Speaker's Corner, Flightline work for Met Mile showdown
ELMONT, N.Y. – Speaker’s Corner worked at Belmont Park on Sunday. Flightline worked at Santa Anita on Monday. Provided those two horses do it again next weekend and come out if it well, the stage will be set for arguably the most compelling match-up on the June 11 Belmont Stakes Day card in the Grade 1, $1 Metropolitan Handicap.
Speaker’s Corner, a winner of three graded stakes in 2022, including the Grade 1 Carter, went five furlongs in 1:01.35, according to Daily Racing Form, Sunday over Belmont’s main track. Jockey Jose Lezcano worked Speaker’s Corner, who got his final quarter in 24.96 seconds. Junior Alvarado is the regular rider for Speaker’s Corner.
“The horse went well,” trainer Bill Mott said. “Lezcano worked him for me. He said he felt really good.”
On Monday, at Santa Anita, Flightline worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds, his eighth workout since returning to the tab on April 10 following an issue that sidelined him for several weeks in the spring. Flavien Prat, at Santa Anita to ride Monday’s Memorial Day card at Santa Anita, was aboard.
“He went very well this morning. He’s been on a steady pattern,” said John Sadler, who trains Flightline. “This is about his third or fourth long work. He went 59-and-4 and I had him out a good seven-eighths in 1:24-and-four. Prat was very pleased with him.”
Speaker’s Corner is 6 for 9 in his career, and is 3 for 3 this year with wins in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper and Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct. Flightline is 3 for 3 in his career, his wins coming by a combined 37 1/2 lengths, including the Grade 1 Malibu last Dec. 26.
“I guess this is what makes it interesting, right?” Mott said. “You got the freak from California coming and he’s running against a horse that’s been running good on the East Coast. You got two good horses that are going to meet. I guess they can duke it out on the racetrack.”
Flightline is scheduled to have one more work at Santa Anita next week before shipping to New York on June 6.
“This is such a rare kind of horse,” Sadler said. “I’ve never been around one like this one. We’re excited for next week.”
There were 12 horses nominated to the Met Mile, a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
Aloha West, last November’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, is running in the Met Mile, trainer Wayne Catalano confirmed Monday. Informative, the 79-1 upset winner of the 2021 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park, is also going to run, according to trainer Uriah St. Lewis.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said he is going to take a look at the race with either Dynamic One or Happy Saver. Others nominated include Caddo River, Reinvestment Risk, Sound Money, and Night Time.
Jackie’s Warrior and Fearless are both nominated, though Jackie’s Warrior is expected to run in the Grade 2, $300,000 True North on June 10 and Fearless goes to the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn on June 11.