Blue Grass Stakes winner Brilliant Speed, seventh in the Kentucky Derby in his last start, tuned up for Saturday's Belmont Stakes by working a half-mile in 50.59 seconds on Tuesday morning at Belmont Park.
Animal Kingdom was first in the Kentucky Derby, then second in the Preakness Stakes, and judging by the way he worked and looked on Monday morning here at Belmont Park, he has retained all his edge and fitness heading into the 143rd Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Nehro, the runner-up in the Derby, also worked here on Monday. A large Belmont field of 12 or 13 is expected to be entered on Wednesday morning.
Animal Kingdom, the Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness Stakes runner-up, completed his preparations for Saturday's Belmont Stakes with a four-furlong work in 47.79 seconds on Monday morning at Belmont Park.
Nehro, the second-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, completed his preparation for Saturday's Belmont Stakes with a four-furlong drill in 50.85 seconds early Monday morning at Belmont Park. Nehro remained well off the rail through fractions of 13.18 seconds for the opening furlong and 25.74 seconds for a quarter-mile. He went out five furlongs in 1:03.97.
Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom got his initial feel for Belmont Park’s main track with a 1 1/2-mile gallop Sunday morning, a little more than an hour following a three-hour van ride from the Fair Hill training center in northeast Maryland.
Jockey Ramon Dominguez on Sunday morning got acquainted with his mount for next Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, working Mucho Macho Man a solid five furlongs in 59.57 seconds over the Belmont main track.
Saturday night, trainer Neil Howard announced that Prime Cut, the third-place finisher in last month's Peter Pan Stakes, would indeed return to New York for the Belmont Stakes on June 11.
After watching his Preakness winner Shackleford work a solid five furlongs in 1:00.37 Saturday morning at Belmont Park, trainer Dale Romans said that the horse would run in next Saturday’s $1 million Belmont Stakes. "It’s a go," Romans said. That confirmation sets up a rematch between Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Shackleford. It will be the first time that the Belmont Stakes had a match-up of Derby and Preakness winners since 2005.
Daily Racing Form national handicapper Mike Watchmaker analyzes the potential pace scenario for next Saturday's Belmont Stakes and discusses how it could affect Preakness winner Shackleford, who likes to be on or near the lead. Includes Watchmaker's Belmont Stakes future-book odds.
