The Big Beast resting up for Saratoga

When Palace Malice makes his highly anticipated seasonal debut in the Grade 3, $150,000 Westchester Handicap at Belmont Park on May 2, he won’t have to worry about facing The Big Beast.

Trainer Tony Dutrow said Thursday that The Big Beast will get a freshening and point to a summer campaign, most likely at Saratoga.

The winner of last year’s Grade 1 King’s Bishop, The Big Beast finished fourth in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on April 4, and it took a while for him to recover from the race.

“After the Carter, he was not 100 percent himself,” Dutrow said. “He lost a little weight and was not so high-energy for two weeks. In the last [week], he seems very, very good, but I think we’re going to freshen him up. He likes Saratoga.”

Last year, The Big Beast won an allowance race and the King’s Bishop at Saratoga before sustaining a bone chip in an ankle.

Among those mentioned by stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes as possible for the Westchester are Confrontation, Dream Saturday, Juba, Stormin Monarcho (who is entered in Saturday’s Excelsior) and Souper Lucky.

The Westchester, the local prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day, is one of seven stakes that will be offered during the opening week of the Belmont meet, which begins Wednesday.

A look at the prospective fields for the other six:

◗ In Wednesday’s $100,000 Elusive Quality, scheduled for seven furlongs on turf, multiple stakes winner Tightend Touchdown heads a group that is expected to include Dimension, King Kreesa, Mosler, Plainview, Slim Shadey, Spring to the Sky and Upgrade.

◗ In Friday’s $100,000 Gold Fever Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters, the only four confirmed runners as of Thursday were Ackeret, El Deal, Nonna’s Boy and Whateveryouwant.

Also Friday is the $100,000 License Fee, for older filly and mare sprinters on the turf. Expected to run are Annecdote, Believe in Charlie, Dauphine Russe, Mah Jong Maddnes, Marbre Rose, Tea Time, and possibly Pedal Princess.

◗ In addition to the Westchester, the 12-race Derby Day card at Belmont will include the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles on turf and the Grade 3, $150,000 Fort Marcy Stakes for males at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Expected for the Sheepshead Bay are Beauty Parlor, Maximova, Riposte, and Rosalind. Selenite is possible. The Fort Marcy could include Big Blue Kitten or Hyper from the Chad Brown barn, Divine Oath, Dorsett, Howe Great, Sky Blazer, Tricky Hat, and V. E. Day.

◗ Belmont’s opening week concludes with the May 3 running of the $100,000 Affirmed Success Stakes for New York-bred sprinters at six furlongs. That field is expected to include Between the Lines, Big Business, Brass Pear, Captain Serious, I’m Stoked, John’s Island, Loki’s Vengeance, and Weekend Hideaway.