We the People looks strong for Belmont distance, Brisset says
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Rodolphe Brisset was a man on the move Sunday. Such is life for a trainer of a Belmont Stakes contender.
Brisset on Sunday afternoon was flying back to Kentucky, where on Monday and Tuesday he would check on his string of horses at Keeneland and Churchill Downs. Sometime on Tuesday, Brisset will jump in his car and drive back to New York, where he’ll spend the majority of his time over the next three weeks at Belmont Park preparing We the People and, potentially, Western River, for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 11.
We the People earned his way to the Belmont with a powerful 10 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. The victory, registered over a good, sealed track, earned him a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, equaling the highest number earned by a 3-year-old this year. Taiba earned that figure winning a six-furlong maiden race in March. Messier earned that figure winning the Grade 3 Robert Lewis in February.
We the People, a son of Constitution, improved his record to 3 for 4 with his Peter Pan victory. His lone loss came in the Arkansas Derby, in which he was outfooted for the lead and seemed confused at times being behind horses and finished seventh.
Whether his powerful victory going 1 1/8 miles around one turn translates to that same success going 1 1/2 miles around two turns in the Belmont remains to be seen.
“You don’t know 'til you try,” Brisset said. “I think he’s got natural gate speed and a high cruising speed and going a mile and a half both weapons together are pretty strong.”
It also doesn’t hurt to have Flavien Prat, who will ride the horse in the Belmont, Brisset said, after Prat guided him to that Peter Pan victory.
Western River, also trained by Brisset, finished fourth in the Peter Pan after stumbling at the start. He was beaten a nose and a head for second.
“They both seemed good,” Brisset said. “We the People, if all goes well, we’ll be pointing to the Belmont. The gray horse [Western River] is on standby. We’ll keep him there, see how he trains the next 10 days and make a decision.”
Western River is a full brother to Creator, who won the Belmont in 2016.
While Brisset will be looking for his first classic victory as a trainer, he did work for Bill Mott when he won the Belmont in 2010 with Drosselmeyer, who finished second in the Dwyer Stakes, which that year was run on the calendar where the Peter Pan typically is scheduled.
Brisset did not get on Drosselmeyer prior to the Belmont because he was stuck in France due to visa issues.
“I literally got back a week before he ran,” Brisset said.
Tonalist, in 2014, is the last horse to win the Peter Pan and Belmont. Sir Winston, in 2019, finished second in the Peter Pan and then won the Belmont.
Sir Winston was trained by Mark Casse, who also trained Golden Glider, Saturday’s Peter Pan runner-up. Casse said Sunday that Golden Glider will run in the Belmont with Dylan Davis aboard.
“The winner was very impressive,” Casse said of We the People. “I don’t know how much he was aided by this track. A mile and a half is a different story.”