Weyburn finds sweet spot in John Nerud

ELMONT, N.Y. – Weyburn has the pedigree, size, and stride that would lead one to think he could be effective going a route of ground. His body of work, however, suggests that one-turn races – primarily those at seven furlongs or a mile – are his best game.

Thus, Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud Stakes going seven furlongs at Belmont Park looks an ideal spot for Weyburn to make his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher, who seeks his third consecutive victory in this race. Pletcher took over the training of Weyburn after Jimmy Jerkens left the United States in May to take a job training in Saudi Arabia.

Weyburn’s biggest victory came as a 3-year-old for Jerkens when he upset the Grade 3 Gotham at 46-1, which led to him running in two-turn stakes thereafter where he did come within a neck of beating Mandaloun in the Pegasus, a 1 1/16-mile race at Monmouth, in 2021.

He didn’t win again, however, until the 2022 Sir Shackleton Stakes run at seven furlongs at Gulfstream. He won the Sir Shackleton again this year, sandwiched around good efforts against the likes of White Abarrio in a Gulfstream allowance and Repo Rocks in the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont.

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“He’s a big strong horse with a good disposition,” said Pletcher, who has won the last two Neruds with Life Is Good and Mind Control. “Seven-eighths has been his sweet spot, but he’s had some success going longer. We’ll see how this goes and come up with a plan. He might be one of those that’s versatile to do a number of things.”

Jose Ortiz rides Weyburn from post 3.

Candy Man Rocket was a perfect-trip winner of the Grade 3 Runhappy Stakes here May 13. That was his fourth win from his last five starts, the lone defeat a last-place finish in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park in April, where he wound up chasing a hot pace and retreating.

Speaking of the Runhappy, trainer Bill Mott said Candy Man Rocket “took advantage of a good pace up front, they came back to him a little bit.”

There doesn’t seem to be as much defined speed in the Nerud, and Candy Man Rocket will break from the rail under Junior Alvarado.

“Calls for different tactics I guess when you’re stuck on the inside,” Mott said.

Twisted Ride was part of the pace in the Runhappy and had to settle for second behind Candy Man Rocket. Twisted Ride, trained by Michael Moore, is 2 for 2 at seven furlongs and could turn out to be the speed of this field under Andy Hernandez.

Little Vic won the Grade 3 Tom Fool at Aqueduct in March before finishing last of six in the Grade 1 Carter on April 8. He bled in that race and was given ample time to recover and has worked well at Monmouth Park leading to his return.

Three Technique comes off an allowance win at Churchill Downs for trainer Jason Cook. He has a 1-2-2 record from five starts at Belmont Park when in the barn of Jeremiah Englehart.

Sheriff Bianco comes off a third, beaten one length to Bankit, in the 1 1/16-mile Commentator Stakes for New York-breds on May 29.

Synthesis won a high-class allowance race going seven furlongs here May 18 before finishing last of six with trouble in the Grade 2 True North.

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