Ride On Curlin still fresh for Belmont

ELMONT, N.Y. – After driving through the night from Louisville, Ky., trainer Billy Gowan arrived in New York at around 2 a.m. Tuesday and, shortly thereafter, was reunited with his 3-year-old colt Ride On Curlin, whom he hadn’t seen since the morning after the Preakness.

Any fatigue Gowan may have had quickly dissipated after watching Ride On Curlin train over Belmont’s main track in preparation for the June 7 Belmont Stakes.

Ride On Curlin, the runner-up to California Chrome in the Preakness, galloped two miles, traveling his second mile at what is commonly referred to as a “two-minute lick” – two minutes per mile. But Ride On Curlin went significantly quicker than that, covering his second mile in 1:51.36 from the 7 1/2-furlong pole to a sixteenth past the finish line. Daily Racing Form clocked the last half-mile of that gallop in 54.05 seconds.

“We haven’t been doing much with him,” Gowan said. “Do that one time and get one work in him, and that’s about all he needs.”

Other than Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome, Ride On Curlin is the only horse who is expected to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown this year. His energy level remains high, as he demonstrated when he walked onto the track Tuesday morning, rearing up three times, with exercise rider Bryan Beccia holding on for dear life.

“He’s letting me know he’s still in charge,” said Beccia, who was then accompanied by a stable pony back to the 4 1/2-furlong pole before Ride On Curlin started to train.

Ride On Curlin gradually grew stronger as he galloped through the stretch the first time before Beccia began to let him pick it up more straightening away down the backside. Into the far turn, one could have thought Ride On Curlin was beginning an official workout.

“He goes into the turn, he switches to his left lead, you feel those muscles building up and feel them gears kicking in,” Beccia said. “He’s ready to do something.”

Back at the barn after the training session, Ride On Curlin still had plenty of energy as Gowan walked him around the shed. Physically, Ride On Curlin does not give the impression of a horse coming off two Triple Crown races.

“I’m not really surprised,” Gowan said. “He’s one tough horse. The night of the Preakness, he ate all his oats. The next morning, he’s hollering for his breakfast. He’s a tough horse. He carries his weight; he’s carried it all winter. I would have been surprised if he didn’t, to tell you the truth.”

Ride On Curlin is stabled in the same barn as California Chrome, just two stalls away. Ride On Curlin came out of his stall at 7 a.m., after California Chrome had already galloped two miles, been bathed, and put away.

California Chrome galloped stronger than he had on any previous morning since he arrived here May 20. He usually loafs for at least a mile before picking it up gradually around the half-mile or three-eighths pole. On Tuesday, he picked it up at around the seven-furlong pole. Coming through the stretch, exercise rider Willie Delgado was heard to say, “Settle down, settle down,” to his chestnut charge.

“Today’s the first time that he actually got locked on early,” Delgado said. “Down the backside, I was kind of cussing at him a little bit, like, ‘Slow down, you dummy. What are you doing?’ But he’s doing it, and he’s looking around like, ‘Okay, I’m ready, okay.’ I’m just hoping this continues going like this so maybe he can win the Triple Crown.”

Delgado is pretty confident that’s going to happen.

“This is the strongest I felt about him winning a race,” he said.

Alan Sherman, assistant to his father, trainer Art Sherman, said he had an inkling that California Chrome was going to be more aggressive Tuesday.

“He was feeling really good today,” Sherman said. “He was dragging me around the shed before he went to the track. He’s on it.”

California Chrome is scheduled to work at Belmont Park at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, according to Alan Sherman.

Peter Pan Stakes winner Tonalist, who worked Sunday and jogged Monday, had a steady 1 3/8-mile gallop shortly before 6 a.m. Tuesday.

“I thought he looked good,” trainer Christophe Clement said.

Social Inclusion, who arrived here Sunday, also galloped over the main track shortly after 7 a.m., getting a little hot on a warm, summer-like morning. His connections still have not decided whether he will run in the Belmont, the Met Mile, or the Woody Stephens.

Commanding Curve, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, is scheduled to arrive at Belmont on Thursday on a flight from Kentucky.