Calumet hopes run of longshot winners continues

ELMONT, N.Y. – Over the last year, Calumet Farm has won some of the biggest races on the New York Racing Association circuit, and at big prices, to boot.

Last August, Vexatious ($21) won the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga, beating champion Midnight Bisou. In December, True Timber ($16.60) pulled off a mild upset in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. In April, Bourbonic returned the biggest mutuel ($146.50) in the history of the Grade 2 Wood Memorial. Three weeks ago, Channel Cat scored a front-running upset ($18.40) in the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont Park.

Two of those horses – Bourbonic in the Belmont Stakes and Channel Cat in the Manhattan – will represent the black and gold of Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm on Saturday in stakes races at Belmont. Calumet also will have Lexitonian in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

“Mr. Kelley, it’s no secret he loves taking chances like that,” said Eddie Kane, farm manager for Calumet. “Above and beyond that, it’s been great for the farm. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Kane said an added bonus is that all three horses are Calumet homebreds.

Calumet Farm has not won the Belmont since Citation capped his Triple Crown run in 1948, seven years after Calumet’s Whirlaway did the same. Calumet has six seconds in the Belmont, including Oxbow in 2013. Calumet has run horses in each of the last four Belmonts, with Patch’s third-place finish at 12-1 in 2017 its best result.

Bourbonic is a late-running son of Bernardini who will be reliant on pace in the Belmont. His grandsire, A.P. Indy, and his broodmare sire, Afleet Alex, both won the Belmont as favorites.

“He’s a horse that at times will work like he’s capable of stepping up,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “The one thing he always does is gallop out strongly. He’s always given us the indication that the distance will suit him.”

Lexitonian, a son of Speightstown, came within a head of pulling a 46-1 upset in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs going seven furlongs on Kentucky Derby Day. He has never won going a mile, but trainer Jack Sisterson felt the way he ran his last race showed the distance is within his reach.

“He galloped out in front with his ears pricked,” Sisterson said. “He thought he won; we didn’t tell him he finished second.”

Channel Cat scored a front-running upset in the Man o’ War under John Velazquez. He figures to be a forward factor in the Manhattan.

True Timber, a 7-year-old son of Mineshaft, is on the farm and will be examined in a month to determine whether he comes back to race this year, according to Kane. Vexatious has been retired and bred to Speightstown.

In the last race on Saturday’s card, Calumet will run the 3-year-old Kentucky Pharoah in a salty second-level allowance race going 1 1/8 miles on turf. A strong performance there would likely earn Kentucky Pharoah a shot in the $1 million Belmont Derby on July 10.

Bet against him at your own risk.