Leparoux liking Master Fencer's attitude ahead of Belmont

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jockey Julien Leparoux worked Master Fencer prior to the Kentucky Derby, in which they crossed the wire seventh, and after Master Fencer’s final drill on Wednesday here at Belmont Park in preparation for the 151st Belmont Stakes, Leparoux said he noticed a change in attitude he hopes translates into an even better performance on Saturday.

“I had a chance to breeze him at Churchill Downs and he was a little on the lazy side,” Leparoux said after Master Fencer was timed in 1:01.44 for five furlongs by Mike Welsch of Daily Racing Form. “Today he was on the bridle.”

Master Fencer, the Japanese representative who outran his 58-1 odds in the Derby, will be a far shorter price on Saturday based on his Derby finish, which allowed him to be promoted to sixth after original winner Maximum Security was disqualified and placed 17th. He has had a curious training pattern here, including a work last week in which he appeared to stumble nearing the wire, and while nothing alarming transpired Wednesday, he never changed leads in his work.

“He didn’t switch leads, but he’s never good at it,” said Leparoux, who said he allowed Master Fencer to continue on his wrong lead rather than force him to switch over.

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Master Fencer was one of 10 horses entered in the Belmont on Tuesday. He drew post 3. Leparoux is hoping he gets a satisfactory pace to set up Master Fencer’s late run, as in the Derby, minus having to duck and dodge through traffic.

When the incident triggered by Maximum Security happened in the Derby 550 yards from the wire, “I was wondering, ‘Where am I supposed to go?’” Leparoux said.

“The horses were scattered around. I had to wait longer than I would have liked,” Leparoux said.

Master Fencer took off down the stretch, rallying from last entering the lane while making up 13 lengths. He gets another quarter-mile in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.

“The added distance should be good. Hopefully there will be pace. It’s a question of the pace scenario,” Leparoux said. “Everybody was a little surprised with the way he ran in the Derby. When I worked him, he went in 1:05, but he finished in 24 and change. I knew the horse had some late kick. He finished up very strong at the Derby.

“He doesn’t have too much speed from the gate. Even though I could ride him different, I don’t think it’s good to change his style.”

Leparoux spent plenty of time with Master Fencer on Wednesday. The colt first went to the training track to jog and gallop, then crossed over to the main track for a quick visit to the starting gate before continuing on to work from the five-furlong pole.

“He’s a very cool horse to be around,” Leparoux said. “He’s calm, even at the Derby. He’s a very kind horse.”

On the official track morning line set by David Aragona, Master Fencer is the third choice at 8-1. On paper, the Belmont is a two-horse race, and those two ended up alongside each other at the far outside of the gate when posts were drawn Tuesday.

Tacitus, who landed the outside post at the draw at Citi Field, is slightly favored over Preakness winner War of Will, who drew post 9, on the lines of both Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, and Aragona.

Watchmaker has Tacitus at 8-5, with War of Will right behind at 9-5. Aragona, similarly, has Tacitus at 9-5 and War of Will 2-1. Watchmaker has Everfast the third choice at 10-1.

Tacitus comes into the Belmont fresh, having not raced since finishing fourth, then moved up to third, in the Derby following the disqualification of Maximum Security. War of Will will be the only horse in the Belmont to have competed in all three legs of the Triple Crown. He was eighth in the Derby, then moved to seventh after the disqualification, while finishing 1 1/4 lengths behind Tacitus.

The field, from the rail out, is Joevia, Everfast, Master Fencer, Tax, Bourbon War, Spinoff, Sir Winston, Intrepid Heart, War of Will, and Tacitus.

Bourbon War is taking blinkers off, and Intrepid Heart is adding blinkers.

The Belmont, which has a purse of $1.5 million, is the 11th race on a 13-race card scheduled to begin at 11:35 a.m. Eastern. Post time for the Belmont is listed as 6:37 p.m.