ELMONT, N.Y. - Had Barbaro won the Preakness Stakes following the Kentucky Derby, he would have been attempting to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 in the on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Instead, he continues to recuperate at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine at New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa., where he underwent extensive surgery May 21 to repair his shattered right hind leg.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Since being elevated to a Grade 1 in 2001, the Prioress Stakes has become the goal for every trainer with a talented 3-year-old filly sprinter. The Prioress, to be run on July 8, is the goal for the fillies set to run in Friday's $65,000 Queen of Song Stakes at Belmont Park.
A field of 10 was entered for the six-furlong Queen of Song, but trainer Todd Pletcher said he plans to scratch India. Five of the nine remaining fillies are stakes winners, but the most intriguing runner in the field could be one who hasn't won a stakes, Khalila.
ELMONT, N.Y. - With a winning race over the course and a field seemingly loaded with speed, the late-running may rate a slight edge in an extremely deep edition of the $100,000 Hill Prince Stakes on Friday at Belmont Park.
A full field of 12 was entered for the Grade 3 Hill Prince, scheduled for one mile on the Widener Turf Course. Three more horses, including Belmont Stakes entrant Platinum Couple, were entered in the event the race is moved to the dirt.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Leaving Nick Zito out of your exotic wagers in the Belmont Stakes can be hazardous to your bankroll.
In the last three Belmonts in which he has participated, Zito has finished in the top four with five of the six horses he has saddled. Last year, Zito ran second and fourth with Andromeda's Hero and Indy Storm. In 2004, Zito won the race with Birdstone and finished third with Royal Assault. In 2001, Zito's A P Valentine finished second behind Point Given. Of Zito's recent Belmont horses, only A P Valentine (5-1) was lower than 10-1 on the odds board.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The last time the Belmont Stakes field lacked both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners, the winning trainer wound up being D. Wayne Lukas.
That was six years ago, when Commendable upset the 132nd Belmont at 18-1. The victory was the 13th and most recent in a Triple Crown event for Lukas, the Hall of Fame trainer who maintains a keen perspective on the meaning of a Belmont in a so-called down year.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A battle for the lead may doom some horses, but it's an ideal scenario for Bushwacker, who starts in Friday's seventh race at Hollywood Park.
starts in an optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, trying to win for the second time in three starts. He will be near the front early, which trainer Bill Currin said is a strategy that works for the 4-year-old colt.
"He's got to have horses to run with," Currin said. "He loses interest if he's alone. When you pull him up, you discourage him."
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A year later than expected, Red Fort is ready for a breakthrough performance on Saturday in the $350,000 Charles Whittingham Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Last year, Red Fort posted close seconds in the Inglewood and Whittingham handicaps at Hollywood. Then he had his season derailed by an ankle injury.
Saturday's Whittingham could provide Red Fort with his first major stakes win. A stakes winner in England in 2004, the 6-year-old Red Fort is well-suited to the Whittingham distance of 1 1/4 miles on turf.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Horses trained by Cody Autrey came within a nose of sweeping all three feature races run last week at Lone Star Park. For the feature here Friday night, he will send out yet another contender in Bartok's Banco.
Cajole and Matty's Song racked up the featured allowances last Friday and Sunday. Corredor de Plata ran in the feature on Saturday, the $40,000 Nevill/Kyocera, and was second by a nose. Autrey also won an allowance on the Sunday undercard with Fantastic New Way.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Trainer Pat Mouton says it is time Venomous returned to his roots.
"He was bred in Texas but has never faced Texas-breds," said Mouton just days after the talented 4-year-old he trains for Gary and Don Holcomb picked up his first stakes score here last Saturday in the $50,000 Kings Court.
Mouton said he intends to run Venomous in the $75,000 Assault at Lone Star on July 8, then return to Louisiana Downs for the Folklore on July 29.
