Belmont Stakes Clocker: National Treasure goes fast early, slow late
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BELMONT PARK May 30
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 55 degrees
Track: Fast
ELMONT, N.Y. -- NATIONAL TREASURE was back on the clocker’s tab Tuesday at Belmont Park, just 10 days after his hard-fought and very game victory in the Preakness. His work over a fast track came on an unseasonably cool morning playing out somewhat on the unconventional side, especially by trainer Bob Baffert’s standards.
With jockey John Velazquez aboard and blinkers on, National Treasure was eager to begin from the four-furlong marker, posting a sharp 23.63 opening quarter-mile split. Sensing the relatively quick pace for a horse likely in maintenance mode exiting his game and grueling effort in Baltimore a little over a week earlier, Johnny V. decided to slow things down upon turning into the stretch, placing National Treasure under restraint down the lane. The son of Quality Road coasted to the wire to complete a slow 27.22 final quarter and 50.85 half-mile clocking.
At that point, Velazquez dropped National Treasure’s head asking him to pick up the pace once again, which he did willingly enough, galloping out strongly into the clubhouse turn, completing five furlongs in 1:03.19 before easing up three-quarters in 1:16.08.
Probably no cause for concern here despite the snail-like finish considering the energy shown early and more importantly on the gallop out, although would now expect to see this guy return for one more conventional albeit easy breeze sometime early next week.
BELMONT May 29
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 63 degrees
Track: Fast
RED ROUTE ONE is undoubtedly a plodding type. You’re not going to find any bullet works on his resume, especially returning to the tab just nine days removed from his fourth-place finish behind National Treasure in the Preakness. However, you would have expected to see just a bit more this morning from the Grade 1-placed 3-year-old who posted an average-looking and pretty even-paced half-mile over the fast going in 25.38 and 51.11 while equipped with blinkers. Not picking up the pace much despite being urged along some to and through the wire to gallop out five panels in 1:04.53 while angled a bit wide leaving the turn and kept off the rail down the lane.
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