Grade 3 winner Senior Investment breezed a half-mile in :49.13 over Belmont Park’s fast main track Wednesday in advance of the 149th running of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 10.
With jockey Dylan Davis aboard, Senior Investment recorded splits of :12.40 and :24 before galloping out five-eighths in 1:02.40, according to NYRA clockers. It was the first move by the Kenny McPeek trainee since he rallied for third in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 20 at Pimlico.
“Kenny wanted him to go an easy :48 and four, :49, and let him do it on his own,” said assistant trainer Jeff Odintz, who is overseeing Senior Investment at Belmont for McPeek. “And that’s exactly what he did, Dylan did a very good job. He came back fine, like he didn’t do anything. The track was nice and quiet, he was relaxed.”
Senior Investment made his stakes debut a sixth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on April 1 and returned two weeks later to capture Keeneland’s Lexington Stakes (G3) on April 15 by a head.
The Discreetly Mine colt bided his time in the rear of the 10-horse Preakness field before rallying to take third by a half-length over Lookin at Lee.
“I was around the horse when he ran at Oaklawn (three-length allowance/optional claiming victory on February 18) and he’s just a really nice horse,” Odintz said. “Professional, tall, he has a long stride and he knows what he’s doing. He can be tough to saddle in the paddock sometimes, but doing everything else, he’s a beautiful horse to be around.”
McPeek is expected to be on site for Senior Investment’s final Belmont Stakes move, which is scheduled for Tuesday.
In other Belmont Stakes news:
Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Lookin at Lee galloped Wednesday morning at Belmont ahead of the “Test of the Champion.”
“He’s been doing great; he loves the main track and came out of the Preakness in great shape. We’re very pleased with him,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. “Steve decided (to get one work in). He’s run a lot and is very fit.”
Lookin at Lee is expected to gallop again on Thursday before the break. The stakes-winning Lookin at Lucky colt joins Classic Empire as the only two horses to run in all three legs of the 2017 Triple Crown.
The weather will determine whether Tampa Bay Derby (G2) victor Tapwrit will have his final breeze for the Belmont Stakes on Friday or Saturday, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.
“We’re just keeping an eye on the forecast,” Pletcher said. “So far, he’s doing great.”
Tapwrit will work on the main track after recording his past two moves on Belmont’s dirt training track. Like many in this year’s Kentucky Derby, the gray son of Tapit didn’t have the cleanest of trips but still managed to rally from 15th to be sixth on the wire.
Pletcher said that Louisiana Derby runner-up Patch, who is scheduled to breeze Friday, remains under consideration for the Belmont Stakes.
“We haven’t made a decision on the Belmont yet. We’re going to wait and see how this breeze goes,” the conditioner said. “He’s doing well. I think the mile-and-a-half suites him. It looks like a huge field, we just need to see how this week goes.”
Patch followed his stakes bow in the Louisiana Derby with a 14th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby last out.
