The eighth season of Countdown to the Crown returns as one of the most comprehensive handicapper’s scouting reports of the 3-year-old scene. Posted each Friday at DRF.com from Jan. 4 through the Belmont Stakes, Countdown keeps you apprised of the rising stars of the 3-year-old class from the maiden ranks through the Grade 1 stakes. You can access daily updates, opinions and interactive features at Countdowntothecrown.com as well.
Straight from the Gate
ELMONT, N.Y. - Incognito, the fifth-place finisher in the Peter Pan Stakes on May 11, has been confirmed as a starter for the Belmont, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Thursday. He will be transferred from Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stable to his Godolphin Racing operation and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Robby Albarado has regrets, but who doesn’t? His mounts once earned nearly $20 million in a year, but at age 39 he is no longer among the national riding leaders, a fact partly attributable, by his own admission, to mistakes he made.
Those mistakes – back-to-back domestic-violence charges − brought him legal problems and embarrassment, not to mention a major slowdown in his riding business. They are part of his personal history. Yet, with every day, they move further into the past while Albarado is doing all he can to atone.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The road to the final leg of this year’s Triple Crown, from the standpoint of Daily Racing Form clocker reports, starts at the same place this whole journey first began, at Churchill Downs, where three potential Belmont Stakes starters including Preakness winner Oxbow worked Thursday morning.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Any hints of concern that something might be amiss with Golden Soul quickly evaporated in the Thursday morning heat when the Kentucky Derby runner-up worked a sharp five furlongs at Churchill Downs in preparing for the June 8 Belmont Stakes.
It was the first workout for Golden Soul since his surprise runner-up finish in the May 4 Derby. Dallas Stewart, who trains the colt for owner-breeder Charles Fipke, had been somewhat coy in recent days about when the colt would work, but Stewart was beaming with confidence after the drill.
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Field for the 2013 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8, at Belmont Park in New York. Click horse names to view handicapping profiles, past race records, and videos. MORE: Get Belmont PPs, watch video previews, read latest updates »
Purse: $1,000,000; 1 1/2 miles
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher’s prospective list of Belmont Stakes starters went from six to five Monday, but he certainly couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about the way at least two of them worked on a glorious spring morning at Belmont Park.
Palace Malice put in a strong five-furlong workout in 1:00.24 with a sensational gallop-out that not only upgraded his Belmont chances but ended the Belmont plans of Micromanage, who couldn’t keep up with Palace Malice and was withdrawn from consideration by owner Mike Repole.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Dallas Stewart decided on Saturday to wait at least one more day to breeze his Kentucky Derby runner-up Golden Soul.
[BELMONT STAKES: Probable field and latest updates]
Golden Soul has been training steadily, but has not breezed, since finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind Orb in the May 4 Derby. Stewart has been hesitant to commit to a specific date for a workout, which he said “will be a real easy-half mile anyway. The horse is doing great in his gallops every day.”
Editor’s Note: The eighth season of Countdown to the Crown returns as one of the most comprehensive handicapper’s scouting reports of the 3-year-old scene. Posted each Friday at DRF.com from Jan. 4 through the Belmont Stakes, Countdown keeps you apprised of the rising stars of the 3-year-old class from the maiden ranks through the Grade 1 stakes. You can access daily updates, opinions and interactive features at Countdowntothecrown.com as well.
Straight from the Gate
ELMONT, N.Y. – Always in a Tiz, ninth in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial in his last start, is being pointed to the $1 million Belmont Stakes here on June 8, part-owner and New York Racing Association board member Anthony Bonomo said Friday.
“Truthfully, I think the horse has the ability to get the distance,” Anthony Bonomo said, referring to the 1 1/2 miles. “He’s not as seasoned as some of those other horses are right now but as far as ability goes he can run and do well in the Belmont.”
