Tonalist, Untapable headline probables for Belmont Stakes undercard

Tonalist is four-for-four at Belmont Park thus far in his career (Lauren King/Adam Coglianese Photography)

With the lineup for the 147th running of the $1.5 million Belmont S. (G1) virtually set,
fields are starting to take shape for the five Grade 1 races that buttress the
Belmont Stakes Day undercard.

Undefeated in four lifetime starts at Belmont Park, 2014
Belmont Stakes hero Tonalist (Tapit) returns to headline the 122nd running of the
$1.25 million Metropolitan H. The one-mile race for three-year-olds
and up is a Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
(G1) on October 30 at Keeneland.

The Christophe
Clement-trained Tonalist won the Peter Pan S. (G2) and Jockey Club Gold
Cup (G1) in addition to his Belmont triumph last year, and opened his four-year-old campaign with a victory in the
May 2 Westchester S. (G3) at Belmont Park.

Expected to join him in the Met Mile are fellow Grade 1
winners Bayern (Offlee Wild), who captured the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); Wicked
Strong (Hard Spun), scoreless in two starts this year; 2014 Cigar Mile H. (G1)
hero winner Private Zone (Macho Uno),
who took back-to-back editions of the Vosburgh S. (G1) (2013-14) at Belmont; and 2013
Met Mile winner Sahara Sky (Pleasant Tap).

Most recently, Private Zone won the Churchill Downs S. (G2) on May 2, beating Met Mile candidates Pants On Fire
(Jump Start) (third)
and Bayern (sixth).

Big Blue Kitten started off his seven-year-old campaign on a winning note in the Fort Marcy (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

The field for the $1 million Manhattan
is likely to feature Big Blue Kitten (Kitten’s Joy), who made a successful return to the races
in 2015 with a win in the Fort Marcy S. (G3) at Belmont.

The seven-year-old bay, trained by Chad Brown
for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, has won two Grade 1 races in his career – the United
Nations and Sword Dancer Invitational – both in 2013.

Last year, Big Blue Kitten captured the Lure S. at Saratoga
to kick off his abridged campaign, but was winless in four subsequent outings,
including a runner-up finish in the Canadian International (Can-G1) at Woodbine.

“We’re very proud of this horse,” Brown said. “At his age,
to come off that long a layoff and show such an explosive move in the Fort Marcy
is very impressive. He’s always been a horse we can rely on though, so we’re not
surprised by it.”

A strong group of older turf runners are probable to take
on Big Blue Kitten, including Grade 1 winners Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt), Jack Milton
(War Front) and
Twilight Eclipse (Purim). Biz the Nurse (Oratorio), General a Rod (Roman Ruler), Legendary
(Exceed and Excel), Magic Artist (Iffraaj), Sky
Captain (Sky Mesa) and War Dancer (War Front) are also likely to participate, while Il Campione
(Scat Daddy),
Imagining (Giant’s Causeway) and Umgiyo (Danehill Dancer) are possible.

Untapable has lost just four times in her 13-race career (Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography)

The Todd Pletcher-trained Stopchargingmaria was to be joined in
the Phipps by stablemate Dame Dorothy (Bernardini) but now will fly solo for the stable.

“Unfortunately, Dame Dorothy spiked a temperature earlier
in the week,” Pletcher explained. “Her blood work is still not right, so she is not
going to make it.”

Town and Country Farms’ Stopchargingmaria, victorious in the Allaire DuPont Distaff
(G3) at Pimlico 15 days ago, was on the worktab at Belmont
Park Saturday morning. The dark bay four-year-old covered a half-mile in
:47 4/5 over the fast dirt training track.

“When she’s on her ‘A’ game, she really touts herself in
the morning,” Pletcher said. “She went 47 and 4 this morning, literary pulling
the rider’s arms out. That is what we looked for to indicate to us that she is
ready to go.”

With John Velazquez, who has ridden the filly in her last four starts, partnered with Untapable, Stopchargingmaria will be
reunited with Javier Castellano, who rode her to victory in last year’s Coaching Club American Oaks
(G1) and Black Eyed-Susan S. (G2).

Coffee Clique gutted out a close nose decision in last year’s Just a Game (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

House Rules (Distorted Humor), third in the Ruffian, is listed as possible to
start in the Ogden Phipps.

The field for the $700,000 Just a Game
for fillies and mares, four-years-old and up, is beginning to take shape, with the
likely entrants led by last year’s winner, Coffee Clique (Medaglia d’Oro), for Amerman Racing LLC
and trainer Brian Lynch.

In her most recent start, Coffee Clique finished second in
the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) on May 2 to four-year-old Tepin (Bernstein), who is
also likely for the race for owner Robert Masterson and trainer Mark Casse.

Moyglare Stud Farm’s Discreet Marq (Discreet Cat) is probable for Clement and looking to make her second start of the year
following a win in the Beaugay S. (G3) on May 9.