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Prado named on Casino Drive, Big Brown gallops
Casino Drive will head into the Belmont with only two races under his belt, including a 11 1/2-length maiden victory on February 23 in Japan. Tada said he was not concerned with the colt's slim resume. Casino Drive is undefeated, as is Triple Crown contender BIG BROWN (Boundary). Seattle Slew (1977) is the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. "We wish he could race once or twice more, but he did very well in the Peter Pan," Tada said. "He's not too experienced but he's fine. Experience is needed, but you don't need too many races." Casino Drive was purchased for $950,000 at the 2006 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, after his half-brother Jazil (Seeking the Gold) won the Belmont but before his three-quarter sister, Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), became the first filly in 102 years to win the 1 1/2-mile classic. "We didn't bring him here, his pedigree brought him here," Tada said. "He was a nice, big, leggy, tall colt (when we bought him) and we thought he could race on the turf, too." Tada said trainer Kazuo Fujisawa, who will saddle Crystal Wing (Admire Vega) in the Japan Derby (Jpn-G1) this weekend, would be arriving in New York on Tuesday. He added that all of Casino Drive's connections, particularly his owner, have a great deal of respect for Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown and are looking forward to competing against him in the third leg of the Triple Crown. "As a sportsman (Mr. Yamamoto) is very happy to have a horse like Big Brown in the race," Tada said. About 25 minutes after Casino Drive's tour of the main track at Belmont Park, Big Brown, with exercise rider Michelle Nevin aboard, had his first gallop since developing a slight quarter crack in his left-front foot over the weekend. "Today the foot has cooled out and he's getting pretty antsy, as you can see, in the barn so the best thing for him is to get him to the track and let him do what he wants to do," said hoof specialist Ian McKinlay, who on Monday repaired the five-eighths inch-long crack by lacing it together with stainless steel wires. Tuesday morning, after having remained in the barn over the Memorial Day weekend, the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S. (G1) winner had a jog around the track. "The first thing we looked at this morning, you can go around the hairline and where there was an abscess it drained, so you have a pocket and physically you can feel a little hole," McKinlay said Wednesday. "It's definitely improving. Both feet are the same temperature. When one foot is warmer than the other is when you have a problem. The skin is drying right out and the horse seems fabulous." McKinlay said Nevin reported the colt "felt great" and appeared very "comfortable." Looking ahead, McKinlay said a patch of an acrylic adhesive, along with some fiberglass mesh, would be applied to the hoof, probably within two days. "As far as patching now we'll come back Friday," he said. "We're just trying to stay out of the way and let nature take its course." McKinlay said the colt will not breeze until the patch is in place. Multiple Group 1 winner TOMCITO (Street Cry [Ire]), who underwent a myectomy three days after his seventh-place finish in the May 10 Peter Pan, had his first serious move since then, going seven furlongs in 1:29 4/5 at Belmont Park on Wednesday. It was the only work at the distance. "He did what we wanted," trainer Dante Zanelli said. "The idea was to let him stretch out and get (jockey Alan) Garcia adjusted to him. He was happy with the breeze. I didn't want to do anything fast." Garcia will replace Cornelio Velasquez aboard Tomcito for the Belmont, Zanelli reported. "My uncle started Alan Garcia in Peru, and this is what the owners and my uncle wanted," Zanelli said. "This is taking away nothing from Cornelio, he rode a good race, it was just that the horse displaced (his palate)." Next week, Zanelli said Tomcito might gallop once around "and finish the last half. "He'll show us what he needs," Zanelli said. Assistant trainer Robin Smullen reported TALE OF EKATI (Tale of the Cat) galloped a mile over the main track at Belmont Park and that his schedule would remain the same after Monday's six-furlong move in 1:18 4/5, which was the fastest of three works at the distance. "The track was slow," Smullen said. "We plan on breezing him back on Sunday."
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