Appleby, O'Brien have horses to beat in Belmont Derby
ELMONT, N.Y. – Nations Pride and Stone Age had combined to win their last six races before they both ran in the Group 1 Epsom Derby on June 4 where 12 furlongs and soft ground was the undoing for both.
Saturday, Nations Pride and Stone Age will shorten to 1 1/4 miles and will most certainly find firm footing when the two head a field of 13 3-year-olds entered in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby at Belmont Park. The Belmont Derby tops an 11-race card that includes the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks, the Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban, and the Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride.
Nations Pride, an Irish-bred son of Teofilo trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin Racing, had compiled a four-race win streak before he stepped up into Group 1 company for the first time in the Derby. Appleby is convinced Nations Pride was a victim of course condition and distance.
“He’s a lot happier on quicker ground,” Appleby said. “The trip was very much the question mark with him.”
Thursday, Nations Pride was one of seven European-based horses who got a chance to stretch their legs over the Belmont turf.
“I’m really pleased with him,” said Sophie Chretien, Appleby’s assistant who traveled here from England. “He’s a happy bunny, he loves his life.”
Three of Nations Pride’s four straight wins from last October to April were in races run at 1 1/4 miles. Prior to the Derby, though, he had not run in a group race.
“At the top level, he’s yet to go and do it obviously, that’s always going to be the question mark,” Appleby said. “But you take the Derby out of the picture, he’s got a lovely profile that deserves to step up at the level he’s going to be campaigning at on the weekend.”
Frankie Detorri is in from Europe to ride Nations Pride in the Derby.
Aidan O’Brien swept both the Belmont Derby and Oaks last year, winning the former with Bolshoi Ballet and the latter with Santa Barbara. O’Brien is represented by runners in both races again this year, with Stone Age the tepid Derby favorite at 9-2 on the line of David Aragona, NYRA’s linemaker.
Stone Age won a 1 1/4-mile maiden race in March, then was a 5 1/2-length, front-running winner of the Epsom Derby Trial on May 8. He finished sixth, beaten 10 3/4 lengths by Desert Crown, in the Epsom Derby.
“We thought the mile and a half would not be any problem, maybe he didn’t need the mile and a half like we thought he did,” O’Brien said.
Stone Age drew post 13, but O’Brien said the horse “is tactically forward enough from the gates” to get a good early position under Ryan Moore.
Of the three other European-based runners in this field, Royal Patronage may have the best shot. He finished second behind Desert Crown in a Group 2 before running 16th of 17 behind Desert Crown in the Epsom Derby.
Machete, Group 3-placed in France, and Implementation, who ran behind Machete twice, round out the European contingent.
Tiz the Bomb and Limited Liability look like the best of the U.S.-based runners. Tiz the Bomb returns to the turf for the first time since he finished second to Modern Games in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. He won two stakes on synthetic at Turfway Park – both times beating surprise Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike – in between two poor efforts on dirt.
“This is a race we’re excited about, he’s a top horse in his own right,” trainer Kenny McPeek said.
Tiz the Bomb, who will have the services of Dylan Davis, is a closer. With Classic Causeway – also trained by McPeek – and Emmanuel in the field, there figures to be a legit pace for the distance. Emmanuel made a successful turf debut when allowed to get loose on the lead in the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge.
:: Get ready for Saratoga and Del Mar with a Quarterly subscription to DRF Past Performances
A legitimate pace should benefit Limited Liability, who may offer the best value in this field. Limited Liability rallied from last to win a first-level allowance at Keeneland in April, then was a decent third behind Emmanuel in the Pennine Ridge.
“I thought his race last time was really good,” said Shug McGaughey, trainer of Limited Liability. “I think the race will be more in his favor this time than it was last time – short field, horse on the lead by himself. We ran into a slow pace.
“I think come-from-behind horses, when there are bigger fields and a lot of action, it helps them, keeps their attention.”
Sy Dog is another who could offer value in this field. The son of Slumber won his first three starts before finishing third behind Stolen Base in the Grade 1 American Turf at Churchill Downs. Sy Dog, trained by Graham Motion, should appreciate stretching out to 1 1/4 miles.
Stolen Base was only beaten four lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Grand Sonata finished second to Sy Dog in the Grade 3 Transylvania.