Nehro arrives at Belmont Park

Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up

NEHRO (Mineshaft) arrived at trainer Steve Asmussen's Belmont Park

barn early Friday morning after an overnight van ride from Churchill

Downs, and will likely breeze early Monday morning for the 143rd running

of the Belmont S. (G1) on June 11.

"He came in around 5 o'clock (EDT) this morning, he shipped in well,"

said Toby Sheets, Asmussen's New York assistant. "He's supposed to have

an easy breeze on Monday and train lightly the next two days. He'll go

to the track around 6:30, 6:45, in the second set."

The bay colt will enter the Belmont still seeking his first stakes

victory and only his second career win. Nehro broke his maiden by 4 1/2

lengths in late February before stringing together a pair of close neck

seconds in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1). He filled

the runner-up spot once again in the Kentucky Derby, this time 2 3/4

lengths behind the triumphant ANIMAL KINGDOM (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]),

and will attempt to turn the tables on that rival in the 1 1/2-mile

Belmont.

Animal Kingdom is also set to work on Monday at Belmont, but will likely miss

seeing Nehro on the track that day. Trainer Graham Motion will be on hand for

the breeze, which is scheduled on the main track after the renovation break at

8:45 a.m.

The Derby winner will arrive Sunday from Maryland's Fair Hill Training Center and be stabled in the barn of trainer David Donk, a longtime friend of

Motion.

Preakness S. (G1) winner SHACKLEFORD (Forestry), who shipped in to

Belmont on Memorial Day, will breeze Saturday morning after the break with

exercise rider Tammy Fox aboard.

Risen Star S. (G2) hero MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho Uno), third in the Derby and

sixth in the Preakness, will have his final work for the Belmont on Sunday

morning on the main track after the break, according to trainer Kathy Ritvo. New

jockey Ramon Dominguez will be aboard for the move.

"Everything is going good," Ritvo said. "He jogged two miles on the main

track today, stood in the gate and backed out. I figure Sunday will be good

timing."

After his morning gallop, the leggy chestnut colt, who stands 17-1 hands

tall, got his customary bath -- in warm water.

"He hates cold water," Ritvo said. "If you try to give him a bath in cold

water, he starts stamping his feet and lets you know he doesn't like it one

bit."

Gotham S. (G3) winner STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini), who later finished 12th in

the Kentucky Derby, is slated to breeze five furlongs at Belmont on Sunday as he

progresses toward a start in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.

"The horse is doing well and had a very good breeze (six furlongs in 1:12)

last Sunday," said Todd Pletcher, who trains the three-year-old half-brother to

Andromeda's Hero, the 2005 Belmont Stakes runner-up. "Everything has gone

smoothly since the Derby. I hope he steps up with a big performance. We're

hoping his pedigree kicks in at the quarter-pole."

Blue Grass S. (G1) scorer BRILLIANT SPEED (Dynaformer), who was seventh in

the Kentucky Derby, continues to please trainer Tom Albertrani as he prepares

for the Belmont. The dark bay colt breezed five furlongs in 1:03 Wednesday

morning and will have another work early next week.

"I feel as if he's going into this race the same way he went into the Derby,"

Albertrani explained. "He's doing everything you want to see a horse do going

into the race."

PRIME CUT (Bernstein), who ran second in the April 23 Lexington S. (G3) at

Keeneland and third in Belmont Park's Peter Pan S. (G2) on May 14, remains under

consideration for the Belmont with a final decision expected late Saturday,

trainer Neil Howard revealed.

"We're still possible," Howard said from Churchill Downs, where Prime Cut

worked five furlongs in 1:03 3/5 on Memorial Day. "Mr. (Donald) Adam, the farm

manager and I will have a conversation tomorrow evening and we'll probably make

a decision then."