Kid Cruz to skip Belmont Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kid Cruz on Tuesday was ruled out of the Belmont Stakes by trainer Linda Rice, who said she was looking “for an easier spot to get him back on track.”

Kid Cruz finished eighth in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in his most recent start after winning his prior two starts, the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park and the Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico. He would have been a longshot in the Belmont on Saturday. Entries were to be taken Wednesday.

“His last effort was a non-effort,” Rice said outside her Belmont Park barn Tuesday. “He didn’t perform at Pimlico.”

Rice said the Easy Goer Stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard was among the options for Kid Cruz, but she also mentioned the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 15 and said she might even wait for the Grade 3, $200,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park on July 5.

::DRF Live: Get real-time reports from Belmont Park each morning

“It’s a long summer,” she said. “I want to do right by the horse.”

Kid Cruz has won three times in six starts. He was claimed by Rice on behalf of a partnership for $50,000 from a maiden-claiming victory at Aqueduct on Nov. 22. Since then, he has won twice in four starts and earned $133,400.