Tue, 06/06/2023 - 15:20

Secretariat's broodmare legacy includes a galaxy of stars

Barbara D. Livingston
A.P. Indy was one of Secretariat's greatest products from his female line. Foaled by Secretariat's daughter Weekend Surprise, A.P. Indy was a star as a sales horse, a racehorse, and possibly most of all, as a stallion.

Tapit, the most successful sire in the modern history of the Belmont Stakes and looking to secure the race’s sire record outright this weekend, wouldn’t be here without him. Neither would Quality Road, sire of Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure. And nor would four-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief, who will have Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous in action this weekend at Belmont Park.

Tue, 06/06/2023 - 13:42

Belmont Stakes clocker report: Tapit Trice aggressive in gallop; Arcangelo full of energy

Tapit Trice trains at BEL June 5 2023
Barbara D. Livingston
Tapit Trice was eager to begin his Tuesday gallop and has been making a favorable impression on the track since the Kentucky Derby.

Belmont Park
Tuesday, June 6
Weather: Cloudy 
Temperature:  62 
Track: Fast

ELMONT, N.Y. - An early appearance by the two likely favorites and a late surprise after the renovation break from one of the live longshots in the field highlighted the Belmont Stakes watch Tuesday morning at Belmont Park.  

Tue, 06/06/2023 - 13:00

Belmont Stakes: Pletcher runners favored in field of nine

Forte trains at BEL June 6 2023
Barbara D. Livingston
Despite making his first start in 10 weeks, Forte has been made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Belmont Stakes. He will break from post 6.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Seven of the last 10 winners of the Belmont Stakes have come from the barn of trainers Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox, Bob Baffert, and Steve Asmussen.

Those four horsemen accounted for seven of the nine 3-year-olds entered Tuesday when post positions were assigned for Saturday’s $155th Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park.

Tue, 06/06/2023 - 10:38

Belmont Stakes: Arcangelo sneaks in surprise workout

Arcangelo works at BEL June 6 2023
Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Jena Antonucci sent Arcangelo out for an open gallop Tuesday morning. Instead, he took exercise rider Robert Mallari for a ride and worked five furlongs in 1:02.47.

ELMONT, N.Y. - When trainer Jena Antonucci sent Belmont Stakes contender Arcangelo out to train Tuesday morning, she was just looking for an open gallop where the colt would click off furlongs at a rate of approximately 15 seconds over a mile distance.

Arcangelo had a different plan.

Arcangelo, under exercise rider Robert Mallari, put in what Daily Racing Form is calling a five-furlong work in 1:02.47, one in which he got his last three furlongs in 36.75 seconds while continuing out six furlongs in 1:15.25, seven furlongs in 1:27.55, and a mile in 1:40.44.

Mon, 06/05/2023 - 15:58

Belmont Stakes: Colebrook will keep Raise Cain in Kentucky for Matt Winn Stakes

Raise Cain trains at CD May 3 2023
Barbara D. Livingston
The Matt Winn, originally scheduled to be run at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs, will now be run at 1 1/8 miles at Ellis Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Raise Cain, the eighth-place finisher from the Kentucky Derby, has been rerouted from Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes to Sunday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Matt Winn Stakes at Ellis Park, trainer Ben Colebrook said Monday afternoon.

The Matt Winn was originally scheduled to be run at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs. With the decision to stop racing at Churchill due to the spate of equine fatalities this spring and move racing scheduled for Churchill to Ellis Park, the Matt Winn will now be run at 1 1/8 miles.

Mon, 06/05/2023 - 14:00

Belmont Stakes clocker report: National Treasure airs it out, Red Route One cuts it short

National Treasure works at Belmont June 5 2023
Barbara D. Livingston
National Treasure worked five furlongs Monday over the Belmont main track in 59.39 and was allowed to go out seven furlongs.

ELMONT, N.Y. – National Treasure and Red Route One are both exiting the same race and are both trained by Hall of Fame horsemen, but their final works here Monday for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes couldn’t have been accomplished in a more diverse fashion.

Mon, 06/05/2023 - 13:25

Belmont Stakes: Baffert to have first runners in New York since March 2022

Bob Baffert at PIM May 20 2023
Barbara D. Livingston
Bob Baffert will run National Treasure in the Belmont Stakes and Arabian Lion and Fort Bragg in the Woody Stephens.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The last time Bob Baffert was at Belmont Park was June 2018 when he watched Justify win the Belmont Stakes, capping an undefeated Triple Crown campaign.

Mon, 06/05/2023 - 11:45

Belmont Stakes: Preakness winner National Treasure puts in final workout

National Treasure works at BEL June 5 2023
Barbara D. Livingston
National Treasure completed his preparation for the Belmont Stakes with a sharp five furlongs on Monday under rider Erick Garcia.

ELMONT, N.Y. – As a 2-year-old, National Treasure was a bit behind his more brilliant, perhaps more precocious stablemates such as Cave Rock and Arabian Knight.

At the time, trainer Bob Baffert hinted the best was still to come for National Treasure.

“By spring he’s going to be this really nice horse,” Baffert said last fall.

While Cave Rock has yet to run at 3 and Arabian Knight has only raced once this year, National Treasure has made his mark in the division with his gutsy Preakness victory on May 20.

Sat, 06/03/2023 - 15:37

Belmont Stakes Clocker: Forte, Tapit Trice breeze in different manners

Susie Raisher
Forte (outside) work at Belmont Park on Saturday in preparation for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

Belmont Park
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Weather:
Cloudy 
Temperature: 66 
Track: Fast