2008 Belmont Stakes Notes

Posted on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown, looking to become thoroughbred horse racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner in the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 7, jogged once around the main track at Belmont Park Wednesday morning.

Owned by IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr., the undefeated Big Brown will be making only his sixth career start in the 2008 Belmont Stakes, the oldest, and at a mile and a half, the longest leg of the Triple Crown. Seattle Slew, who was 9-0 when he swept the series in 1977, is the only horse to win all three races while undefeated.

Among those expected to challenge Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes are Casino Drive, winner of the Peter Pan Stakes; Tale of Ekati, 4th in the Kentucky Derby; Denis of Cork, 3rd in the Kentucky Derby; Anak Nakal, 7th in the Kentucky Derby; Behindatthebar, winner of Keeneland’s Coolmore Lexington Stakes; Ready’s Echo, 3rd in the Peter Pan; Macho Again, 2nd in the Preakness; Ichabad Crane, 3rd in the Preakness; and Tomcito, 7th in the Peter Pan.

In a wide-ranging news conference outside the barn Wednesday morning, horse trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. exuded confidence in Big Brown’s ability to accomplish what no horse has done since Affirmed in 1978.

“It’s not a sure thing but he’s very live,” said Dutrow, adding that barring the unforeseen, he fully expected to be in the winner’s circle.

“I wish [the Belmont] were now because our horse is fit,” he said. “Time is on our side because our horse is good.”

Dutrow, who said he has about 110 horses in training at Aqueduct, Monmouth Park, and Belmont Park, admitted that virtually all of his attention has been focused on Big Brown since the colt made his first start for Dutrow in an allowance at Gulfstream Park on March 5.

“I’m glad he’s here, safe and sound,” said the trainer. “Things just couldn’t be better with Big Brown and that’s great for me to say.

“I just want to be with him and see him. I’m not around my horses, but I know this is where I’m supposed to be. I don’t want to miss nothing here. I’ll never be able to do this again. He’s so much fun to be around.”

The other undefeated horse in the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes will be Casino Drive, who ran off to an impressive 5 3/4-length victory in the Peter Pan on May 10 in his second start. The Japanese colt also galloped early Wednesday morning as his connections mulled over selecting a jockey for the race.

According to Nobutaka Tada, the racing manager for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto, Japanese, European and American riders are under consideration. Favored are Japanese jockey Yutake Take, Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado and Eclipse Award winning jockey Garrett Gomez.

“It’s up in the air,” said Tada, saying a decision would be made within a few days.

Casino Drive, who has the same dam (mother) as the last two Belmont Stakes winners Jazil (2006) and Rags to Riches (2007) is scheduled to breeze this weekend, weather permitting.

Although Spark Candle, a $1.5 million purchase who ran sixth in the Peter Pan, is listed as a Belmont possibility, Tada said he would likely run on Friday, June 6 in the $150,000 Hill Prince (G3) for three-year-olds at a mile on the turf. Equipped with blinkers for the Peter Pan, he helped create a solid pace in that race for his stablemate.

Horse trainer David Carroll was happy with Denis of Cork’s work on Monday at Churchill Downs, where he worked five furlongs in 1:01.00, breezing. The work ranked fifth of 31 at the distance on the fast main track.

“It was a nice five-eighths move,” Carroll said of the Harlan’s Holiday colt. “It was his first breeze since the Derby, and he went very well. He was well within himself. He’s fit and we are looking forward to running in the race.”

Carroll knows about upsets in this historic race. In 1989, he worked as an exercise rider aboard Easy Goer for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. That year, Easy Goer won the Belmont Stakes to ruin the Triple Crown hopes of Sunday Silence, one of 18 horses to lose the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes.

Carroll also was the exercise rider for Seeking the Gold, sire of 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil.

Carroll said he would likely breeze Denis of Cork next Sunday or Monday and will likely arrive in New York on June 3 and stable with McGaughey.

Tomcito, who was seventh behind Casino Drive in the Peter Pan, galloped a mile and a half Wednesday morning and trainer Dante Zanelli reported the colt, who won four of five starts in Peru, including one at the Belmont Stakes distance of 12 furlongs, is recuperating from minor throat surgery well.

“He displaced his palate in the Peter Pan, and had a myectomy [May 13] so he would remain on target for the Belmont,” said the trainer. “He returned to the track on May 16 and at this point we are training and going on a day-to-day basis. Hopefully, he gets his confidence back. Big Brown may be from another planet, but we will try to do our best.”

Tale of Ekati, the Wood memorial winner who was fourth behind Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby, came out of Tuesday morning’s work in good shape, according to assistant trainer Robin Smullen. Under exercise rider Kristin Troxell, Tale of Ekati went a half-mile in 46.86, fastest of 38 works on the main track.

“It was a little faster than we wanted but he was bucking and squealing on the way back,” said Smullen Wednesday morning . “He’ll work again Monday, then the following Sunday, and run in the Belmont.”

Smullen and trainer Barclay Tagg have an interesting perspective on Big Brown’s run at the Triple Crown. In 2003, Funny Cide, now Tagg’s stable pony, headed into the Belmont Stakes as the favorite following his impressive wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, only to finish third.

“Big Brown is a pretty formidable character,” said Smullen. “I’m hoping for us that we run well, and win. Both Smarty (Jones in 2004) and ‘Funny’ looked unbeatable coming into it ? when they win the first two legs the way they did, they look unbeatable. Maybe Big Brown is - but there’s a ton of people willing to try if he’s not.”

Edited from www.nyra.com.

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