Stay Put breezes at Churchill; Dublin out of
Belmont
Bertram,
Richard and Elaine Klein’s STAY PUT (Broken Vow) had his final Churchill Downs work
on Thursday in
preparation
for the June 5 Belmont S. (G1), final jewel of the Triple Crown, by working
six
furlongs in 1:14 under jockey Jamie Theriot.
Fractions for the move over the fast track after the renovation break were :13,
:26, :38 3/5,
:50 3/5 and 1:02 2/5. Stay Put galloped out seven furlongs in 1:27.
“He galloped out really strong,” said Theriot, who has been aboard Stay Put in
his
past six starts. “I think we’ve got a big chance. The longer I can sit on him,
the better off
we’ll be.”
Trainer Steve Margolis, who has never had a Belmont Stakes starter, liked what
he saw of the work from the grandstand.
“It was very good. Jamie said he finished well and I got him galloping out in
1:28
and a mile in 1:42,” Margolis said. “He will ship to Belmont next Thursday,
train Friday and then work a half-mile Saturday or Sunday.”
Stay Put won a 1 1/16-mile allowance/optional claimer on May 1 after having
finished fifth, beaten fewer than three lengths, in both the Louisiana Derby
(G2) and Risen Star S. (G2) at Fair Grounds.
“We always thought he had talent,” Margolis said. “Jamie says he never seems to
get tired and his Derby Day race was impressive in the way he did it.”
Richard Klein is eagerly anticipating the shot at the Belmont.
“I think we have a colt going in the right direction,” Klein said. “Typically,
we
don’t do this. We would normally be looking at the $125,000 race (the Northern
Dancer [G3]) here next month, but you have to take a shot.”
At this stage a double-digit field is expected to line up for the Test of the
Champion, but the defections continued on Thursday. One day after SETSUKO
(Pleasantly Perfect) was sidelined due to inflamed ankles, trainer D. Wayne
Lukas has ruled DUBLIN (Afleet Alex) out of a bid for the 1 1/2-mile classic
event.
Lukas alluded to Dublin’s spring schedule, during which he ran five times all
against top level competition, as the reason for bypassing on the Belmont. The
Grade 1 winner will now get a rest before pointing for the summer sophomore
events, such as the July 31 Jim Dandy S. (G2) at Saratoga, August 1 Haskell
Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park and August 28 Travers S. (G1) back at the
Spa.
The November 6 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs is Dublin’s main
goal for the remainder of the year.
In other Belmont news:
Belmont candidate NEW MADRID (Rock Hard Ten) wound up fifth in Thursday’s
6TH race at Belmont Park, an allowance/optional claimer on the grass that he
hoped to use as a launching pad to the third leg of the Triple Crown.
After dueling early through fractions of :25, :50 2/5 and 1:15 on an inner
turf course listed as good, New Madrid was overtaken by the eventual winner
Kindergarden Kid (Dynaformer), who rolled to a two-length lead in midstretch.
Kindergarden Kid crossed the wire with three-quarters of a length to spare over
the rallying Cherokee Speed (Cherokee Run), completing the 1 1/8-mile affair in
1:49 3/5.
New Madrid was outfinished by two others inside the final furlong and checked
in a total of 3 3/4 lengths behind Kindergarden Kid.
Owned by John Ed Anthony’s Shortleaf Stable, New Madrid was most recently
sixth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and was making his turf debut in this spot.
Trainer Tim Ice was employing a page from the playbook of a past Anthony
colorbearer, Temperence Hill, who finished third in a turf allowance en route to
upsetting the 1980 Belmont at 53-1.
Donald Dizney’s Preakness (G1) runner-up FIRST DUDE (Stephen Got Even) is scheduled
to
leave Churchill Downs Friday afternoon for New York and an anticipated start in the Belmont, according to trainer Dale Romans.
Romans said no plans have been
confirmed for the next start for Paddy O’Prado (El Prado [Ire]), who finished sixth in the
Preakness after running third in the Kentucky Derby (G1).