Mubtaahij stays busy with another workout
Belmont Park
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast
Temp: 65
ELMONT, N.Y. – Barring a late change in plans, it appears that all the major work is over for the seven Belmont Stakes hopefuls currently stabled on the grounds after MUBTAAHIJ and TALE OF VERVE turned in five-furlong breezes about 2 1/2 hours apart under perfect conditions here Saturday.
For Mubtaahij, Saturday’s work was his fifth in the past two weeks and easily the best of the three I’ve seen over the last six mornings. With jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for a second time, Mubtaahij broke off at the five-furlong pole and settled into a nice stride, posting splits of 12.52 seconds, 24.53, and 36.27 to the top of the stretch.
Then, in contrast to his previous two breezes, Mubtaahij showed good energy down the stretch and through the wire, changing leads nearing the eighth pole before completing the distance in 1:00.97 without urging from Ortiz. He then sustained his run down the home straight, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.12 before pulling up seven-eighths in 1:28.74.
This certainly wasn’t the type of work that will have the connections of American Pharoah or any of the other Belmont contenders quaking in their boots, but at least it was a step forward and a sign that Mubtaahij seems to be holding up well enough under the heavy workload he’s taken on since his arrival in New York.
Tale of Verve continues to give the impression that he’s bounced out of his vastly improved showing in the Preakness extremely well after zipping five furlongs in 59.04 shortly after 6 a.m. on Saturday.
Working in company with Tradesman from the barn of trainer Tom Albertrani, Tale of Verve was full of run leaving the five-furlong pole, shading 12 seconds for his opening eighth, then proved much the best of the team down the stretch, pulling seven or eight lengths clear before easing up shortly after passing the wire, which is fairly typical for horses trained by Dallas Stewart.
Tale of Verve has given every indication all week that his performance in the Preakness might not have been a fluke and that he could be sitting on an even better effort on Belmont Day.