|
Horse Racing News and Commentary |
|
|
|
|
|
Belmont Stakes 139th Running Saturday, June 9 |
|
|
|
Written by Gohorsepower.com
|
|
Friday, 08 June 2007 |
 A field of seven is set for the Test of Champions, the 139th running of the Grade 1, 1 1/2 mile , Belmont Stakes, Saturday, June 9 at New York's Belmont Park. Preakness Stakes winner Curlin is the likely favorite. Rags to Riches is a real contender, even though only two fillies have won the Belmont Stakes, the Kentucky Oaks-winning filly is undefeated in four 2007 starts, and is a half-sister to last year's Belmont Stakes winner, Jazil.
139th Belmont Stakes - 2007 - Race 11 - 6:25 PM Eastern
Post - Horse - Jockey - Trainer
1. Imawildandcrazyguy - Mark Guidry - Bill Kaplan
2. Tiago - Mike Smith - John Shirreffs
3. Curlin - Robby Albarado - Steve Asmussen
4. CP West - Edgar Prado
5. Slew's Tizzy - Rafael Bejarano - Greg Fox
6. Hard Spun - Garrett Gomez - Larry Jones
7. Rags to Riches - John Velazquez - Todd Pletcher
Running... away. Not a big surprise these two bailed out:
Time Squared - Julien Leparoux - Patrick Biancone
Did not calculate
Digger - unknown - Rick Dutrow Jr.
Making like Charles Bronson in the Great Escape
The race will be televised on ABC. Coverage begins at 5 PM Eastern.
Belmont History
Pletcher took quite some time to make a decision on whether or not to run Rags to Riches or Circular Quay in the Belmont, and his regular riders took mounts for competing barns. Rags' regular rider Garret Gomez took Hard Spun for trainer Larry Jones. Velazquez took Slew's Tizzy for trainer Gregory Fox. Apparently Jones would not let Gomez out of his commitment to 'Spun, but Fox obliged and jockey Rafael Bejarano contacted Fox, who has given him Slew's Tizzy in the Belmont. The decision to run Rags to Riches means Pletcher will not run Louisiana Derby winner Circular Quay in the Belmont. Her first and only race as a juvenile last year, is the only race Rags to Riches has lost.
Preakness winner Curlin breezed four furlongs in :50 3/5 at Churchill Downs on Monday, June 4th. Last week he breezed five furlongs in 1:03 1/5 on Memorial Day. Curlin is due to ship to Belmont Park on Tuesday, with regular jockey Robby Albarado to ride on Saturday.
Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun breezed five furlongs in 1:03.12 on Sunday. 'Spun has been assigned rider Garrett Gomez for the Belmont.
Workouts and exercises
Sunday, June 3rd at Belmont Park, Hard Spun breezed five furlongs in 1:03.12 over a fast track. Undecided Rags to Riches breezed five furlongs in 1:03.84, and the work was ranked 17 of 19.
Circular Quay breezed four furlongs in 49 flat on Sunday, June 3rd.
Tiago breezed six furlongs in 1:14 4/5 on Sunday, June 3rd.
Slew's Tizzy breezed four furlongs in 49 flat on Saturday, June 2nd. He galloped 1 3/4 miles at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, Kentucky on Friday, June 1st.
Hard Spun galloped 1 1/2 miles at Delaware Park on Friday morning, June 1st. He arrived at Belmont on Saturday, June 2nd.
Kentucky Derby 133 winner Street Sense worked four furlongs in 49 seconds at Churchill Downs.
Previously...
Curlin galloped 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs on Friday, June 1st. Imawildandcrazyguy galloped 1 3/4 miles at Churchill on Friday, June 1st.
Preakness winner Curlin breezed five furlongs in 1:03 1/5 at Churchill Downs on Memorial Monday morning, May 28.
Rags to Riches breezed five furlongs in 1:03.84 on Sunday, June 3 at Belmont Park. The week before she breezed the same distance at a very sharp 1:00.64 on Sunday morning, May 27.
Tiago worked a half-mile at Hollywood Park in 1:41 4/5 on Sunday, May 27, and shipped to Belmont on Wednesday, May 30th.
Free Past Performances
Daily Racing Form - Belmont Stakes
Out of the Belmont Stakes
Time Squared, trained by Patrick Biancone, and Digger, trained by Rick Dutrow Jr were not entered. Digger was made a possiblity in the Belmont Stakes by owner Lawrence Roman, who wanted to run the unlikely horse as a statement of sportsmanship after James Tafel decided not to run Street Sense in the Belmont. Perhaps owner Michael Tabor and trainer Todd Pletcher having the balls to run Rags to Riches against these boys was a sufficient show of sportsmanship.
Last Thursday morning, May 31, it was announced that Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense will skip the Belmont Stakes and return in The Travers this August.
Great Hunter is out with a bone-chip in his front right ankle (the Robert B. Lewis winner finished 13th in the Derby).
Barclay Tagg said Wood Memorial winner Nobiz Like Shobiz will not run the Belmont, and try for something else like the Dwyer on July 4th.
Second to Hard Spun in the Lane's End, Sedgefiled, is no longer deciding between the Belmont and the Ohio Derby after coming out of Memorial Day's work with an ankle chip. Prognosis is good and the colt will have the chip removed.
|
|
