2024 Belmont Stakes Clocker: Mystik Dan, Pletcher trio gallop

Monday, June 3
Saratoga
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 58
Track: Fast

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With all the heavy lifting over, Monday proved a relatively quiet day on the Belmont Stakes training front with much of the activity that did occur taking place early over the very popular Oklahoma training track.

Mystik Dan was the first horse out immediately after the course opened at 5:30 a.m., returning to the track for the first time since breezing an easy five furlongs in 1:01.44 just 48 hours earlier. Trainer Kenny McPeek altered his usual training schedule on Monday morning, having the Kentucky Derby winner jog one mile the wrong way before turning around and galloping a second mile under regular exercise rider Danny Ramsey. Mystik Dan had been galloping 1 1/2 miles on a regular basis here prior to his work.

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Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out his three Belmont contenders in the first two sets, starting with Mindframe at 7:45 a.m. and followed by both Protective and Peter Pan winner Antiquarian about 30 minutes later. All three galloped 1 1/2 miles, with Antiquarian cocking his head to take a look at some visitors near the Marylou Whitney viewing stand before regaining his focus and continuing strongly, ears up, through the wire and into the turn.

Sieze the Grey, who began his career locally last summer, got re-acquainted with the Oklahoma surface after arriving early Saturday evening, galloping 1 3/4 miles under the watchful eye of trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

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Honor Marie and The Wine Steward, who like Seize the Grey got in all their final major preparations for the Belmont at Churchill Downs prior to shipping, were both scheduled to be on the grounds Monday.

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