Cloud Computing makes return in Westchester Stakes

The Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester on the Derby Day card at Belmont will mark the return to competition of Preakness winner Cloud Computing. The day’s 12 races also include the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay and the Grade 3 Fort Marcy.

With a number of local riders out of town, Edgar Prado will be in from Maryland to ride in eight races. An 11-time title winner in New York, Prado went into the Thursday card at Laurel Park four wins shy of becoming the eighth jockey in history to ride 7,000 winners.

The Saturday races at Belmont will begin at an earlier-than-usual 12:50 p.m. The gates will open at 10 a.m. for people wanting to bet the Churchill card, which begins at 10:30 a.m.

A third pick four has been added to the betting menu and will begin on race 7. The NYRABets Pick 5 will be on races 6-10. The first 10 races will be held prior to the Kentucky Derby, there will then be a break for the Derby before the final two races are run.

Cloud Computing didn’t fare well in the Jim Dandy and Travers following his Preakness win and was shut down in September by trainer Chad Brown. He has worked 11 times for his comeback in the one-mile Westchester.

“I’m really excited to get him back to the races,” Brown said. “He seems to be training really well again, he’s had a long break, and hopefully the Westchester kicks off a successful campaign for him.”

Brown believes Cloud Computing will run well fresh.

“The horse is well prepared for a really good race right off the bat,” he said. “That said, I’m trying to accomplish two things here: come back winning – but not squeeze the horse, either, because I’d like to campaign him all year.”

Depending how he runs, Cloud Computing could return in the Grade 1 Met Mile on Belmont Stakes Day or stretch out to 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 16 at Churchill.

The six-horse Westchester also includes Tommy Macho and Conquest Big E. Tommy Macho won the Grade 3 Fred Hooper at Gulfstream Park by three-quarters of a length over Conquest Big E in January. Conquest Big E came back to win the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile by three lengths in March, with Tommy Macho finishing third.

Both horses are suited for a one-turn mile.

Conquest Big E had difficult trips in both the Hooper and the Hal’s Hope in February, when he rabbit-hopped out of the gate and then had to steady in traffic. He broke sharper in the Gulfstream Mile and went wire to wire.

Trainer Donna Green Hurtak calls Conquest Big E “quirky” and is bringing in his regular rider, Jose Batista, from Florida.

“One thing I am especially proud of with this horse, is that when he does get checked, he comes back running, and that’s huge,” she said. “A lot of horses won’t do that. His last race was by far his best.”

Tommy Macho couldn’t run down Conquest Big E and Always Dreaming when third in the Gulfstream Mile, but is quite capable of winning at this level off his best race.

– additional reporting by David Grening