ELMONT, N.Y. – Rainy weather throughout the area has put a damper on training hours the past couple of mornings at Belmont Park, with the main track especially quiet here Thursday and Friday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Bourbon War, a horse who got a lot of support heading into the Preakness Stakes only to finish eighth, will attempt to make amends in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8, trainer Mark Hennig said Friday.

Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, who won last year’s Belmont on Triple Crown winner Justify, will ride Bourbon War, Hennig said.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Master Fencer walked for one hour Thursday morning outside his barn at Belmont Park, and his connections are confident there are no issues with the colt that would prevent him from running in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Belmont Park.

“Everything’s good,” said Mitsuoki Numamoto, part of the team here in New York overseeing Master Fencer’s preparations for trainer Koichi Tsunoda.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When presented with a horse coming off a victory aided by a perfect trip, a bet-against strategy is typically worthwhile. These types are often regression candidates at underlaid prices.

Next Saturday, one such perfect-trip runner – Preakness winner War of Will – runs in the Belmont Stakes, potentially creating mutuel value on his rivals, which as of this writing nine days before the race is expected to total around eight. What follows is a look at four of those opponents who most excite based on their form, workouts, and pedigrees.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Master Fencer had some inflammation in his left front ankle Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after he took an awkward step and stumbled toward the end of a workout in preparation for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes here on June 8.

“He’s got just a little bit of inflammation in a left front ankle that he didn’t have yesterday,” said Vincent DiCicco, a veterinarian who is not treating Master Fencer but is monitoring the horse for the USDA while he is stabled in New York.

Wednesday, May 29
BELMONT PARK
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature:  61
Track: Fast

ELMONT, N.Y. – Japanese invader Master Fencer was considered to be one of the “buzz” horses heading into this year’s Belmont Stakes coming off his very encouraging seventh-place finish (placed sixth) in the Kentucky Derby during which he made up nearly 20 lengths on the leaders through the final six furlongs of the race.

ELMONT, N.Y. – There was an overflow field of 21 horses entered for the Kentucky Derby. The 13-horse field for the Preakness was the largest for that race since 2011 and one short of capacity. When it comes to running in the Belmont Stakes, enthusiasm is not as high.

As of Monday, eight horses were deemed definite starters for the Belmont Stakes. Two more, Joevia and Owendale, were likely and doubtful, respectively.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Tacitus, who could vie for favoritism with Preakness winner War of Will in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8, put in a solid five-furlong workout Sunday at Belmont Park in preparation for the third and final leg of the Triple Crown.

BELMONT PARK 
Sunday, May 26
Weather: Clear 
Temp.: 63 
Track: Fast

ELMONT, N.Y. – With the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, to be decided at a grueling 1 1/2 miles, there was a distinct pattern to the handful of workouts recorded over the Belmont Park main and training tracks this weekend. The trainers of all five Belmont contenders to breeze here Saturday and Sunday were looking for strong, extended gallop-outs just two weeks out from the race.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher’s success in the Belmont Stakes has come primarily with horses who disappointed in the Kentucky Derby, but rebounded five weeks later to run well in the “Test of the Champion.” In addition to winning the Belmont with Derby also-rans Palace Malice and Tapwrit, he’s had strong runner-up finishes from the likes of Dunkirk, Destin, and Stay Thirsty.

Pletcher is hoping for more of the same with Spinoff, who finished 18th in the Kentucky Derby but who will be given another shot at a classic in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8.