Belmont Park: Gemologist resumes training with Pletcher

Tom Keyser

Plans call for Gemologist to resume racing this summer.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he is not running in the Belmont Stakes, Wood Memorial winner Gemologist has recently resumed training at Belmont Park with an eye toward a summer return to the races.

Gemologist, trained by Todd Pletcher for WinStar Farm, went into the Kentucky Derby undefeated from five starts. He was the third choice in the Derby at 8-1. Unfortunately, he never fired and finished a distant 16th behind I’ll Have Another.

A couple of days later, he was diagnosed with a badly bruised foot and missed a little training time, which ruled out a start in the Belmont.

Gemologist, who spent 2 1/2 weeks at WinStar Farm, returned to Pletcher at Belmont on May 25.

“So far, he’s doing well, galloping well,” Pletcher said. “He’ll probably breeze next weekend, and we’ll go from there.”

Pletcher said he would sit down with WinStar president Elliott Walden to discuss Gemologist’s goals for the summer. Among the possible next targets are the $200,000 Dwyer here June 30 or the Long Branch at Monmouth Park on July 8.

Pletcher said if the major summer target is the Haskell on July 29, then the Long Branch might make more sense than the Dwyer to get a race over the track.