Belmont Stakes clocker: Tacitus looking strong

BELMONT PARK
Sunday, May 26
Weather: Clear
Temp.: 63
Track: Fast

ELMONT, N.Y. – With the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, to be decided at a grueling 1 1/2 miles, there was a distinct pattern to the handful of workouts recorded over the Belmont Park main and training tracks this weekend. The trainers of all five Belmont contenders to breeze here Saturday and Sunday were looking for strong, extended gallop-outs just two weeks out from the race.

TACITUS, who finished a late-striding fourth in the Kentucky Derby, proved an excellent case in point, working just minutes after the renovation break on a gorgeous Sunday morning in New York.

With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, Tacitus broke off about a half-length behind and outside his older stable mate Multiplier, who has become graded stakes-placed on grass after finishing last in the 2017 Belmont. The two grays posted splits of 24.55 and 36.16 seconds for the opening three furlongs while fanning a bit wide into the stretch and were still in reserve to the wire, completing five furlongs in 1:00.20, with Tacitus sticking his head in front at the end.

The Tampa Bay Derby and Wood Memorial winner then proceeded to leave his workmate well behind on the gallop-out, extending his advantage when prodded some by Ortiz once passing through the finish line to complete six furlongs in 1:12.75 before easing up a full seven panels in 1:25.10. It’s been well documented that Tacitus has never been one to turn heads in the morning, with Sunday’s move arguably his most impressive of the season and a sign that he could be coming up to his best effort yet on Belmont Day.

Saturday, May 25
Weather: Clear
Temp.: 61
Track: Fast

Two Derby runners, TAX (15th) and SPINOFF (18th) were among the four potential Belmont Stakes starters to work here Saturday, the former over a dullish training track, the latter on a very fast main strip.

Although he was pretty much in maintenance mode throughout, Tax made a favorable impression while keeping with the theme of extending nicely for an extra quarter-mile on the gallop-out. The runner-up to Tacitus in the roughly run Wood Memorial, Tax turned in an even and very easy four furlongs in 24.94, 50.09 but had plenty left in the tank running out into and around the turn, getting five panels in 1:04.24 before picking it up another notch to complete three-quarters in 1:17.22.

Trainer Danny Gargan said afterward that he planned to allow Tax to do a bit more in his final Belmont prep here next weekend.

Spinoff, as usual, was put in company by trainer Todd Pletcher to go a swift five furlongs in 35.21, 59.79, working inside 3-year-old stablemate Last Judgment, who is almost always eager to get it on in the morning. Spinoff was slightly second-best throughout, finishing about a head back under jockey John Velazquez while under a tad more encouragement to gallop out a strong six furlongs in 1:11.86, the pair easing up seven-eighths in 1:24.35.

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Pletcher added blinkers for INTREPID HEART’s half-mile breeze in 25.01, 49.03, the lightly raced 3-year-old in hand to complete the distance working outside Tampa Bay Derby runner-up Outshine. The team also had excellent energy through the wire and into the sweeping turn, going out five-eighths in 1:01.31 before easing up three-quarters in 1:14.04.

Trainer Mark Casse plans to run Preakness winner War of Will in the Belmont. He may also have a second entrant, the much-improved SIR WINSTON, coming off a well-graded second-place finish in the Grade 2 Peter Pan.

Working on a fresh track almost immediately after the break, Sir Winston was given a target in Catch a Thrill, breaking four lengths back while tracking his mate from a safe distance through a 37.78 three-eighths split. He then eased outside to readily catch and pull well clear after five furlongs in 1:01.50. He too had plenty of run after the wire, easing up after six panels in 1:14.33.