Analyze It, Significant Form fitter for Belmont Derby, Oaks

ELMONT, N.Y. – Losses by Analyze It and Significant Form at short prices last month left trainer Chad Brown perhaps a bit disappointed but not deterred from running both 3-year-olds in seven-figure races at longer distances this Saturday at Belmont Park.

Analyze It suffered his first defeat when beaten a neck by Catholic Boy at odds of 1-2 in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge at 1 1/8 miles at Belmont Park on June 2. He will represent Brown in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.2 million Belmont Derby Invitational at 1 1/4 miles.

Significant Form, the 4-5 favorite, could not catch La Signare in the Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes on June 7. She and Mighty Scarlett will be Brown’s two runners in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational. The Oaks is also run at 1 1/4 miles, an eighth of a mile farther than the Wonder Again.

“For both of them to lose at a mile and an eighth and fairly opens up some question marks in terms of their distance capabilities,” Brown said. “I don’t dispute that. Having trained the horses coming into these races, I remain optimistic and confident that they can do it. I feel like these two horses are coming into these races a little fitter, a little sharper with some more recency under their belt, having had these two prep races. That’s what I’m going on.”

Analyze It, a son of Point of Entry, won his first three starts at distances of a mile to 1 1/16 miles. In the Pennine Ridge, it looked like he had put away Catholic Boy, only for Catholic Boy to come back and nail Analyze It on the wire.

On Sunday, Analyze It completed preparations for the Belmont Derby with a five-furlong work in 1:02.76 over the Belmont turf. He worked in company with the older horse Projected.

As many as 12 horses were expected for the Belmont Derby when entries closed and post positions were drawn Wednesday. Catholic Boy heads a cast that is expected to include Channel Cat, Encumbered, Hawkish, Kingstar, Maraud, My Boy Jack, Untamed Domain, and Way Early. Trainer Aidan O’Brien was expected to ship Hunting Horn and Threeandfourpence from Ireland on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Hawkish, the Penn Mile winner, worked a half-mile in 49.01 seconds over the Belmont turf. He started a few lengths behind stablemates Manatoulin and Violet Blue but did not catch them. Trainer Jimmy Toner said the work was not planned for Hawkish to go by his workmates because he wanted Hawkish to sit behind horses.

Significant Form was beaten a length in the Wonder Again, unable to catch a loose-on-the-lead La Signare.

Brown said that Significant Form “had a clean trip, had every chance to win.”

“I just know she’s capable of better,” he said.

On Saturday, Significant Form worked five furlongs in 1:00.50 over the Belmont turf in company with Mighty Scarlett, who finished third in the Wonder Again in her first start against winners.

La Signare and Toinette, who beat the Brown-trained Rushing Fall in the Edgewood at Churchill Downs, are likely to be among the choices in the Oaks. La Signare worked a half-mile in 49.01 seconds Sunday, while Toinette went six furlongs in 1:18.22 with a strong finish and a solid gallop-out.

Others expected for the Oaks include Athena and perhaps Happily from the O’Brien barn as well as Capla Temptress, Chipolata, Fatale Bere, Paved, and Thewayiam.

Brown said that Rushing Fall, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner, would await the Lake George at Saratoga on July 20.