The following is a list of DRF resources and content related to the Belmont Stakes card at Belmont Park on Saturday, June 10, 2017.

DRF Live! featuring real-time news and analysis

ELMONT, N.Y. – Epicharis was scratched from Saturday's Belmont Stakes after failing to pass the prerace veterinary exam performed by Anthony Verderosa, the chief examining veterinarian for the New York Racing Association.

Epicharis was reported to the Belmont Park stewards by Verderosa as still being off in his right front foot, an issue that had prevented Epicharis from going to the track to train on Thursday and Friday.

The exam he did not pass is one required of all horses scheduled to race.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The decision by Santa Anita to cancel the final two Thursdays of the spring-summer meet is not necessarily a preview of permanent three-day race weeks, according to Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of Santa Anita owner The Stronach Group.

Santa Anita announced Friday the cancellation of live racing June 15 and June 22. The track will run three-day race weeks June 16-18 and June 23-25 instead of four-day weeks. The meet ends with a five-day week – Friday, June 30, through Tuesday, July 4.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Should everything go according to plan in Sunday’s $125,000 Plate Trial at Woodbine, jockey Gary Boulanger will be in a great position heading into the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 2 with King and His Court.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Around and around the small woodchip walking oval outside Barn 5 on the Belmont Park backstretch, the dark bay, white-blazed horse strode Monday morning. He already had trained, but Epicharis still bristled with energy that occasionally bubbled to the surface. But after a bounce or a shimmy that his rider scarcely heeded, the colt went straight back to his purposeful walk.

BELMONT PARK

Weather: Sunny

Track: Fast

Temp.: 61

By Mike Welsch

ELMONT, N.Y. – Irish War Cry and Gormley finally joined the party here Thursday morning, with the entire field now on the grounds and making final preparations for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Japanese invader Epicharis was treated on Wednesday night at Belmont Park for lameness in his right front leg, according to veterinary records released late Wednesday by the New York State Gaming Commission, but his trainer on Thursday morning said he was hopeful Epicharis could make the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.

Kiyoshi Hagiwara, the trainer of Epicharis, said the colt walked at the barn on Thursday, but would not go to the track to train. Hagiwara said he was hopeful Epicharis could go to the track for a regular training session on Friday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Tom’s Ready returns to the scene of his biggest victory when he tries to upset a seemingly wide-open renewal of the Grade 1, $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap, one of 10 stakes on Saturday’s 13-race card highlighted by the 149th renewal of the Belmont Stakes.

A field of 12 was entered Wednesday for the Met Mile, where Mor Spirit, the winner of the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park last out, drew post 9 and was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite by Eric Donovan, oddsmaker for the New York Racing Association.

NEW YORK – There were 22,905 registered foals in North America among the current crop of 3-year-olds, a small percentage of whom made up the 419 who were nominated to the Triple Crown in January, followed by another six in March. And of those 425, just one will run on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes after also competing in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

Belmont Park

Weather: Overcast

Track: Fast

Temp.: 55

ELMONT, N.Y. – The weather here has felt more like April than June over the past few mornings, cold and dreary as trainers put the finishing touches on their contenders for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.

The final two works for this year’s Belmont were turned in here Tuesday, maintenance-type breezes by Senior Investment and Epicharis.