Tale of Verve works sharp five furlongs for Belmont

ELMONT, N.Y. – When Tale of Verve failed to draw into the field for the Kentucky Derby, his connections immediately began thinking about the Belmont Stakes as an ideal race for their long-distance-running 3-year-old.

Feeling they needed a race in between, trainer Dallas Stewart and owner Charles Fipke chose the Preakness, where Tale of Verve rallied from well off the pace to finish second, seven lengths behind American Pharoah.

With that race and two solid weeks of training at Belmont Park under his belt, Stewart and Fipke believe they are ready to take their best shot against Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah in the June 6 Belmont Stakes.

“We think fitness, pedigree, all that stamina, everything he’s got will show up that day,” Stewart said.

On Saturday, Tale of Verve completed his serious preparation for the Belmont by working five furlongs in 59.12 seconds over the main track.

Tale of Verve was one of three Belmont Stakes contenders to work Saturday morning. Also at Belmont, Mubtaahij, the eighth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.97 under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. At Saratoga, Derby 11th-place finisher Frammento worked four furlongs in 48.19 seconds.

With the exception of American Pharoah and Keen Ice, who are expected to work at Churchill Downs before shipping to New York on Tuesday, all the major preparation for the remainder of the Belmont Stakes contenders is complete.

Stewart brought Tale of Verve to New York immediately after the Preakness because he felt the horse needed to get several serious gallops and a strong workout over the 1 1/2-mile, sandy oval that is Belmont Park.

Tale of Verve had two strong gallops earlier in the week before Saturday’s work, which was done in company with the Tom Albertrani-trained 3-year-old Tradesman.

Belmont clockers caught Tale of Verve’s first quarter in 23.40 seconds, yet he still came home a solid 35.72. The apprentice jockey Kortez Walker was up for the work.

“Training this horse, it’s been 25 [seconds] the first quarter and finishing, but he was just on it today,” Stewart said. “Even Kortez said backing up he was bucking and playing. His energy was great; yesterday afternoon I couldn’t even graze him, he was up on his toes. He was ready for it.”

Stewart has always held Tale of Verve in high regard and was frustrated that it took until April 23 for him to win his first race. Since Tale of Verve won at 1 3/16 miles and handled the race so well, Stewart wanted to wheel the horse back in the Kentucky Derby, but the horse couldn’t get into the race and was ultimately scratched from the also-eligible list.

In the Preakness, Tale of Verve was well back yet rallied to finish second in his first try against winners and his first race on a sloppy track.

“It was a great race given the conditions, given how far back he was, and I don’t think he needs to be that far back,” Stewart said. “A horse cut him off, and he got redirected inside in the stretch and came on. I think it was a great, great effort. It vindicated what we’re believing and seeing.”

Sure, Tale of Verve will be a longshot in the Belmont. But Stewart has finished second in two of the last three Kentucky Derbies with longshots Golden Soul (34-1) and Commanding Curve (37-1).

“On paper, you’re always overmatched unless you got the favorite,” said Stewart, who will have Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens on his horse. “You got to decide what you’re going to do. I’m thinking, maybe I’m hoping [American Pharoah] doesn’t want to go a mile and a half. Now there are other good horses in the race. I got to be ready, and hopefully he does the best he can.”

Tale of Verve worked shortly after 6 a.m. A couple of hours later, Mubtaahij worked over the main track by himself, going his first three furlongs in 36.27 seconds and getting his final quarter in 24.70. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.02 and seven furlongs in 1:28.74. It was his fifth work in the last 14 days and will be his last move for the race.

“We were happy with him, and Irad was ecstatic with him,” said Trevor Brown, assistant to trainer Michael de Kock, who is due in on Monday. “He said the further he went, the better he got, which is good news coming from the jock.”

Brown had planned to work Mubtaahij on turf Saturday but changed plans given how firm the course has been.

“We wanted to work on the turf if it was a little bit forgiving,” Brown said.

At Saratoga, Frammento picked up company by design at the three-furlong pole, according to trainer Nick Zito, and drew away from that horse late. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.32.

Zito said Frammento’s work last week was more stamina-building, while “today was more of a sharper work. It worked out great. Hopefully, have a great week. I think we’ve got a live longshot. I’m hoping.”

Zito said Frammento will ship to Belmont on Tuesday or Wednesday.

• Trainer Todd Pletcher said his three Belmont horses – Carpe Diem, Madefromlucky, and Materiality – all jogged on the training track and stood in the starting gate one day after they put in their final workouts. Pletcher said he hoped to firm up the rider assignments for his horses by Sunday.

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch