Three decades after his Temperence Hill upset the 1980 Belmont S. (G1), owner
John Ed Anthony is hoping to win the third jewel of the Triple Crown for a
second time on June 5 with NEW MADRID (Rock Hard Ten), who will prep for the 1
1/2-mile classic on Thursday at Belmont Park in a $53,000 allowance/optional
claimer that goes as the
6TH
race. The 1 1/8-mile event, open to older horses, is scheduled for the inner
turf and carries a first-level allowance condition and an optional tag of
$35,000.
Anthony campaigned Temperence Hill under the name of Loblolly Stable, which
also enjoyed classic success with the back-to-back Preakness S. (G1) wins of
Pine Bluff and Prairie Bayou in 1992-93. Anthony now runs horses under the name
of Shortleaf Stable, but the familiar yellow and chocolate silks remains the
same.
Out of the money in a trouble-filled debut at Churchill Downs last November,
New Madrid elevated his game in his next start when second to eventual Sunland
Derby (G3) winner Endorsement (Distorted Humor) in an Oaklawn Park maiden over 1
1/16 miles. He returned three weeks later, on March 13, to break his maiden over
the same course and distance by 1 1/4 lengths. Thrown to the wolves in the
Arkansas Derby (G1), New Madrid failed to reach contention in finishing sixth,
beaten nearly 10 lengths by Line of David (Lion Heart) with eventual Kentucky
Derby (G1) winner Super Saver (Maria’s Mon) a close second.
Out of the Theatrical (Ire) mare Back to Earth, New Madrid should have no
distance limitations and is using a similar route to the Belmont taken by
Temperence Hill, who prepped in a turf allowance one week before triumphing in
the “Test of the Champion” at 53-1. Trained by Tim Ice, who conditioned last
year’s Belmont winner Summer Bird (Birdstone), New Madrid is from the family of
two-time Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Cigar.
Among the more serious challengers to New Madrid on Thursday are SPANISH ART
(El Prado [Ire]), ELUSIVE BEAT (Elusive Quality), MONTESQUIEU (Maria’s Mon),
CHEROKEE SPEED (Cherokee Run) and WILD ENTRY (Jpn) (Wild Rush).