Some in Tieme aims for big payday in Belmont Gold Cup
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Kenny McPeek should have an active schedule during Belmont Stakes week. In addition to having Preakness third-place finisher Senior Investment for the Belmont on June 10, he is hoping to start Some in Tieme in the Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles on turf June 9 if the horse is invited to the race.
It is hard to imagine that not happening since Some in Tieme won Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs by three lengths, earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Last of 12 early, he angled out in the stretch and blew past pacesetter and runner-up Reporting Star with a final quarter-mile in approximately 23 seconds.
He relished the stretch-out to 1 1/2 miles in the Louisville Handicap after finishing a fast-closing second in a 1 1/16-mile turf race April 19 at Keeneland in his first start for McPeek. Previously, the horse had gone unplaced twice in California for trainer Paulo Lobo after a successful career in Brazil, where he won two Group 1 races.
McPeek credited Lobo for sending Some in Tieme to him in great condition and said the horse’s return to form was the result of the right types of races being available in Kentucky. He is excited to see what the horse can do going forward.
“Horses by that sire, Shirocco, are made for a mile and a half, two miles,” he said.
Trainer Walsh goes 3 for 3
One day after trainer J.R. Caldwell won three races at Churchill, trainer Brendan Walsh did the same Sunday, scoring victories with all of his starters.
His three winners graduated from the maiden ranks by going to the lead and drawing away, with War Union ($8.40) taking the third race, Golden Humor ($3.40) the sixth, and British Humor ($6.20) the last race. Corey Lanerie rode the first two, James Graham the latter.
The victories moved Walsh into a three-way tie with Mark Casse and Ian Wilkes for fourth in the Churchill trainer standings. Caldwell, Brad Cox, and Steve Asmussen are first, second, and third.
Caldwell picked up another win Sunday when Ship Disturber ($4) won the fourth race by a head under Ricardo Santana, improving Caldwell’s record at the meet to 10 for 15, a far cry from when he went 3 for 48 in 2015 during his last spring meet at Churchill.
The Texas-based Caldwell has assistant trainer Kylie Salisbury overseeing his Churchill Downs division.
◗ Two stakes for fillies and mares are on tap Saturday at Churchill: the $65,000 Keertana at 1 1/2 miles on turf and the Grade 3, $100,000 Winning Colors at six furlongs on the main track. Entries will be drawn Wednesday, with Finley’sluckycharm expected to be a heavy favorite in the Winning Colors.
The runner-up in the Grade 1 La Brea at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, she kicked off her 4-year-old year by taking the Roxelana Stakes on April 29 at Churchill to improve her local record to 4 for 4.
◗ Upcoming stakes engagements for other prominent Churchill Downs or Trackside-based runners include Spiral winner Fast and Accurate, 17th in the Kentucky Derby, going to Saturday’s Grade 3 Arlington Classic; Woodford Reserve Turf Classic winner Divisidero shipping to run in the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont on June 10; and Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile runner-up Believe in Bertie staying home to race in the Grade 3 Mint Julep on June 10.
