O'Brien has two contenders each in Belmont Derby, Oaks
ELMONT, N.Y. – They may not be the very best horses in his arsenal, but trainer Aidan O’Brien looks to have a strong hand in both the Belmont Derby and Belmont Oaks, the pair of Grade 1 turf events that highlight Saturday’s Stars and Stripes card at Belmont Park.
O’Brien, who finished second in the 2014 Belmont Derby with Adelaide, will send out Deauville and Long Island Sound in this year’s $1.25 million Derby. O’Brien, who finished third in last year’s Oaks with Outstanding, has the duo of Ballydoyle and Coolmore to run in Saturday’s third edition of the $1 million Oaks. Both races are scheduled for 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf course. The Oaks offers a fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November.
“He tries to separate them the best he can,” T.J. Comerford, an assistant to O’Brien, said Wednesday after all four horses galloped over the Belmont main track. “It’s hard to bring them here when you’re trying to win races in Europe as well, but these are very good horses we’re bringing.”
Deauville, a son of Galileo, was a Group 3 winner at 2. This year, he was beaten a neck in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York before running a disappointing 11th in the Epsom Derby on June 4.
“The race at York, he ran very well,” Comerford said. “If he comes with that run again, he’ll be very hard to beat.”
Regarding the Epsom Derby, Comerford said Deauville may not have cared for the soft ground at Epsom, and the competition might have been too tough.
“You’re going a mile and a half against the best horses in a couple of countries,” Comerford said. “He wasn’t up to that.”
Deauville, who will be ridden by Jamie Spencer, drew post 13. He will run with Lasix for the first time, as will all of O’Brien’s runners, according to Comerford.
Long Island Sound is a Kentucky-bred son of War Front. His dam, Treasure Trail, is a half-sister to Zenyatta. Long Island Sound won his first three starts before finishing third, beaten four lengths by Hawkbill, in the Group 3 Tercentenary at Royal Ascot. Hawkbill has won six consecutive races, including the Group 1 Coral Eclipse at Sandown last weekend.
“He ran well at Ascot on ground that probably didn’t suit him,” Comerford said. “He’ll definitely be better on better ground.”
Colm O’Donoghue will ride Long Island Sound from post 7.
Humphrey Bogart is the other European-based runner in the Derby field. He finished fifth in the Epsom Derby before running sixth in the Group 2 King Edward at Royal Ascot.
The North American contingent for the Derby is led by Camelot Kitten and Highland Sky, the 1-2 finishers in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge here on June 4. Camelot Kitten, who breaks from post 6, is joined by stablemates Call Provision (post 12), third in the Pennine Ridge, and Beach Patrol (post 9). All three are trained by Chad Brown.
Airoforce, Applicator, Aquaphobia, Ralis, Surgical Strike, and Toughest ‘Ombre complete the field.
O’Brien’s top turf fillies include Minding and Alice Springs, who remained in Europe. But Ballydoyle’s form suggests she belongs in that group and makes her a top contender in the Belmont Oaks. Ballydoyle finished second behind Minding and in front of Alice Springs in the English 1000 Guineas in May at Newmarket. Most recently, Ballydoyle finished sixth in the Group 1 Prix de Diane on June 19 at Chantilly, beaten 3 1/4 lengths.
“The last time in France, she ran on softish ground from a bad draw,” Comerford said.
Coolmore actually finished one spot in front of Ballydoyle in the Prix de Diane, her best race this year. At age 2, she won a Group 3 in Ireland.
“She ran a blinder; she was up there all the way, she came home well, she stayed on there at the finish,” Comerford said. “That was a very good run for her for this year. She’s starting to come back to herself.”
O’Donoghue will ride Ballydoyle from post 7, while Spencer has the call on Coolmore from post 13.
Catch a Glimpse, a winner of seven straight for trainer Mark Casse, drew post 12, while Time and Motion, who is 3 for 3 this year, including a half-length victory in the Wonder Again Stakes, drew post 4. Harmonize and Last Waltz, second and third in the Wonder Again, are back in this field.
Also entered were Auntie Joy, Decked Out, Land Over Sea, Magnanime, Pricedtoperfection, Noble Beauty, and Secure Access.
The Derby, Oaks, and Grade 2 Suburban will be shown live during a 90-minute broadcast on NBC beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.