Belmont Stakes pacemaker Gettysburg runs in allowance

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Stakes-placed Gettysburg will make his first start since attending the pace in the Belmont Stakes in an $85,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up Friday at Saratoga.

Gettysburg, who won a maiden race in January at Gulfstream Park, finished second to Collected in the Sunland Park Festival of Racing Stakes this spring while trained by Todd Pletcher. Owner WinStar Farm elected to enter Gettysburg in the Belmont Stakes to provide pace for Creator, and transferred him from Pletcher, who trained another speed factor in Destin, to Asmussen, who trained Creator. Creator won the race by a nose over Destin, with Gettysburg eighth.

Following the race, both Creator and Gettysburg were turned out at WinStar Farm before joining Asmussen in Saratoga. Gettysburg has worked four times since arriving, most recently going five furlongs in 1:01.48 at the Oklahoma track on Aug. 3, the third-fastest of 15 works at the distance that day.

Gettysburg drew the outside post in the field of 10 for Friday’s allowance with Paco Lopez named to ride. The only horse in the field with a stakes placing, he is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line. The morning-line favorite at 5-2 is Bombs Away, who has not missed the board in his three starts.