Belmont Clocker: Meantime, Twisted Tom put in final Belmont Stakes works
Belmont Park
Weather: Cloudy
Track: Fast
Temp.: 57
ELMONT, N.Y. - A couple of new faces to this year’s Triple Crown, Meantime and Twisted Tom, put in their final works for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, both working after the renovation break over a main track that seemed to have tightened up a bit following a brief shower that passed through shortly after 7:30 a.m.
Like a busted play in football, MEANTIME’s schedule work in company with stablemate Arties Silver Mine didn’t appear to go off exactly as trainer Bryan Lynch had planned. Meantime, with jockey Mike Luzzi aboard, broke off nearly 10 lengths behind his intended target and never got much closer after working five furlongs in 1:01.59 while posting splits of 25.36 and 36.79 along the way.
Meantime, who was well-held much of the way, fanned five wide off the turn then leaned in a bit while niggled on just a tad to finish before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.95. Meantime, who flashed more early speed before readily pulling well clear working alongside a different mate here last week, appears to be the likely pacesetter in this year’s Belmont.
For the second straight week, the steadily improving TWISTED TOM held his own in company with Metropolitan Mile-bound Economic Model, the team breezing five furlongs in 24.72, 36.15, 1:01.12 with Twisted Tom working closest to the rail, wearing blinkers. The well-matched duo galloped out a solid six furlongs in 1:14.55 with Twisted Tom urged along some to keep pace with his classy mate before pulling up seven panels in 1:28.37. Although he takes a huge jump in class for the Belmont, Twisted Tom must be respected if only for the way he's handled himself against his older and vastly more experienced, Grade 1-placed stablemate in the morning each of the last two weeks.
EPICHARIS made his much-anticipated first local appearance late Saturday morning shortly after being released from quarantine following his long flight over from Japan. Epicharis, a winner of four of his five career starts, went to the training track for a private session just before noon, looking eager while jogging/walking five furlongs before galloping nearly once around with good energy over the one-mile oval. Epicharis is scheduled to breeze five furlongs here either Tuesday or Wednesday, according to trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara.
Both LOOKING AT LEE and SENIOR INVESTMENT turned in pretty routine gallops over the main track prior to the renovation break, the former leading a conga line of five Steve Asmussen-trained horses while looking relaxed but eager to do more. He is scheduled to work on Sunday. Senior Investment went along at a livelier clip and, like Epicharis, is expected to have one last work here early next week.