ELMONT, N.Y. – Shortly after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike was led out of his stall in Belmont Park’s Barn 29 by groom by Jerry Dixon Jr. Eric Reed, the trainer of Rich Strike, looked at Dixon and said, “Good luck.”
After making one turn around the barn, Dixon came back maintaining a somewhat awkward-looking hold of Rich Strike.
“He broke the shank,” said Dixon, who relayed to Reed the horse had reared up on the walk.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Creative Minister, third in the Preakness on May 21, and Ethereal Road, winner of the Sir Barton Stakes on the same day, returned to the work tab Tuesday morning as they prepare for a start in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes here June 11.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rich Strike had his second and final workout between the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes when breezing five furlongs in 59 seconds between races Monday at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Eric Reed watched the work from atop the five-furlong clocker’s stand on the Churchill backside. Rich Strike was ridden by regular exercise Gabriel Lagunes over a freshly harrowed track rated fast.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Forbidden Kingdom, last of six as the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9, recently resumed racetrack training after being sidelined with a swollen throat.
The illness was diagnosed after the loss in the Santa Anita Derby, which put an end to any plans for a start in a Triple Crown race for Forbidden Kingdom.
Forbidden Kingdom galloped on Sunday, and has done so for several days, trainer Richard Mandella said.
“It’s really good, good enough to train,” Mandella said of Forbidden Kingdom’s condition.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The best part of finishing second in the Peter Pan Stakes was that it earned Golden Glider a fees-paid berth into the June 11 Belmont Stakes. So, to trainer Mark Casse, it makes pointing the horse to the Belmont Stakes a virtual no-brainer.
“I don’t know what you take out of it,” Casse said, “but we got a free ride into the Belmont.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – When it comes to the 154th Belmont Stakes on June 11, the connections of the filly Nest are letting her try to sell them on the idea of running.
Friday, after the fog had lifted at Belmont Park, Nest took another step toward making that decision a little clearer with the way she went in a stamina-building workout alongside stablemate and possible Belmont Stakes favorite Mo Donegal.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Howling Time is being considered for the Belmont Stakes off a resounding recent allowance victory, although trainer Dale Romans cautioned the colt might run back the same weekend in the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Howling Time earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure with a five-length triumph over Rattle N Roll and five other 3-year-olds in a May 21 allowance going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill. It was enough to lead Romans to put the June 11 Belmont into play, with the Matt Winn the next day being the alternative.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eric Reed, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, began this week with 9,115 starts spread among 44 different tracks in his 37-year training career, but zero at Pimlico. And after watching the 147th Preakness from his old Kentucky home Saturday evening, he has no regrets.
“The way the race turned out, I’m glad we weren’t there,” Reed said Sunday. “You saw what happened to Epicenter, and he has a whole lot more early speed than us.”
Headed by Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, who was purposely kept out of the Preakness Stakes last Saturday at Pimlico, a field of 10 is currently under consideration for the June 11 Belmont Stakes, the final leg of what has been an historically unusual Triple Crown series.
How unusual? With Preakness winner Early Voting passing the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, this will mark the first time since 1954 that the Derby winner missed the Preakness the same year that the Preakness winner missed the Belmont.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rich Strike was sent through his first breeze since his monumental upset of the Kentucky Derby when going a purposeful half-mile in 47.20 seconds Saturday morning over a fast Churchill Downs surface.
Owner Rick Dawson was in from Oklahoma to watch the work alongside trainer Eric Reed and jockey Sonny Leon from Section 321 in the Churchill grandstand. Rich Strike was ridden by Gabriel Lagunes in the solo drill when breaking off well before the half-mile pole over a fast track.
