Belmont Park

A Thread of Blue shortens up in Hill Prince

David Grening|Oct 02, 2019

A Thread of Blue trains at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 30

Barbara D. Livingston A Thread of Blue trains at Saratoga on Aug. 30. He cuts back from 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/8 miles Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – A Thread of Blue has had mixed success stretching out in distance. Saturday, he will cut back to 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2, $400,000 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park.

A Thread of Blue won the $1 million Saratoga Derby at 1 3/16 miles in gate-to-wire fashion before fading to fourth trying 1 1/2 miles in the $1 million Jockey Club Derby here on Sept. 7.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said a combination of the distance and soft turf conspired against A Thread of Blue in the Jockey Club Derby.

The Belmont turf course figures to be firm on Saturday despite some forecasted – and much needed – rain Thursday night.

A Thread of Blue will break from post 2 in a field that includes Henley’s Joy, winner of the Belmont Derby in July, Taos, Bourbon War, Digital Age, Seismic Wave, Standard Deviation, Neptune’s Storm and Uncle Benny.

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