Belmont: Preakness result will help Jones assess whether to run Mark Valeski in Belmont Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mark Valeski, winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont, arrived back at Churchill Downs early Monday morning and will train there while his connections decide whether or not to return for the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 9.

Trainer Larry Jones said while he was happy with his colt’s 1 1/4-length victory over Right to Vote in the Peter Pan – which earned him a 96 Beyer Speed Figure – he would monitor this Saturday’s Preakness Stakes as well as other developments before sitting down with owner Brereton Jones and deciding what’s next.

“We’re going to see what happens there,” Jones said, referring to the Preakness, “and try to decide what to do. We were very happy with his race, and we’ll see how he gets over the trip, check all the figures and we’ll try to do what’s right for the horse.”

Jones said that Mark Valeski did come out of the Peter Pan in good order. Jones said of the horses he has brought down the Triple Crown trail, Mark Valeski was the best equipped to handle Belmont’s 1 1/2-mile distance.

“I think that this horse will get the distance as good or better than they did,” said Jones, whose only Belmont starter, Hard Spun, finished fourth.

While the Peter Pan is the traditional local prep for the Belmont Stakes, the last horse to win both races was A.P. Indy in 1992.

Since then, only Colonial Affair (1993) and Lemon Drop Kid (1999) have come out of the Peter Pan to win the Belmont. In 2010, the Peter Pan was replaced on the calendar by the Dwyer and Drosselmeyer ran second in it before winning the Belmont in a race that did not include the Kentucky Derby or Preakness winner.

Right to Vote, second in the Peter Pan after setting all the fractions, is not Triple Crown nominated. His next spot will likely be the Dwyer here on June 30.

Trainer Chad Brown indicated that Street Life, a late-running third in the Peter Pan, would come back in the Belmont.

Kentucky Derby third- and seventh-place finishers Dullahan and Union Rags are others pointing to the Belmont Stakes. Alpha, 12th in the Derby, is possible.