Nehro gives Nakatani his third Belmont Stakes mount

ELMONT, N.Y. – When Corey Nakatani rides Kentucky Derby runner-up Nehro in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, it will be just his third mount in the third leg of the Triple Crown. The others were Green Alligator, who finished 10th in 1991, and Buckle Down Ben, who finished seventh in 2001.

Nehro is trained by Steve Asmussen, and that duo has teamed up to win at a 30 percent clip since the beginning of 2010.

Asmussen said Nakatani had some success for him at the 2010 Oaklawn meet and again this winter at Santa Anita. He also likes the way Nakatani finishes on a horse, and Nehro is one who figures to come from well off the pace.

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For Asmussen, Nehro will be his first Belmont starter since 2007 when Curlin got beat a head by the filly Rags to Riches.

“I still can’t believe he got beat,” Asmussen said. “But she did it, she stayed in front of him. I can’t believe he ever got beat; it’s Curlin.”