Belmont clocker: Romans workers a study in contrasts
Belmont Park
Weather: Overcast
Track: Fast
Temp.: 70
Elmont, N.Y. – The Roman(s) Empire took center stage on the Belmont Stakes watch Saturday morning, with CHERRY WINE and BRODY’S CAUSE working within minutes of each other shortly after the renovation break, the pair proving to be a study in contrasts during their final major preps for the Belmont Stakes.
Cherry Wine was the first of the two to work. He paused briefly in front of the grandstand before galloping at a leisurely pace until being angled over to the rail and breaking off at the six-furlong marker.
The Preakness runner-up cruised through an opening three-eighths in 38.47 seconds before beginning to accelerate midway on the turn, completing his final three furlongs in a sharp 35.37 under urging, albeit with his ears pinned at the wire. He then galloped out with good energy, as usual, going seven-eighths in 1:26.77 before pulling up a mile in 1:40.45.
Cherry Wine has proven to be a pretty solid work horse this year and did little Saturday to suggest that he has regressed any coming off a career-best effort in Baltimore.
Brody’s Cause stood briefly before galloping from the wire around to the backstretch under jockey Luis Saez. But unlike his stablemate, he remained well off the rail while showing no inclination of working at all as he continued into and around the sweeping turn. The Blue Grass winner remained out near the middle of the track while finally beginning to accelerate once turning into the stretch, getting a quarter-mile to the wire in 25.56.
He then responded to some encouragement from Saez to complete another furlong beyond the finish line in 11:72 before easing up once again, galloping out what amounted to a half-mile from the quarter pole in 51.33. Brody’s Cause seemed to be striding out well to and through the wire, although he did get quite hot during what can only be described as a somewhat unexpected and unorthodox prep a week out from the race.
EXAGGERATOR had his busiest morning since arriving from Pimlico six days ago, galloping two miles, the final seven furlongs of which came at well better than a two-minute-per-mile clip. The undisputed Belmont favorite began to noticeably pick up his pace passing the half-mile pole, getting to the wire in 57.70, at which point he appeared to be on the verge of easing up.
Instead, he seemed to rebreak, continuing at a relatively strong pace for another three furlongs, completing his final seven furlongs from the half in 1:40.44 while moving smoothly and effortlessly throughout.
Exaggerator has seemingly adapted well to the local surface and looked the best I’ve seen him this week.
You never know what you’re going to get from LANI, who once again spent plenty of time out on the racetrack, sandwiching a three-mile gallop between two 1 1/2-mile walks. Like Exaggerator, he was allowed to really stretch his legs at the end, breezing his final half-mile in 52.79 under some urging before galloping out another eighth in 13.57.
Lani did get quite studdish as he passed by the wire the final time among a group of horses one can only imagine included a filly or two, a habit he had not previously exhibited locally but something he had been doing regularly while training up to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.