On Memorial Day, DENIS OF CORK (Harlan’s Holiday), TALE OF EKATI (Tale of the Cat) and ANAK NAKAL
(Victory Gallop) turned in works in advance of the June 7 Belmont S. (G1), where
they will bid to play spoiler and thwart the Triple Crown hopes of BIG BROWN
(Boundary).
Southwest S. (G3) hero Denis of Cork, third to Big Brown in the Kentucky
Derby (G1), drilled five furlongs in :59 4/5 on a fast track at Churchill Downs.
The David Carroll trainee posted the third-fastest of 21 works at the distance
and was caught galloping out six furlongs in 1:13. Jockey Robby Albarado, who
will pick up the mount in the Belmont, was aboard for the Memorial Day work.
“He went really well — I thought it was a great work for him,” said Albarado,
who had not ridden Denis of Cork since the February 18 Southwest. “It was a
nice, long maintenance work. He went fast, too, and was within himself. I’m
excited about him and it sets him up great for the Belmont.
“He’s matured a lot and gotten a lot stronger,” Albarado added. “He must have
a big set of lungs on him because he gallops out really well and he refuses to
pull up. I mean he just wants to keep going and going. So I think the
mile-and-a-half (of the Belmont) is going to be conducive to his style.
“It’s a tall order against Big Brown,” Albarado admitted. “We’ve all seen how
impressive he was in the first two legs in the Derby and the Preakness (G1), but
they become vulnerable in that Belmont for some reason. It’s a totally new
dimension at a mile-and-a-half and a new set of fresh horses going at him. I’m
not going to count Denis of Cork out. We’ve got a big chance and I’m going to
ride him with a chance.”
“He’s training beautifully,” noted Carroll, who pronounced Denis of Cork to
be right on schedule for the Belmont. “For two weeks after the Derby it just
took him a little bit of time to get back on his feet and get his energy back,
but the last week he’s training beautifully. He had a good work last week, but
this week we wanted a bit more from him. I just told Robby to let him go off
:12s (for each furlong) and let him finish up and gallop out, and he did
everything beautifully.
“We’ll probably breeze him again on Sunday or Monday and then ship to
Belmont,” Carroll said. “He’s a very steady type of horse. He’s not going to
blow you away, but he is going to go about his business.”
Plans call for Denis of Cork to board a flight for New York next Tuesday.
Carroll was asked if he had any reaction to the news about Big Brown’s slight
quarter-crack.
“As long as it’s not Denis of Cork with a quarter crack, I really don’t
care,” Carroll said. “Seriously, that is something we all have had to deal with
at one time or another. Fortunately, Big Brown is in excellent hands. (Hoof
specialist) Ian McKinlay is the best, and I’ve known him for a long time. I’m
sure Big Brown will be okay, but I have enough to worry about with my own
horse.”
At Belmont Park, trainer Barclay Tagg, sitting aboard the world’s most famous
stable pony, 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, was far from
happy with Tale of Ekati’s work. The Wood Memorial S. (G1) victor traveled six
furlongs on the fast track in 1:18 4/5 under jockey Eibar Coa.
“Two works before a classic race,” Tagg muttered, “and this is not what I
wanted. It’s no wonder I’m always in bad mood.”
Tagg said he didn’t know what his plans would be now for Tale of Ekati, who
was fourth behind Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby.
Upstate at Saratoga, Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) scorer Anak Nakal worked a
half-mile on the Oklahoma Training Track in :48 3/5 for Hall of Fame trainer
Nick Zito. Yet to hit the board in four starts this season, the dark bay is
coming off a seventh-place effort in the Run for the Roses.
As of Monday, others expected in the Belmont are Peter Pan S. (G2) romper
CASINO DRIVE (Mineshaft); the respective second- and third-place finishers from
the Preakness, MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) and ICABAD CRANE (Jump Start); and
Peruvian star TOMCITO (Street Cry [Ire]), who was third in the Florida Derby
(G1) and most recently seventh in the Peter Pan.
Belmont plans remain fluid for Todd Pletcher’s duo, Lexington S. (G2) winner
BEHINDATTHEBAR (Forest Wildcat) and Peter Pan third READY’S ECHO (More Than
Ready). On Monday, Ready’s Echo exercised a half-mile in :51 on Belmont’s firm
inner turf course. Pletcher will make a decision shortly on whether either, or
both, will run in the Belmont.
Casino Drive’s stablemate SPARK CANDLE (A.P. Indy), a $1.5 million yearling
purchase out of champion Serena’s Song (Rahy), is still a possibility for the
Belmont, although his connections are also strongly considering the $100,000
Hill Prince S. (G3) at a mile on the Widener Turf Course on June 6.