Sir Winston entered in Jazil, but not certain to run

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sir Winston, the 2019 Belmont Stakes winner, on Monday was one of eight horses entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Jazil Stakes, but his starting status won’t be known until closer to race day.

On Jan. 16, Sir Winston threw the shoe off his left front foot in a five-furlong workout over Belmont Park’s training track. Sir Winston was a little tender on that foot over the weekend. On Monday, he was equipped with glue-on shoes on both front feet and would wear them for the first time in a race should he run.

Trainer Mark Casse said he will let his Belmont Park assistant, Jamie Begg, advise him on how Sir Winston’s training goes this week.

“I just want to see him be himself galloping,” Casse said. “Jamie knows him probably better than anybody, so he’s in the right place. Jamie knows when he’s good.”

Casse said he was hoping to use the Jazil as a way to get to the $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March. Casse has not yet looked at other alternatives in the event Sir Winston can’t run Saturday. Sir Winston has raced just once since the Belmont Stakes, that a 12th-place finish in the Woodchopper Stakes over yielding turf on Dec. 28 at Fair Grounds.

Manny Franco has the mount on Sir Winston on Saturday.

The Jazil, run at 1 1/8 miles, features stakes winners Mr. Buff, Stan the Man, and Leitone.

Mr. Buff, last year’s Jazil winner, drew the rail for Saturday. Outside of him, in post order, are Sir Winston, Adventist, Backsideofthemoon, Stan the Man, Small Bear, Leitone, and Roaming Union.

On a cold blustery Monday, Stan the Man worked four furlongs in 49.50 seconds, the fastest of 46 works at the distance over the Belmont Park training track.