Belmont Stakes clocker report: Tapit Trice aggressive in gallop; Arcangelo full of energy
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Belmont Park
Tuesday, June 6
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 62
Track: Fast
ELMONT, N.Y. - An early appearance by the two likely favorites and a late surprise after the renovation break from one of the live longshots in the field highlighted the Belmont Stakes watch Tuesday morning at Belmont Park.
Forte and Tapit Trice, the first and second choices, respectively, on the morning line at odds of 5-2 and 3-1 for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, came out to train immediately after the main track opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday. They each galloped once around the 1 1/2-mile oval after backtracking about a sixteenth of a mile or so past the finish line.
Tapit Trice definitely was the more aggressive of the pair. He was eager to begin once given his cue and looked sharp galloping at a strong pace while kept out past the middle of the racetrack much of the way. Tapit Trice continues to make a very favorable appearance exiting his seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
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Peter Pan winner Arcangelo, who has come a long way in a relatively short time, was not expected to have another official workout after breezing a very easy five furlongs in 1:03.13 followed by a powerful gallop-out (one mile in 1:41.38) under jockey Javier Castellano last Wednesday. But with his regular exercise rider Robert Mallari aboard, Arcangelo dropped to the rail at the five-eighths pole and pretty much duplicated that drill after the renovation break this morning.
He cruised to the wire in 37.55, 1:02.47 before once again sustaining tons of energy into and around the clubhouse turn, posting splits of 1:15.25 for six furlongs and 1:27.55 for seven-eighths before easing up after a full mile in 1:40.40.
Arcangelo continues to train like a horse who should handle the added ground and may be sitting on another improved showing on Belmont day.
I’m eagerly awaiting the first local appearance of trainer Brad Cox’s Belmont trio Angel of Empire, Hit Show, and Tapit Shoes, all of whom were given the day off following their arrival from Kentucky early this morning. All three had their final Derby breezes in company going five furlongs last Saturday at Churchill Downs and are expected to train here for the first time - over the main track, per trainer Brad Cox - on Wednesday.
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