Pneumatic nominated to Triple Crown

With the Belmont Stakes on June 20 an option for his next start, Pneumatic – third most recently in the Matt Winn Stakes – has been nominated to the Triple Crown, trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Pneumatic was not an original nominee to the Triple Crown for $600 back in January because he was not going to be ready for the original dates of the Triple Crown, Asmussen said. But with the postponement of all three races, Pneumatic was made eligible for $3,000 by the second deadline Wednesday.

All nominations at the second deadline are scheduled to be announced later this week. The connections of King Guillermo, who won the Tampa Bay Derby and most recently was second in a division of the Arkansas Derby behind Nadal, announced earlier that he had been nominated in advance of the second deadline.

:: Belmont Stakes news, contenders, and more

The second deadline usually falls in March and costs $6,000, but the deadline was postponed and the fee halved owing to the coronavirus pandemic, which has postponed the Kentucky Derby to Sept. 5 and the Preakness to Oct. 3.

Pneumatic did not make his first start until Feb. 15. The Winn was his third start and his stakes debut. He already has worked back from that race, going five furlongs in 1:02.20 on Monday at Churchill Downs.

“I’m pleased with how he’s come out of the race,” said Asmussen, who said Pneumatic would be pointed to either the Belmont or the Haskell on July 18 because he needs to accumulate points toward the Derby. Asmussen said his next work “will tell us what direction we’re going.”

:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.

Asmussen also has Basin under consideration for the Belmont, along with the Ohio Derby on June 27 and the Haskell. Basin most recently was second to Charlatan in a division of the Arkansas Derby, but the outcome of that race – both in terms of purse and Derby points – is in question owing to a potential disqualification of Charlatan, whose initial test from that race showed the presence of a regulated therapeutic medication. If a second test confirms the first, Charlatan could be disqualified.

Those developments could impact where Basin goes next. Basin earned 40 points for the Arkansas Derby. First is worth 100.

“He possibly could be the recipient of 60 more points,” Asmussen said, indicating accumulating points wouldn’t be as immediately critical if Basin is promoted.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

Basin recently relocated from Oaklawn Park to Churchill Downs, where he has worked twice, including a five-furlong drill in 1:00.40 on Wednesday.