Art Sherman, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome galloped 2 3/8 miles over the main track on a warm and sunny morning at Belmont Park.
It was the first morning on the backstretch for the 77-year-old Sherman, who arrived from California late Monday afternoon and had a quick visit with his stable star, who is aiming to become the 12th Triple Crown champion with a victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.
"I haven't been back here for a lot of years, and I rode here years ago," said Sherman, who won more than 2,000 races as a jockey from 1957-78. "It's changed quite a bit. I didn't realize it was this big. After you get away from it, it's a huge racetrack. It's beautiful. It's good to be back."
After schooling in the paddock, California Chrome got a hug around the neck from regular exercise rider Willie Delgado before heading to the 1 ½-mile track, where he jogged four furlongs before turning around for his slow and easy gallop.
<object class="RDVideoObject" type="application/x-rn-downloaderpepperflashvideoshim-plugin" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ICxNVNskfM" width="480" height="390" data-offsetleft="544" data-offsettop="842"></object>
<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ICxNVNskfM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true">"I thought he looked better now than he did after the Preakness," Sherman said. "I couldn't believe how much weight he put on. He really looks good right now. Going on the Triple Crown trail, it's kind of rough. He's an amazing horse."
Sherman returned to Los Alamitos Race Course near Los Angeles following the May 17 Preakness, leaving California Chrome with his son and assistant, Alan. The California-bred son of Lucky Pulpit will be the heavy favorite to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
"I don't think he has to win the Triple Crown to be a hero," Sherman said. "He's on a six-race winning streak. He'll always be my hero. Just to win the Derby and Preakness is good enough for me. If he gets the Belmont, that's the hat trick. Believe me, I'll be really satisfied then. I'm the kind of guy that I take one race at a time. I hope we have a good trip and everybody comes away healthy. That's my main concern."
Sherman said his last visit to New York came in 2005, when he attended the Breeders' Cup to cheer on his friend and fellow trainer Greg Gilchrist and his horse, Lost in the Fog. Despite finishing seventh in the Sprint, the 3-year-old earned the Eclipse Award as champion sprinter.
"I am kind of a city guy," Sherman said. "I like going around, and New York has always been a fun town for me. I remember when I was riding, there was a lot of action when I was a young feller."
Sherman, who has won nearly 2,200 races as a trainer, sounded confident when asked if California Chrome would run as a 4-year-old should he sweep the Triple Crown.
"We'd like to race him for another year, although I don't know," he said. "Sometimes when you're offered so much money, it's hard to refuse. I think that the owners will sure run him next year, from what I gather. They just got him insured for a lot of money. You don't pay the insurance premium and sell him right away."
Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong returned to the track this morning for the first time since his bullet five-furlong breeze on Sunday to continue preparations for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
Trained by Jimmy Jerkens for Centennial Farms, Wicked Strong galloped 1 ½ miles on the main track after walking the shed row on Monday. He was clocked in 59.10, the fastest of a dozen horses, on the training track.
"I galloped him at 7 o'clock because I thought it was going to get kind of hot and I didn't want to wait until 9:30 or 10 o'clock like we usually do the first day back after working hard," Jerkens said. "He's doing great."
Jerkens said Wicked Strong will stand and school in the starting gate on Wednesday morning.
"I haven't figured out what time yet," he said. "It all depends on when we can get our pony boy."
A closing fourth in the Kentucky Derby following his Wood victory despite a troubled trip, Wicked Strong is gathering momentum as one of the primary roadblocks to California Chrome's quest to win the Triple Crown.
"I can see why," Jerkens said. "He had a pretty good excuse in the Derby. His Wood was great, and he's trained really well since then. He really is training great. But, you never know until you lead them over there."
After speaking with the owners this morning, trainer Linda Rice said Kid Cruz has been withdrawn from consideration for Saturday's 146th Belmont Stakes.
Rice said Kid Cruz, campaigned by Vina Del Mar Thoroughbreds and Black Swan Stable, will be pointed to either the $150,000 Easy Goer on the Belmont undercard or the Grade 3, $200,000 Dywer at Belmont Park on July 5. Both races are for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
In his most recent start, Kid Cruz ran eighth of 10, beaten 16 lengths by California Chrome in the Preakness.
"We have decided to pass on the Belmont," Rice said. "Frankly, he didn't perform at Pimlico. It was a flat effort on his part. We'll just look for an easy race for him to get him back on track. It's a long summer."
Kid Cruz had won two straight $100,000 stakes in Maryland heading into the Preakness including Pimlico Race Course's hometown prep, the 1 1/16-mile Federico Tesio, on April 19.
Claimed for $50,000 last fall at Aqueduct, Kid Cruz has two wins and a second in four starts for Rice. His sire, Lemon Drop Kid, won the 1999 Belmont Stakes in a field that included Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic, leading Rice to believe that the 1 ½-mile distance would have suited Kid Cruz.
"That would have been terrific," she said, "but I just think his last effort was a non-effort on his part. He's a nice horse, and we want to do the right thing by him. We're going to consider the Easy Goer, but we may decide to wait for the Dwyer."
Rice believes that California Chrome is the horse to end the 36-year drought since Affirmed last swept the Triple Crown in 1978.
"I think so. I think he's going to be very hard to beat," she said. "This horse has been so dominant, I think there's a good chance we will see it."
One year after winning the Belmont Stakes, Dogwood Stable's Palace Malice will attempt to join rare company when he competes in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday.
No horse has won both the Met Mile and the Belmont Stakes in his career since Conquistador Cielo, who won the 1982 Met Mile before capturing the Belmont Stakes five days later. It's even rarer for a horse to win the Belmont Stakes and take the Met Mile later in his career, with Gallant Man being the most recent horse to complete the double in different years (1957 Belmont Stakes, 1958 Met Mile). Arts and Letters (1969) and Sword Dancer (1959) swept the races as 3-year-olds.
Palace Malice has already demonstrated his versatility by having won once at 6 ½ furlongs (maiden special weight), twice at one mile (Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, Grade 3 Westchester), twice at 1 1/8 miles (Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap), and once at 1 ½ miles (Belmont Stakes), and trainer Todd Pletcher is hopeful that his flexibility will help him in the Met Mile.
"I think he's adaptable to different pace scenarios," said Pletcher. "He can sit off a fast pace, he can prompt a slow pace. He's pretty dangerous from a number of strategies. We'll see how it shapes up and how the draw goes, and we'll let him run his race without over-thinking it."
Palace Malice's versatility will be especially important as the Met Mile is expected to attract Broadway Empire (won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at 1 3/8 miles and Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at 1 1/8 miles), Capo Bastone (won the Grade 1 King's Bishop at seven furlongs), Central Banker (won the Grade 2 Churchill Downs at seven furlongs), Clearly Now(won the Grade 3 Swale and Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, both at seven furlongs), Declan's Warrior (won the Grade 3 Bay Shore at seven furlongs), Goldencents (won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at one mile), Moreno (won the Grade 2 Dwyer at 1 1/8 miles), Romansh (won the Grade 3 Excelsior at 1 1/8 miles), and Vyjack (won the Grade 2 Jerome at one mile, 70 yards and the Grade 3 Gotham at 1 1/16 miles).
"You get everything [in the Met Mile]," said Pletcher. "You get the sprinters stretching out, the routers backing up, the true milers. It's what makes it interesting."
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said this morning that Antipathy will "most likely" join a small but stellar field headed by multiple Grade 1 winners Beholder, Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps.
"Obviously, we'll hope that things go her way and we get lucky and win it," McLaughlin said, "but if we finish third, it's a home run. In a small field, anything can happen."
The 1 1/16-mile Ogden Phipps for older females would be the first stakes attempt for Antipathy, a 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy owned by Darley Stable. She broke her maiden at third asking on March 3 at Gulfstream Park and has been second in back-to-back second-level allowances, most recently on May 1 at Belmont at the Ogden Phipps distance.
On May 17, the McLaughlin-trained Jane of All Trades was second of four horses in the Grade 3 Vagrancy at Belmont Park at odds of 20-1.
"We just got through running one in the same situation, small field, and got graded placing. We just thought if it's only five [horses], we'll take a look," he said. "She just worked up at Saratoga the other day, and she's doing very well."
Billy Turner, who trained Seattle Slew through a sweep of the 1977 Triple Crown, briefly handicapped this year's Belmont Stakes this morning outside his barn.
"I think it's going to be a great race, I really do," said Turner, currently the only living trainer who has won the Triple Crown. "California Chrome is the outstanding horse of the crop. The only question you have is, will he get the mile and a half? He certainly appears to be the best of the 3-year-old crop, no question, but a mile and a half can be a little bit strange and we have a few horses in there who will get the mile and a half. Tonalist was very impressive in the Peter Pan and Wicked Strong has been training like a monster of a horse, and [Wicked Strong] is bred to run that far."
Turner, who will be in attendance at Belmont Park when California Chrome attempts to become the 12th Triple Crown winner, discussed the importance of pace in the Belmont Stakes, saying Seattle Slew had the race locked up when he led through three-quarters in 1:14.
"The strategy of the riders is going to be very, very interesting," said Turner. "I wouldn't be surprised to see California Chrome running third or fourth the first part of the race. Then the question is, how fast do they run three-quarters? That will tell an awful lot."
Turner reflected on how he changed his training tactics to help Seattle Slew negotiate 1 ½ miles in the Belmont Stakes.
"I had taken the fastest horse in the world," said Turner, "and I drilled him to take the speed away from him for the Belmont because I didn't want him to go three-quarters of a mile in 1:09 and change and expect him to get the mile and a half."
It was the first morning on the backstretch for the 77-year-old Sherman, who arrived from California late Monday afternoon and had a quick visit with his stable star, who is aiming to become the 12th Triple Crown champion with a victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.
"I haven't been back here for a lot of years, and I rode here years ago," said Sherman, who won more than 2,000 races as a jockey from 1957-78. "It's changed quite a bit. I didn't realize it was this big. After you get away from it, it's a huge racetrack. It's beautiful. It's good to be back."
After schooling in the paddock, California Chrome got a hug around the neck from regular exercise rider Willie Delgado before heading to the 1 ½-mile track, where he jogged four furlongs before turning around for his slow and easy gallop.
<object class="RDVideoObject" type="application/x-rn-downloaderpepperflashvideoshim-plugin" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ICxNVNskfM" width="480" height="390" data-offsetleft="544" data-offsettop="842"></object>
<embed height="390" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ICxNVNskfM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" youtube="true">"I thought he looked better now than he did after the Preakness," Sherman said. "I couldn't believe how much weight he put on. He really looks good right now. Going on the Triple Crown trail, it's kind of rough. He's an amazing horse."
Sherman returned to Los Alamitos Race Course near Los Angeles following the May 17 Preakness, leaving California Chrome with his son and assistant, Alan. The California-bred son of Lucky Pulpit will be the heavy favorite to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
"I don't think he has to win the Triple Crown to be a hero," Sherman said. "He's on a six-race winning streak. He'll always be my hero. Just to win the Derby and Preakness is good enough for me. If he gets the Belmont, that's the hat trick. Believe me, I'll be really satisfied then. I'm the kind of guy that I take one race at a time. I hope we have a good trip and everybody comes away healthy. That's my main concern."
Sherman said his last visit to New York came in 2005, when he attended the Breeders' Cup to cheer on his friend and fellow trainer Greg Gilchrist and his horse, Lost in the Fog. Despite finishing seventh in the Sprint, the 3-year-old earned the Eclipse Award as champion sprinter.
"I am kind of a city guy," Sherman said. "I like going around, and New York has always been a fun town for me. I remember when I was riding, there was a lot of action when I was a young feller."
Sherman, who has won nearly 2,200 races as a trainer, sounded confident when asked if California Chrome would run as a 4-year-old should he sweep the Triple Crown.
"We'd like to race him for another year, although I don't know," he said. "Sometimes when you're offered so much money, it's hard to refuse. I think that the owners will sure run him next year, from what I gather. They just got him insured for a lot of money. You don't pay the insurance premium and sell him right away."
Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong returned to the track this morning for the first time since his bullet five-furlong breeze on Sunday to continue preparations for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
Trained by Jimmy Jerkens for Centennial Farms, Wicked Strong galloped 1 ½ miles on the main track after walking the shed row on Monday. He was clocked in 59.10, the fastest of a dozen horses, on the training track.
"I galloped him at 7 o'clock because I thought it was going to get kind of hot and I didn't want to wait until 9:30 or 10 o'clock like we usually do the first day back after working hard," Jerkens said. "He's doing great."
Jerkens said Wicked Strong will stand and school in the starting gate on Wednesday morning.
"I haven't figured out what time yet," he said. "It all depends on when we can get our pony boy."
A closing fourth in the Kentucky Derby following his Wood victory despite a troubled trip, Wicked Strong is gathering momentum as one of the primary roadblocks to California Chrome's quest to win the Triple Crown.
"I can see why," Jerkens said. "He had a pretty good excuse in the Derby. His Wood was great, and he's trained really well since then. He really is training great. But, you never know until you lead them over there."
After speaking with the owners this morning, trainer Linda Rice said Kid Cruz has been withdrawn from consideration for Saturday's 146th Belmont Stakes.
Rice said Kid Cruz, campaigned by Vina Del Mar Thoroughbreds and Black Swan Stable, will be pointed to either the $150,000 Easy Goer on the Belmont undercard or the Grade 3, $200,000 Dywer at Belmont Park on July 5. Both races are for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
In his most recent start, Kid Cruz ran eighth of 10, beaten 16 lengths by California Chrome in the Preakness.
"We have decided to pass on the Belmont," Rice said. "Frankly, he didn't perform at Pimlico. It was a flat effort on his part. We'll just look for an easy race for him to get him back on track. It's a long summer."
Kid Cruz had won two straight $100,000 stakes in Maryland heading into the Preakness including Pimlico Race Course's hometown prep, the 1 1/16-mile Federico Tesio, on April 19.
Claimed for $50,000 last fall at Aqueduct, Kid Cruz has two wins and a second in four starts for Rice. His sire, Lemon Drop Kid, won the 1999 Belmont Stakes in a field that included Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic, leading Rice to believe that the 1 ½-mile distance would have suited Kid Cruz.
"That would have been terrific," she said, "but I just think his last effort was a non-effort on his part. He's a nice horse, and we want to do the right thing by him. We're going to consider the Easy Goer, but we may decide to wait for the Dwyer."
Rice believes that California Chrome is the horse to end the 36-year drought since Affirmed last swept the Triple Crown in 1978.
"I think so. I think he's going to be very hard to beat," she said. "This horse has been so dominant, I think there's a good chance we will see it."
One year after winning the Belmont Stakes, Dogwood Stable's Palace Malice will attempt to join rare company when he competes in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday.
No horse has won both the Met Mile and the Belmont Stakes in his career since Conquistador Cielo, who won the 1982 Met Mile before capturing the Belmont Stakes five days later. It's even rarer for a horse to win the Belmont Stakes and take the Met Mile later in his career, with Gallant Man being the most recent horse to complete the double in different years (1957 Belmont Stakes, 1958 Met Mile). Arts and Letters (1969) and Sword Dancer (1959) swept the races as 3-year-olds.
Palace Malice has already demonstrated his versatility by having won once at 6 ½ furlongs (maiden special weight), twice at one mile (Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, Grade 3 Westchester), twice at 1 1/8 miles (Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap), and once at 1 ½ miles (Belmont Stakes), and trainer Todd Pletcher is hopeful that his flexibility will help him in the Met Mile.
"I think he's adaptable to different pace scenarios," said Pletcher. "He can sit off a fast pace, he can prompt a slow pace. He's pretty dangerous from a number of strategies. We'll see how it shapes up and how the draw goes, and we'll let him run his race without over-thinking it."
Palace Malice's versatility will be especially important as the Met Mile is expected to attract Broadway Empire (won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at 1 3/8 miles and Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at 1 1/8 miles), Capo Bastone (won the Grade 1 King's Bishop at seven furlongs), Central Banker (won the Grade 2 Churchill Downs at seven furlongs), Clearly Now(won the Grade 3 Swale and Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, both at seven furlongs), Declan's Warrior (won the Grade 3 Bay Shore at seven furlongs), Goldencents (won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at one mile), Moreno (won the Grade 2 Dwyer at 1 1/8 miles), Romansh (won the Grade 3 Excelsior at 1 1/8 miles), and Vyjack (won the Grade 2 Jerome at one mile, 70 yards and the Grade 3 Gotham at 1 1/16 miles).
"You get everything [in the Met Mile]," said Pletcher. "You get the sprinters stretching out, the routers backing up, the true milers. It's what makes it interesting."
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said this morning that Antipathy will "most likely" join a small but stellar field headed by multiple Grade 1 winners Beholder, Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps.
"Obviously, we'll hope that things go her way and we get lucky and win it," McLaughlin said, "but if we finish third, it's a home run. In a small field, anything can happen."
The 1 1/16-mile Ogden Phipps for older females would be the first stakes attempt for Antipathy, a 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy owned by Darley Stable. She broke her maiden at third asking on March 3 at Gulfstream Park and has been second in back-to-back second-level allowances, most recently on May 1 at Belmont at the Ogden Phipps distance.
On May 17, the McLaughlin-trained Jane of All Trades was second of four horses in the Grade 3 Vagrancy at Belmont Park at odds of 20-1.
"We just got through running one in the same situation, small field, and got graded placing. We just thought if it's only five [horses], we'll take a look," he said. "She just worked up at Saratoga the other day, and she's doing very well."
Billy Turner, who trained Seattle Slew through a sweep of the 1977 Triple Crown, briefly handicapped this year's Belmont Stakes this morning outside his barn.
"I think it's going to be a great race, I really do," said Turner, currently the only living trainer who has won the Triple Crown. "California Chrome is the outstanding horse of the crop. The only question you have is, will he get the mile and a half? He certainly appears to be the best of the 3-year-old crop, no question, but a mile and a half can be a little bit strange and we have a few horses in there who will get the mile and a half. Tonalist was very impressive in the Peter Pan and Wicked Strong has been training like a monster of a horse, and [Wicked Strong] is bred to run that far."
Turner, who will be in attendance at Belmont Park when California Chrome attempts to become the 12th Triple Crown winner, discussed the importance of pace in the Belmont Stakes, saying Seattle Slew had the race locked up when he led through three-quarters in 1:14.
"The strategy of the riders is going to be very, very interesting," said Turner. "I wouldn't be surprised to see California Chrome running third or fourth the first part of the race. Then the question is, how fast do they run three-quarters? That will tell an awful lot."
Turner reflected on how he changed his training tactics to help Seattle Slew negotiate 1 ½ miles in the Belmont Stakes.
"I had taken the fastest horse in the world," said Turner, "and I drilled him to take the speed away from him for the Belmont because I didn't want him to go three-quarters of a mile in 1:09 and change and expect him to get the mile and a half."
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
No problem Dwight, Gandolf gave the explanation for my reasoning better than I would have.
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
[h=1]Beyer: The slowing of the Belmont[/h]By Andrew Beyer
The Belmont Stakes has historically been billed as “the Test of the Champion,” and it may live up to that description when California Chrome bids to sweep the Triple Crown. But in the last decade or so the 147-year-old event has been marked by freakish results and diminished prestige. Its 1 ½-mile distance has made it an anachronism in American racing. Its recent history sheds light on the special challenges that California Chrome will face on Saturday.
One of the most significant trends in the U.S. Thoroughbred industry has been its ever-growing emphasis on speed rather than stamina. Sprinters and milers populate the lists of leading stallions and pass on their traits to future generations. Winners of the Belmont Stakes are often shunned when they go to stud. (Da’ Tara, the winner in 2008, was in such little demand that he was exiled to stud in Venezuela.)
With fewer horses bred to run long distances, major U.S. races have been shortened. The Jockey Club Cup at Belmont, one of the most important stakes for older horses, was reduced from 2 miles to 1 1/2 miles and then to 1 1/4 miles in 1990. The prestigious Woodward Stakes was trimmed from 1 1/4 miles to 1 1/8 miles. But because of its history and its place as the climactic event of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes remains at 1 1/2 miles – the only Grade 1 race at the distance in the U.S.
Pedigree used to be a recognizably important factor in the Belmont. The sires of the winners between 1988 and 1994 were Secretariat, Alydar, Seattle Slew, and Pleasant Colony, plus three other stallions who ranked among the best in the world. All were rock-sold producers of long-distance runners. But such stamina-packed pedigrees are rarer now, and their shortage has been reflected in recent runnings of the Belmont.
In the aforementioned 1988-94 period, which included notable winners such as Easy Goer and A.P. Indy, five Belmonts were run over fast tracks, in times ranging from 2:26 to 2:28.
The last five Belmonts on fast tracks have been dramatically slower – averaging just about 2:30. Palace Malice won last year in 2:30.7. Speed figures – which take into account the speed of the racing surface, reflect this decline. The six Belmonts from 2008 to 2013 earned the six lowest Beyer Speed Figures for the event the ratings began in 1992. The figures for these races have also been significantly slower than almost every Derby and Preakness in the last two decades. The conclusion: Very few contemporary American horses can run 1½ miles.
While the horses’ pedigrees are surely the main reason for these slow performances, there may be other factors involved. Byron Rogers, a bloodstock consultant who is CEO of Performance Genetics, made this observation: “It is noteworthy that Kentucky and New York began formal testing for bicarbonate loading, or ‘milkshaking’ in 2005, and in 2008 the use of anabolic steroids was prohibited in racehorses.” He theorized that horses who were formerly able to run long distances with the aid of milkshakes and steroids “are now exposed [as] the sprinters that they genetically are.”
A few Belmont runners still do possess bloodlines suited for 1½ miles. Rags to Riches, the winner in 2007, was the daughter of a Belmont-winning sire, A.P. Indy, and a dam who had produced a Belmont winner. But in many years the results have been governed neither by bloodlines or any discernible logic. No major race in America has such a record of unfathomable results. Eight of the 14 winners since 2000 have paid 10-1 or more, including Sarava ($142.50), Birdstone ($74), Da’ Tara ($79), and Ruler On Ice ($51.50).
These surprises happen even when one of the entrants has proved his superiority in the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Since 2002, only one winner of the Derby or Preakness has come away with a victory in the Belmont – Afleet Alex in 2005. And, of course, the Belmont has foiled all of the bids for the Triple Crown since 1979, most recently by Big Brown in 2008 and Smarty Jones in 2004. It is reasonable to conclude that many Triple Crown aspirants failed because they were less effective at 1 ½ miles, and that so many big upsets have occurred because the ability of all of the entrants to run the distance is unknowable.
California Chrome’s superior performances in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness may not count for much on Saturday. Although the colt won those races despite a weak-looking pedigree, his bloodlines do not suggest he will favor the 1 ½-mile distance. His sire never won a race as long as three-quarters of a mile. When California Chrome rounds the sweeping Belmont Park oval, passes the 1¼-mile mark and turns into the stretch, he – like his rivals – will be venturing into the unknown.
© 2014 The Washington Post
The Belmont Stakes has historically been billed as “the Test of the Champion,” and it may live up to that description when California Chrome bids to sweep the Triple Crown. But in the last decade or so the 147-year-old event has been marked by freakish results and diminished prestige. Its 1 ½-mile distance has made it an anachronism in American racing. Its recent history sheds light on the special challenges that California Chrome will face on Saturday.
One of the most significant trends in the U.S. Thoroughbred industry has been its ever-growing emphasis on speed rather than stamina. Sprinters and milers populate the lists of leading stallions and pass on their traits to future generations. Winners of the Belmont Stakes are often shunned when they go to stud. (Da’ Tara, the winner in 2008, was in such little demand that he was exiled to stud in Venezuela.)
With fewer horses bred to run long distances, major U.S. races have been shortened. The Jockey Club Cup at Belmont, one of the most important stakes for older horses, was reduced from 2 miles to 1 1/2 miles and then to 1 1/4 miles in 1990. The prestigious Woodward Stakes was trimmed from 1 1/4 miles to 1 1/8 miles. But because of its history and its place as the climactic event of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes remains at 1 1/2 miles – the only Grade 1 race at the distance in the U.S.
Pedigree used to be a recognizably important factor in the Belmont. The sires of the winners between 1988 and 1994 were Secretariat, Alydar, Seattle Slew, and Pleasant Colony, plus three other stallions who ranked among the best in the world. All were rock-sold producers of long-distance runners. But such stamina-packed pedigrees are rarer now, and their shortage has been reflected in recent runnings of the Belmont.
In the aforementioned 1988-94 period, which included notable winners such as Easy Goer and A.P. Indy, five Belmonts were run over fast tracks, in times ranging from 2:26 to 2:28.
The last five Belmonts on fast tracks have been dramatically slower – averaging just about 2:30. Palace Malice won last year in 2:30.7. Speed figures – which take into account the speed of the racing surface, reflect this decline. The six Belmonts from 2008 to 2013 earned the six lowest Beyer Speed Figures for the event the ratings began in 1992. The figures for these races have also been significantly slower than almost every Derby and Preakness in the last two decades. The conclusion: Very few contemporary American horses can run 1½ miles.
While the horses’ pedigrees are surely the main reason for these slow performances, there may be other factors involved. Byron Rogers, a bloodstock consultant who is CEO of Performance Genetics, made this observation: “It is noteworthy that Kentucky and New York began formal testing for bicarbonate loading, or ‘milkshaking’ in 2005, and in 2008 the use of anabolic steroids was prohibited in racehorses.” He theorized that horses who were formerly able to run long distances with the aid of milkshakes and steroids “are now exposed [as] the sprinters that they genetically are.”
A few Belmont runners still do possess bloodlines suited for 1½ miles. Rags to Riches, the winner in 2007, was the daughter of a Belmont-winning sire, A.P. Indy, and a dam who had produced a Belmont winner. But in many years the results have been governed neither by bloodlines or any discernible logic. No major race in America has such a record of unfathomable results. Eight of the 14 winners since 2000 have paid 10-1 or more, including Sarava ($142.50), Birdstone ($74), Da’ Tara ($79), and Ruler On Ice ($51.50).
These surprises happen even when one of the entrants has proved his superiority in the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Since 2002, only one winner of the Derby or Preakness has come away with a victory in the Belmont – Afleet Alex in 2005. And, of course, the Belmont has foiled all of the bids for the Triple Crown since 1979, most recently by Big Brown in 2008 and Smarty Jones in 2004. It is reasonable to conclude that many Triple Crown aspirants failed because they were less effective at 1 ½ miles, and that so many big upsets have occurred because the ability of all of the entrants to run the distance is unknowable.
California Chrome’s superior performances in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness may not count for much on Saturday. Although the colt won those races despite a weak-looking pedigree, his bloodlines do not suggest he will favor the 1 ½-mile distance. His sire never won a race as long as three-quarters of a mile. When California Chrome rounds the sweeping Belmont Park oval, passes the 1¼-mile mark and turns into the stretch, he – like his rivals – will be venturing into the unknown.
© 2014 The Washington Post
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
[h=1]Billy Turner: Pedigree tells in Belmont[/h]By David Grening
Turner likes Chrome, but . . .
Bill Turner, the trainer of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, is a fan of California Chrome, but he appeared to waver a bit on whether the California-bred son of Lucky Pulpit is going to win the Triple Crown in Saturday’s 146th Belmont Stakes.
On one hand, Turner compliments the horse, noting that in his workout Saturday, “he was a beautiful mover,” and that mentally, “nothing bothers him, he just takes everything in stride.”
While Turner believes California Chrome will face stiff challenges from Tonalist and Wicked Strong, whom he calls “legitimate horses going a mile and a half,” he wonders if California Chrome’s modest pedigree will get him the distance.
“The Belmont will be more the test of his pedigree than him because he’s obviously the dominant 3-year-old, but the Belmont tells pedigree, and what they do from the three-sixteenths pole to the wire is the teller,” Turner said.
Turner also noted that no Triple Crown has been won when there has been a field greater than eight horses in the Belmont Stakes. Saturday’s Belmont is expected to have an 11- or 12-horse field.
“It’s never happened, so maybe this will be the first time,” Turner said.
Turner likes Chrome, but . . .
Bill Turner, the trainer of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, is a fan of California Chrome, but he appeared to waver a bit on whether the California-bred son of Lucky Pulpit is going to win the Triple Crown in Saturday’s 146th Belmont Stakes.
On one hand, Turner compliments the horse, noting that in his workout Saturday, “he was a beautiful mover,” and that mentally, “nothing bothers him, he just takes everything in stride.”
While Turner believes California Chrome will face stiff challenges from Tonalist and Wicked Strong, whom he calls “legitimate horses going a mile and a half,” he wonders if California Chrome’s modest pedigree will get him the distance.
“The Belmont will be more the test of his pedigree than him because he’s obviously the dominant 3-year-old, but the Belmont tells pedigree, and what they do from the three-sixteenths pole to the wire is the teller,” Turner said.
Turner also noted that no Triple Crown has been won when there has been a field greater than eight horses in the Belmont Stakes. Saturday’s Belmont is expected to have an 11- or 12-horse field.
“It’s never happened, so maybe this will be the first time,” Turner said.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
100%, one of the biggest problems in the sport is that horsemen don't run their horses.
They should make main goal BC Dirt Mile for Social Inclusion, prolly not a true sprinter and not a router imo, need the lead type of speed for sure.
Even though i watched race live, wanted to watch replay before i commented but Sanctify is really looking good and has bright future going long turf or dirt imo.
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
Belmont Stakes
1. Medal Count, R. Albarado, 20-1
2. California Chrome, V. Espinoza, 3-5
3. Matterhorn, J. Bravo, 30-1
4. Commanding Curve, S. Bridgmohan, 15-1
5. Ride On Curlin, J. Velazquez, 12-1
6. Matuszak, M. Smith, 30-1
7. Samraat, J. Ortiz, 20-1
8. Commissioner, J. Castellano, 20-1
9. Wicked Strong, R. Maragh, 6-1
10. General a Rod, R. Napravnik, 20-1
11. Tonalist, J. Rosario, 8-1
1. Medal Count, R. Albarado, 20-1
2. California Chrome, V. Espinoza, 3-5
3. Matterhorn, J. Bravo, 30-1
4. Commanding Curve, S. Bridgmohan, 15-1
5. Ride On Curlin, J. Velazquez, 12-1
6. Matuszak, M. Smith, 30-1
7. Samraat, J. Ortiz, 20-1
8. Commissioner, J. Castellano, 20-1
9. Wicked Strong, R. Maragh, 6-1
10. General a Rod, R. Napravnik, 20-1
11. Tonalist, J. Rosario, 8-1
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
Thanks for taking the time to check it out a few times and for the good thoughts. Thought this was his best race, broke a little slow and was probably a little further back than I would have liked but switched leads well and ran straight and not lugging out coming down the lane, it was good to see him passing horses and not appearing to be as intimidated. Earned a career high Beyer of 72, hopefully he keeps improving and finishing in the money, can't complain about 1-2-2 in 5 lifetime starts. Hopefully we get a race or 2 up at the Spa this summer and you can see him in person.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
I'm always looking for a reason to beat the fav and considering how deep the Met Mile field is and Palice Malice drawing the rail, Johnny V gonna be forced to work a trip right from the break, i'll be taking a shot against him.
David Grening @DRFGrening · 9h
Palace Malice drew the rail for the Met Mile in a 13-horse field. Todd Pletcher said the rail would have been his 13th choice.
David Grening @DRFGrening · 9h
Palace Malice drew the rail for the Met Mile in a 13-horse field. Todd Pletcher said the rail would have been his 13th choice.
Play2win
Mod by Monday Morning
Great minds think a like..Central Banker and Normany Invasion are my top two picks and the bomb i'm going to mess around with is Broadway Empire
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
Agree with Broadway Empire, was a game 4th last race at Churchill, but was squeezed against the rail and forced to check on the backstretch when making a middle move that caused him to lose a lot of momentum, was impressed by the way he kept running after that, if he was able to get through he has a chance to win that race and he is 8-1 here instead of 20-1. Central Banker, Normandy Invasion, Moreno, and Goldencents will all be on my tickets.
Post position really hinders Palace Malice here and he will be a play against at what will most likely be around even money.
Lloyd Braun
Pretty much a regular
If anyone hasn't gotten their PP's yet for Belmont Day:
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DRF Formulator @DRFFormulator <small class="time" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(136, 153, 166); right: 15px;"> 12m</small>
Want to try Formulator? Use code TRYFORM to get any card (even Sat Belmont) for only a penny! Good for up to 2 cards. http://www1.drf.com/formulator-web/
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