BELMONT PARK
Weather: Cloudy
Temp.: 67
Track: Fast
ELMONT, N.Y. – After an eventful and somewhat dismaying seven-furlong work here last week, MASTER FENCER was given a second opportunity to breeze over the Belmont Park main track shortly after the renovation break Wednesday. Unfortunately for his connections, the end result was not really any more encouraging.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Jockey Luis Saez ranks second in North America in wins (140) through the first five months of this year, but it’s the one win that was taken away by the Churchill Downs stewards that still resonates throughout the sport.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Jockey Julien Leparoux worked Master Fencer prior to the Kentucky Derby, in which they crossed the wire seventh, and after Master Fencer’s final drill on Wednesday here at Belmont Park in preparation for the 151st Belmont Stakes, Leparoux said he noticed a change in attitude he hopes translates into an even better performance on Saturday.
Glennwood Farm isn’t as intimately involved in the Belmont Stakes as it was last year, when Justify, whom it bred, completed his Triple Crown sweep, with Vino Rosso, also foaled at the farm, finishing fourth. But Glennwood, owned and operated by the father-daughter team of John and Tanya Gunther, still has ties to this year’s race, as Intrepid Heart could continue to boost the value of Vino Rosso’s family.
The Belmont Stakes is a race that typically favors horses on or near the early lead, contrary to popular belief that deep closers will appreciate the 12-furlong trip and excel. A horse who projects to work out an ideal pace-pressing trip is this year’s Preakness Stakes winner WAR OF WILL.
In a race where distance is the great equalizer, will take a shot for some value with SIR WINSTON, the lesser regarded of the Mark Casse duo in this year’s Belmont Stakes.
Sir Winston is coming off far and away the best race of his career in the Peter Pan, has shown an obvious affinity for the quirky Belmont surface, has trained extremely well since his last start, and looks like a horse who should handle the grueling 12 furlongs without issue. The major question is whether he’ll get the proper pace scenario to flatter his late-running style.
TACITUS is the probable winner of the Belmont. He shows the ideal preparation for this 1 1/2-mile test, starting in the Derby, where he was placed third on the disqualification of Maximum Security, before skipping the Preakness – preparation used by Belmont winners Tapwrit (2017) and Creator (2016) in recent years.
By Tapit out of multiple Grade 1 winner Close Hatches, he has the pedigree for Belmont Stakes success. Sons of Tapit have won the Belmont three times over the last five years – Tapwrit, Creator, and Tonalist (2014).
TACITUS enters the Belmont as a total standout. This opinion is hardly unique. The improving colt is likely to start favored following a creditable fourth (placed third) in the Kentucky Derby and subsequent workouts that suggest he is coming up to the best performance of his nascent career.
TACITUS was one of only a few horses to have had any kind of a trip excuse in the Kentucky Derby. He lost position early and then had to take plenty of dirt while in behind horses, and he was finishing as well as anyone to get up for fourth (placed third after the disqualification of Maximum Security). He was withheld from the Preakness to await this race, and skipping the middle leg of the Triple Crown with a Derby also-ran has led to Belmont success in recent years.
ELMONT, N.Y. – There are 10 horses entered in the final leg of the Triple Crown, the 151st Belmont Stakes on Saturday, but, on paper, as well as the early lines, it’s a two-horse race, with those two lined up right alongside each other at the start.
Tacitus, who landed the far outside post at the draw on Tuesday at Citi Field, is slightly favored over Preakness winner War of Will, who drew post 9, on the lines of both Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, and David Aragona, who makes the morning line at Belmont Park.
