Belmont Park
Weather: Overcast
Track: Fast
Temp.: 70

Elmont, N.Y. – The Roman(s) Empire took center stage on the Belmont Stakes watch Saturday morning, with CHERRY WINE and BRODY’S CAUSE working within minutes of each other shortly after the renovation break, the pair proving to be a study in contrasts during their final major preps for the Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – To this point, Brody’s Cause and Cherry Wine have performed at their best in races where the pace was swift and they could sit back and make one run.

Dale Romans, who trains both horses, realizes that the pace in next Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes will be markedly slower than what these horses have previously experienced, at least in their respective tries in Triple Crown races.

On Saturday at Belmont Park, Romans worked both horses with the purpose of sharpening them up in order to lay somewhat closer to the early pace.

Songbird’s return to racing is nearly set following all illness diagnosed in April that kept her from starting in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 6.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Songbird, the undefeated champion 2-year-old filly of 2015, worked six furlongs in 1:13 under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. The workout left a strong possibility that Songbird will start in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on June 18.

“We’ll look at that race,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “We have time to do more work, so we’ll see what happens.”

CYPRESS, Calif. – Heavy fog prevented a clear view of the start of California Chrome’s workout at Los Alamitos early Saturday. The conditions did not keep trainer Art Sherman from admiring California Chrome as he ran down the stretch.

“He looks like a train coming through there,” Sherman said.

Officially, California Chrome worked five furlongs in 1:01.40, moving closer to his first start of the summer in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on July 23.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mshawish, a Grade 1 winner on both turf and dirt, suffered an injury to the suspensory ligament of his left foreleg and will be retired from racing, his connections announced Friday.

Mshawish, who won the Grade 1 Donn Handicap in February at Gulfstream Park before finishing sixth in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in March, was being pointed to next Saturday’s $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

Far From Over, who has not raced since winning the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct in February 2015, worked five furlongs in 1:00.92 on Friday over the Belmont training track. It was his fifth work since resuming training earlier this year.

Far From Over, a son of Blame who is 2 for 2, was being pointed to the Wood Memorial in April 2015 when he suffered a hind ankle injury that required surgery.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Far From Over is a couple of more works away from returning.

Cyrus Alexander and Shotgun Kowboy have gone their separate ways after a one-two finish in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap on Monday. Cyrus Alexander was back in his Santa Anita stall on Wednesday, according to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, while Shotgun Kowboy was shipped to an Oklahoma farm for a brief freshening, said trainer C.R. Trout.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Uncle Lino, who set the pace in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 21 before fading to seventh, will be turned out this summer.

Trainer Gary Sherlock said he was unsure how long Uncle Lino would be rested.

“We’ll give him a few months,” he said. “I don’t know how long.”

Uncle Lino was vanned off the track after the Preakness Stakes. Sherlock did not elaborate on the reason for that.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ziconic, a 3-year-old out of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, makes his fourth start when he faces a strong group of maidens in Sunday’s second race.

Ziconic debuted in February and has been third twice. The colt, by Tapit, was a fast-closing third in a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles on May 14, finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind winner The Lieutenant.

“I think he’s improved since his last race in his ability to focus and get down the racetrack,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “He had pretty good numbers out of that race.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Si Sage, the upset winner of the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes on turf last Sunday, might start in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 25.

Trainer Jim Cassidy said on Friday that the Grade 1 Gold Cup is an early-summer option he will discuss with the partnership that own Si Sage, which includes Jed Cohen’s Red Baron’s Barn. Cassidy termed thoughts of sending Si Sage to the Gold Cup as “very tentative.”