Funny Cide has fast drill

ELMONT, N.Y. - Funny Cide, who will seek a sweep of the Triple Crown in Saturday's Belmont Stakes, flew through his final work early Tuesday morning, zipping through five furlongs in 57.82 seconds according to Belmont Park's clockers. Daily Racing Form timed the work in 57.06 seconds.

Funny Cide came on the track at 5:25 a.m., just as the sun was rising in the northeast horizon. He cantered quickly the wrong way back to the 6 1/2-furlong pole, then turned around and moved toward the half-mile pole, from where his work began.

According to Daily Racing Form, Funny Cide went off swiftly. His fractions were 11.18 seconds for the opening furlong, 21.90 for a quarter mile, 33.21 for three furlongs, 45.03 for a half-mile, with a six-furlong gallop-out time of 1:11.59.

Robin Smullen was aboard Funny Cide. Barclay Tagg, Funny Cide's trainer, watched the work astride his pony at the finish line. As Funny Cide came through the stretch, Tagg raised his hand in an apparent attempt to alert Smullen to slow down.

Tagg was unavailable for comment immediately after the work. He has a daily press briefing session at 10:30.