Belmont Stakes trainers unfazed by Thursday track closure

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Horsemen with runners in Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes did not seem overly upset they were unable to train their horses Thursday at Belmont Park.

Due to the poor air quality conditions in the New York area stemming from the wind-blown smoke from the Canadian wildfires, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday evening that it had canceled training for Thursday at both Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

NYRA also canceled Thursday’s live racing card due to concerns over poor air quality. Expectations are that conditions will improve enough to allow training and racing Friday.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said his Belmont contenders Forte and Tapit Trice would have “galloped 1 1/4-miles-ish” Thursday morning. Instead, they were hand-walked around the shed.

“From a fitness perspective it really doesn’t affect anything,” Pletcher said. “You would like to keep them in a routine and have them go out and get some exercise as much for their mental well-being as anything. I considered jogging in the barn but what are you going to gain from that? We would like to train [Friday].”

Pletcher said that missing Thursday and the fact the Belmont doesn’t run until just after 7 p.m. may lead him to sending Forte and Tapit Trice to do some light training Saturday morning.

Trainer Brad Cox, who has the trio of Angel of Empire, Hit Show, and Tapit Shoes for the Belmont, said his horses would have all galloped Thursday morning, but instead were hand-walked around the shed.

“It’s not the worst thing in the world,” Cox said.

Trainer Jena Antonucci said not being able to send Arcangelo to the track should have “zero” impact on his preparations for the race. Arcangelo walked the shed at his barn but also did roughly 30 minutes in the round pen, where he was quite active.

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National Treasure, the Preakness winner, also walked the barn, according to trainer Bob Baffert, who was scheduled to fly from California to New York later Thursday.

“He just had a strong breeze, so not a big issue,” Baffert texted regarding missing training Thursday.

Red Route One and Il Miracolo also had walk days.

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