ELMONT, N.Y. – His name may be the most recognizable of any of the prospective starters for this year’s Belmont Stakes. No, not Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Justify, but the European invader Gronkowski, the namesake of NFL All-Pro Rob Gronkowski who worked for the first time Saturday since joining Chad Brown’s barn here earlier this month.

Gronkowski was one of two 3-year-olds who could foil Justify’s attempt to win the Triple Crown to work Saturday at Belmont. He was joined by Blended Citizen, impressive winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan in his local debut May 12.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Gronkowski did enough in his combine drill Saturday at Belmont Park to keep his hopes alive of being drafted into the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes here June 9.

In his first workout since being transferred to trainer Chad Brown, Gronkowski worked a half-mile in 47.91 seconds and galloped out extremely well afterward, going six furlongs in 1:13.55. Gronkowski worked in company with the graded stakes-winning 3-year-old Engage, who is pointing to the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on the Belmont Stakes card.

At Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Justify was sent through another routine gallop when going about 1 1/2 miles on Saturday morning under regular exercise rider Humberto Gomez as the unbeaten colt continues to train toward the 150th Belmont Stakes on June 9.

“We changed it up this morning,” deadpanned Jimmy Barnes, the Bob Baffert assistant who is temporarily overseeing the daily training of the Churchill string. “We backed up to the eighth pole” instead of the wire, which has been customary. “Galloped a good mile and a half again.”

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Jockey Julio Felix rode his 3,000th winner Friday evening at Arlington, guiding Carnoustie to a fast-closing victory in the seventh race.

Felix, 51, began race-riding during 1989 in South Florida and was a fixture on the Ohio circuit before shifting his tack to Chicago several years ago. He’s since been a fixture at Hawthorne and Arlington, riding during the local winter dark period at Oaklawn, and has found steady success here.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita will enact a 10 percent purse increase for overnight races effective June 1 for the final 15 racing days of the spring-summer meeting, the track announced in a statement on Friday.

The increase will not affect stakes purses. The spring-summer meeting concludes on June 24.

Tim Ritvo, the chief operating officer of The Stronach Group, the track’s parent company, said on Friday afternoon that larger field sizes in recent months have led to a $70 million increase in total all-sources handle since Dec. 26 compared to the early months of 2017.

There will be mandatory payouts on all Pimlico wagers Monday, the final card of a 12-day meet. This is especially significant since coming into the Friday races at Pimlico, the Rainbow 6 carryover stood at $240,824.

If the Rainbow 6 is not hit over the weekend, it essentially turns into a normal pick six Monday. The Rainbow 6 jackpot normally is paid out only when there is a single winning ticket. On Monday, the tickets selecting the most winners will split the entire pool.

The minimum wager Monday will remain 20 cents.

ELMONT, N.Y. – In addition to his two potential Belmont Stakes starters – Vino Rosso and Noble Indy – trainer Todd Pletcher worked several other horses Friday ahead of stakes races on the June 9 Belmont card.

Hi Happy, the winner of the Grade 1 Man o’ War, went a half-mile in 48.56 seconds over the Belmont training track in preparation for the Grade 1 Manhattan. Hi Happy worked with Driven to Compete.

ELMONT, N.Y. – John Velazquez will ride Strike Power in the Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens on June 9, Belmont Stakes Day. On Friday, Velazquez got acquainted with the 3-year-old by working him five furlongs in 1:00.79 over Belmont Park’s main track.

According to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch, Strike Power got his final quarter in 23.04 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.07.

ELMONT, N.Y. – That Mind Your Biscuits has not proven himself beyond seven furlongs was on the mind of trainer Chad Summers on Friday when he gave the New York-bred colt his strongest workout to date in preparation for next month’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

Just before 9 a.m., Mind Your Biscuits worked six furlongs in 1:11.66 and galloped out a mile in 1:37.80. He went his opening three-quarters in 36.54 seconds and his last three furlongs in 35.12 under Joel Rosario.

BELMONT PARK 
Friday, May 25
Track: Fast   
Weather: Clear   
Temp.: 63

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Belmont Stakes is now just 15 days away, and that means things will start getting a lot more serious in the morning for the dozen or so 3-year-olds under consideration for the final leg of the Triple Crown, including Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Justify.