Belmont Stakes clocker report: A final summary from both Belmont and Churchill
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ELMONT, N.Y. – Despite the unexpected glitch of missing a day of training Thursday due to poor air quality in the local area, the serious work had already been done preparing the nine members of this year’s Belmont Stakes field for the main event on Saturday.
With that in mind, it’s time to take one final look at just how those preparations have gone the previous two weeks. The majority of the training took place locally, but this report also includes the Brad Cox-trained trio of Belmont starters, who did all their major work at Churchill Downs.
Tapit Shoes (post 1): His final work for the race was a good one last Saturday at Churchill, per Daily Racing Form clocker Brandon Stauble, who had him going five furlongs from the half in 1:00.40, out in 1:13.60 in a team with the lightly raced but very promising stablemate Bishops Bay. “Worked well in company and seems like he is on the improve,” Stauble said.
Tapit Shoes appeared to come out of the work well from the looks of his first local appearance, a routine gallop over the main track on Wednesday.
Tapit Trice (post 2): Certainly couldn’t be doing any better off his last two works, a serious five furlongs on May 26 in 1:00.20 before galloping out a full mile in 1:38.60, and a more maintenance-like but eye-catching breeze eight days later when again looking terrific and full of run on the gallop-out.
He came out of that work with tons of energy when back to the track to gallop a very strong 1 1/2 miles here Tuesday.
Arcangelo (post 3): Lightly raced but well-bred colt continues to impress coming out of his victory in the Peter Pan. He has exchanged those earlier bullet works for a couple of slow but stamina-enhancing breezes in which he galloped out strongly on both occasions, the first time a full 1 1/8 miles with jockey Javier Castellano aboard on May 31, and again six days later when going out a mile in 1:40.40 with his regular exercise rider in the saddle.
Appears to have shown no ill effects from well-graded effort in Peter Pan while giving the impression the added distance should not be an issue Saturday.
National Treasure (post 4): Bounced out of a somewhat unorthodox work here just 10 days removed from his gutsy victory in the Preakness with a strong run this past Monday, showing off a good mix of speed and stamina while completing five furlongs in 59.39 seconds before galloping out seven panels under some prodding in 1:25.63.
Projects once again as the likely pacesetter in the Belmont.
Il Miracolo (post 5): His last two breezes at Gulfstream were bullet five-eighths but while being set down for his best both times while just average-looking on the gallop-outs.
Seems overmatched in this spot.
Forte (post 6): Much like Tapit Trice, he’s looked very sharp in his final two works while asked to do a lot more in the most recent one than his stablemate due to the fact he’s not had a race since winning the Florida Derby 10 weeks earlier.
Flashed a nice combination of speed and stamina here last Saturday completing five-eighths in 59.22 in hand under Irad Ortiz Jr. and showing good energy going out seven panels in 1:26.33 with the lone caveat the fact he could not shake a lesser-regarded workmate at any point of the drill.
Hit Show (post 7): Completed five furlongs from the half in 1:01.40, out in 1:14.40 last Saturday at Churchill on Stauble’s watch after which he commented, “galloped out fine, although I thought he was better before the Derby.”
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On Wednesday, he was a bit reluctant to begin before ultimately turning in a strong but restrained gallop, in draw reins, over the main track.
Angel of Empire (post 8): Excellent work horse both going into and coming out of the Derby, with his final pre-Belmont drill five furlongs from the half last Saturday at Churchill in 59.80 and 1:12.60. He wore the blinkers he’s had in all works pre and post Derby and which he will wear for the first time in a race in the Belmont.
“Finished well and galloped out in his usual strong manner,” Stauble commented after his latest breeze.
He made a fine first local appearance galloping over the main track Wednesday.
Red Route One (post 9): Never much of a work horse, he has turned in a couple of benign half-half mile breezes locally, including a very average-looking 51.11 clocking on May 29 during which he had to be prodded both to finish and continue out five furlongs in lackluster fashion.
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