Madone will go the distance in Belmont Oaks
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Simon Callaghan will be on a fact-finding mission of sorts when he ships Madone cross country for Saturday’s $700,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park.
Madone, a daughter of Vancouver, has recorded all five of her victories at a mile, including the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes on July 24 at Del Mar. The Jockey Club Oaks is at 1 3/8 miles, the farthest Madone will have run.
“We’ve always wanted to stretch her out,” Callaghan said Wednesday. “It’s one of those situations you don’t really know until you try. She was definitely running on at the end of the last one.”
Callaghan was referring to the Del Mar Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race where Madone finished fifth, 3 1/4 lengths back of winner Going Global.
Madone, who was scheduled to arrive in New York on Wednesday afternoon, will be ridden by John Velazquez.
The seven-horse Oaks field, from the rail out, is Creative Flair, Higher Truth, Baby Blythe, Be Up, Madone, Shantisara, and Harajuku.