Belmont Park Notes

NYRA Release —-

• Romans says J Boys Echo’s work might be his best ever
• Belmont Stakes contender Twisted Tom had his final tune-up
• Lynch ready to ‘roll the dice’ with Meantime in G1 Belmont
• Epicharis gets some fresh air, Lookin At Lee slated for Sunday breeze
• Multiplier ‘all set for the Belmont’ after working at Keeneland
• Moquett leaning toward True North for burgeoning sprint star Whitmore
• Time and Motion, now on target for the New York, breezes on Saturday
• Probable contenders for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Dale Romans said J Boys Echo might have had his best work ever Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Belmont Stakes, presented by NYRA Bets. J Boys Echo won Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Gotham, was fourth in the pace-challenged Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland and then was 15th in the Kentucky Derby after essentially being eliminated at the start. Romans opted to skip the Preakness and now likes what he’s seeing in J Boys Echo.

Albaugh Family Stable’s son of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft worked five furlongs in a minute flat in company with Reedini. Regular exercise rider Tammy Fox was aboard J Boys Echo, with jockey Robby Albarado on Reedini.

“I just wanted to see good energy, him finishing up,” Romans said. “He did everything perfect. Today may be the best he’s worked – maybe ever. He’s not a big-time workhorse, for him to work in a minute, he’s fresh and feeling good. Reedini is coming off a layoff. He’s a good horse. He worked with him last week, and Reedini kind of kept up with him going head and head, and J Boy got away from him on the gallop-out. Today Reedini couldn’t keep up with him. J Boy opened up three on him around the turn [working to the seven-eighths pole] and galloped out 10 in front. So I was very impressed with J Boy today.”

The Churchill Downs clockers caught J Boys Echo, who worked on the outside of Reedini, in 23 seconds for the first quarter-mile and 47.20 for the half-mile, then galloping out three-quarters of a mile in 1:13 4/5.

Working alongside J Boys Echo, Albarado got an up-close look at his Belmont mount.

“He looked amazing from my standpoint, where I was,” the jockey said. “He was galloping along, got away from me the last eighth-mile. I couldn’t keep up with him – and was glad I didn’t. I was impressed with him.”

Albarado, who will resume riding races two days before the Belmont Stakes having missed six weeks with a leg fracture, has a pair of seconds, a third and fourth in five appearances in the Triple Crown’s final leg. But he’s had excellent success at Belmont Park, including sweeping the Grade 1 Suburban, Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup on Mineshaft in 2003.

“It’s a good, strategy jockeys race, and a lot has to do if the horse is going to ‘stay,’ though,” Albarado said of the Belmont Stakes. “Having said that, Mineshaft loved Belmont Park and was 3 for 3 there. If that’s any indication of how he’s going to run, I’m excited about him. [It takes] a lot of stamina, lot of staying power, a horse that can lope along for at least a mile and a quarter and then sprint on home. Obviously, it takes a nice horse to do it on this level…. But it’s a pressure-less race. There’s no pressure on you unless you’re going for the Triple Crown.

“If I wasn’t ready to ride, I would definitely tell Dale. I really don’t need just to ride the Belmont. If I felt I couldn’t give 100 percent, I’d tell him. Looking forward to it, man. I’m so excited about it. What a story that would be: Third day back after six weeks off, that would be good. And on a horse sired by Mineshaft, too.”

J Boys Echo is to fly to New York Tuesday morning.

* * *

Belmont Stakes contender Twisted Tom had his final tune-up Saturday for the Grade 1, $1.5 million “Test of the Champion,” covering five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.13 shortly after the renovation break.

With exercise rider Peter Roman aboard and working in company with Met Mile contender Economic Model, the gelded son of Creative Cause was caught galloping out in 1:13 4/5.

“He executed it perfectly,” said trainer Chad Brown of Twisted Tom, a New York-bred grandson of 1995 Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch. “We wanted a nice, steady five-eighths.”

It was the sixth move, three at Saratoga Race Course and three at Belmont, for Twisted Tom since his 2 ½-length victory in the Frederico Tesio on April 22 at Laurel Park.

“He’s trained really well since the Tesio,” said Brown. “The Belmont has been our goal since then; we’ve been trying to figure out how to get him to the race. Obviously, it will be a big class test for him but I’ve been anxious to try him at 1 ½ miles.”

Twisted Tom is undefeated in three starts this year, all on dirt, taking a one-mile optional claimer on the inner track at Aqueduct Racetrack and the listed Private Terms at 1 1/16 miles at Laurel prior to his win over a sloppy track in the Tesio. He was purchased by Cobra Farm as a 2-year-old following a maiden victory on the turf at Belmont Park; in his first start for Brown last November he was sixth going a mile on the turf at the Big A.

Overall, he is 4-0-0 from six starts with earnings of $209,040.

* * *

Silverton Hill’s Grade 3 Peter Pan runner-up Meantime breezed five-eighths over the Belmont Park main track Saturday morning, his final work ahead of a bid in the Belmont Stakes.

Meantime, a 3-year-old Shackleford colt trained by Brian Lynch, covered the distance in 1:01.66 with jockey Mike Luzzi aboard, and quickly caught up to another Lynch trainee, who had broken off about a sixteenth of a mile ahead of Meantime, as the pair galloped out around the clubhouse turn.

“It wasn’t the most orthodox work,” said Lynch. “We tried to work him with another horse and the other horse broke off too far in front of him, but he had a good target to chase. The work was comfortable enough. [I] didn’t want Mike to push on him too hard, we worked him quite quick last week, a little quicker than I wanted going into a long race. It was more of a comfort work today with a good gallop out, and inevitably he ended up catching the horse on the gallop out.

“When I look at the big picture, it probably was a pretty good work,” he added. “[He] went 1:01 and change and out in 1:14, so I think it was the work we were looking for. Watching him come off the track, he had minimal blow and seemed to have a good recovery rate. I think he’s a pretty fit horse going into it, so I think we’ll roll the dice and move forward.”

Meantime has been first or second through the early stages in each of his four career starts, including a 7 ½-length victory in a maiden special weight at Keeneland in April and a second-place finish to Timeline in the May 13 Peter Pan on a sloppy and sealed track, both at 1 1/8 miles.

“I think he’s a horse that’ll be up in the first tier of horses and a lot of the times that’s where the Belmont is won,” said Lynch. “Whoever is one-two-three going into the first turn usually finishes one-two-three, so I think tactically, he’s the right horse to try and do it with it. I think fitness-wise, the mile and a half will be a test, but he’s as good as we can get him.”

Hall of Famer Mike Smith is confirmed for the mount, said Lynch.

“I hadn’t really committed to a rider and he was available,” he explained. “So I thought, nobody better than a big money rider for a race like this, and I’ve got a long rapport with Mike from California years ago, so I think if he feels I’m going to take a shot, he’ll take a shot with me. He’s certainly a rider who shows up on big days and hopefully we’ve got an up-and-coming horse that provides the talent he needs to get it done.”

* * *

Carrot Farm’s Epicharis received his anticipated release from quarantine late this morning, and stretched his legs atop the Belmont Park training track in route to next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes. The UAE Derby runner-up entered the track in his private session roughly around 11:40 am, and calmly jogged a clockwise five furlongs before turning around to gallop a brisk seven furlongs. Trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara was pleased with the colt’s first run on U.S. soil since arriving here on Thursday.

“It was just to check how he is here since arriving from Japan,” Hagiwara said through interpreter Soshi Inoue. “It looked like he’s okay so it was good. Tomorrow he will go a lot faster, and longer, but he’s not sure if he’ll go here or the main track.

The Japanese-bred son of Gold Allure was undefeated through four starts in Japan before finishing a nose behind Thunder Snow in the muddy UAE Derby on March 25 The Belmont hopeful has a legitimate shot, according to Hagiwara.

“He knows about the other horses in the race, but he’s not sure about the race,” said Inoue. “He’ll see how he goes. He’s here to win the race so you tell me.”

Epicharis will be the first American starter for Hagiwara, who trains 55 horses in Japan.

Hagiwara isn’t too familiar with the history of the Belmont, but when asked through his interpreter about any particular favorites of the historic classic he responded “Secretariat.”

Fern Circle Stable’s Belmont contender Senior Investment is doing fine, and on schedule to work Tuesday morning, according to Jeff Odintz, assistant to trainer Ken McPeek.

“He’s doing good,” Odintz said. “Everything is going smooth. Kenny should be here Monday morning for training so if anything changes he’ll be here.”

The Grade 3 Lexington Stakes winning son of Discreetly Mine finished third in the Grade 1 Preakness, and will make his 10th career start in the Belmont Stakes.

Jockey Channing Hill, who has been in the irons for Senior Investment’s last four starts, will be aboard for his first Belmont.

Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee is scheduled to breeze Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. on the Belmont Park main track, marking his last official work before the Belmont Stakes, said Toby Sheets, assistant to Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

Lookin At Lee has galloped this week at Belmont as he settles in following a fourth-place effort in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 20 at Pimlico.

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who teamed up with Asmussen to win the 2016 Belmont with Creator, will have the mount aboard Lookin At Lee.

* * *

Other than the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs-based Belmont Stakes favorite Classic Empire has had to ship to every race since leaving Saratoga last summer. That travel spans winning Keeneland’s Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and Santa Anita’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, finishing third in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 2 Holy Bull, and a win in Oaklawn Park’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, along with his narrow defeat in the Preakness Stakes. But Norman Casse, who seasonally runs the Churchill, Saratoga and Palm Meadows operations for his dad, trainer Mark Casse, believes Classic Empire is a happy tourist.

The Triple Crown is “physically taxing and obviously mentally taxing,” Norman Casse said. “You have to travel all over the country going from racetrack to racetrack. But if you have the right horse – like Classic Empire – he thrives on it. He enjoys and appreciates going to new places, new tracks. It keeps his mind fresh and happy.

“He’s the most intelligent horse I’ve ever been around. Being around him all this time, seeing him in different places, it seems like when he first gets to a new place, he really enjoys himself. Maybe that’s why he’s done so well on the Triple Crown trail. He shipped into Arkansas [from Florida], ran really well. Came back home to Churchill [finishing a very troubled fourth in the Derby] and was only here for a little bit, did really well Pimlico is obviously well documented, and now hopefully the same for Belmont.”

Classic Empire had a walk day Saturday at Churchill Downs following his easy half-mile workout Friday in 50 seconds. He will fly to New York Tuesday. Julien Leparoux has the mount.

* * *

Multiplier, the Grade 3 Illinois Derby winner who was sixth in the Preakness Stakes, worked a half-mile in 48 3/5 seconds in company with regular workmate War Union at Keeneland.

Trainer Brendan Walsh was aboard for the drill, with Multiplier to be ridden by Joel Rosario in the Belmont. A Keeneland workout tab was not available, but Walsh said Multiplier galloped out in “1:01 and change.”

Multiplier also isn’t the most impressive work horse. “He worked great,” Walsh said. “Everything went according to plan, so we’re all set for the Belmont. It was good, just a routine work. Nothing special. He’s fit and ready to go. We just wanted to make sure everything was in order, and it is. So we’re going.”

* * *

In beating the accomplished A.P. Indian in Pimlico’s Maryland Sprint Stakes, Whitmore added to his claim as arguably the best sprinter in the country. The 4-year-old gelding is quite likely to get a chance to strengthen his case in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 True North at six furlongs.

“We are leaning to the True North as long as he keeps showing the energy he has,” trainer and part-owner Ron Moquett said in a text Saturday, the morning after Whitmore worked a half-mile in 48 seconds at Churchill Downs under former jockey Greta Kuntzweiler. “Whit makes the call.”

After the workout, Moquett displayed a sheet of paper with the words “soundness, energy level, mental happiness and fitness.”

“This is what I always ask, on a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being the best,” he said. “So I told Greta to grade it. She put down 5, 5, 5, 6. Because he didn’t drink any water. That’s the thing about sprinting him. It’s different than routing. He’s cooled out before he gets off the track. He doesn’t run that hard.”

Whitmore is unbeaten in five starts since finishing 19th in last year’s Kentucky Derby, an attempt he earned off his third-place effort in the Arkansas Derby. He’s also 7 for 7 racing at 6 or 6 1/2 furlongs, including a December 3 allowance race at Aqueduct following his seven-month post-Derby hiatus.

Definite for the Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens for 3-year-olds running seven furlongs is Petrov, who worked a half-mile in 47 2/5 Friday, galloping out in a 1:00 1/5 “as strong as you could,” Moquett said.

Petrov hasn’t raced since he was ninth in the Arkansas Derby. After winning his debut last fall, he was second in three straight stakes: Aqueduct’s Dec. 2 King’s Swan and Oaklawn Park’s Smarty Jones and Southwest. Petrov had excuses when a close fourth in the Rebel, finishing a nose out of second. But after he struggled in the Arkansas Derby, the decision was made to forgo the Kentucky Derby.

* * *

Time and Motion put in a solid maintenance work Saturday morning as she prepares for the Grade 2, $500,000 New York on June 9 for trainer Jimmy Toner.

The 4-year-old Tapit filly went four furlongs in 48.44 seconds on the Belmont Park inner turf with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez aboard.

“She just had a nice little maintenance breeze and handled everything well,” Toner said.

Time and Motion was entered to run in the Grade 3 Eatontown today at Monmouth Park. But after drawing post 13, Toner scratched her and instead has her targeted for the New York on the second day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

“It wasn’t an easy race to begin with, and with that post down there, you’re pretty much giving up all chance since you’re wide all the way trying to play catchup, and I don’t think that’s conducive to her style of running,” Toner said.

Carded for 1 ¼ miles on the turf, the New York provides Time and Motion a chance to win her first stakes since back-to-back victories in the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 21 at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 15 at Keeneland. Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith is expected to have the call for the New York.

Hunter O’Riley came out of his Friday breeze in good order as he prepares for the two-mile turf Belmont Gold Cup Invitational on June 9, Toner added. The Kentucky-bred son of Tiz Wonderful worked four furlongs in 50.09 seconds on the dirt.

“He breezed a nice half-a-mile in 50 yesterday, so he looks ready to go,” Toner said. “I’ve been breezing him in company with a horse called Manitoulin and they’ve been on the same schedule all spring, so I just kept breezing them together.”

Smith is also expected to ride Hunter O’Riley.

* * *

Probable contenders for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes

Probable: Classic Empire (Mark Casse); Epicharis (Kiyoshi Hagiwara); J Boys Echo (Dale Romans); Lookin At Lee (Steve Asmussen); Meantime (Brian Lynch); Multiplier (Brendan Walsh); Patch (Todd Pletcher); Senior Investment (Kenny McPeek); Tapwrit (Pletcher); Twisted Tom (Chad Brown)
Possible: Gormley (John Shirreffs); Hollywood Handsome (Dallas Stewart); Irish War Cry (Graham Motion)

Probables for Friday and Saturday of the 2017 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival:

FRIDAY, JUNE 9:
Grade 2, $500,000 New York
Probable: Achnaha (George Weaver); Apple Betty (Shug McGaughey); Dacita (C.Brown); Hawkmoor (Arnaud Delacour); Kitten’s Roar (Michael Maker); Quidura (Motion); Sea Calisi (C. Brown); Suffused (Bill Mott); Summersault (Mark Hennig); Time and Motion (Jimmy Toner)

Grade 2, $250,000 True North
Probable: A.P. Indian (Delacour); El Deal (Navarro); Fellowship (Kenneth Decker); Green Gratto (Gaston Grant); Holy Boss (Asmussen); Noholdingbackbear (Lynch); Roy H (Peter Miller); Stallwalkin’ Dude (David Jacobson)
Possible: Whitmore (Ron Moquett)

Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational
Probable: Bigger Picture (Maker); Bullards Alley (Tim Glyshaw); Clondaw Warrior (Willie Mullins); Hunter O’Riley (Toner); Now We Can (Nick Clement); Red Cardinal (Andreas Wohler); Renown (Elizabeth Voss); Roman Approval (David Cannizzo); St Michel (Sir Mark Prescott); Taghleeb (Maker); Wall of Fire (Hugo Palmer); Wicklow Brave (Bill Mullins)
Possible: Patterson Cross (Mott); Messi (Motion); Rum Tum Tugger (Jonathan Sheppard)

Grade 3, $250,000 Bed o’ Roses Invitational
Probable: By the Moon (Michelle Nevin); Discreet Senorita (Rick Violette); Flora Dora (Maryalice Coffey); High Ridge Road (Rice); Indulgent (Kiaran McLaughlin); Lightstream (Lynch); Mia Torri (Jorge Navarro); Quezon (Robert Ribaurdo); Rachel’s Temper (David Cannizzo); Tale for Ruby (Barclay Tagg); Wheatfield (Nick Zito)

$150,000 Tremont
Probable: Admiral Jimmy (Pletcher); Analyze Your Luck (Pletcher) Analyze the Odds (Pletcher); Direct Dial (Asmussen); He Hate Me (Horacio DePaz); Presence of Mind (Weaver); Salmanazar (Pletcher); Wonder How (John Salzman)

SATURDAY, JUNE 10:
Grade 1, $1.2 million Mohegan Sun Metropolitan H.
“Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Division”
Probable: Awesome Slew (Casse); Denman’s Call (Doug O’Neill); Economic Model (C. Brown); Inside Straight (Robert Diodoro); Mohaymen (McLaughlin); Mor Spirit (Bob Baffert); Rally Cry (Pletcher); Seymourdini (Linda Rice); Sharp Azteca (Navarro); Solid Wager (Miller); Tom’s Ready (Dallas Stewart); Tommy Macho (Pletcher)
Possible: Virtual Machine (Cannizzo)

Grade 1, $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan
Probable: Applicator (Mikhail Yanakov); Ascend (Motion); Beach Patrol (C. Brown); Divisidero (Buff Bradley); Potemkin (Wohler); Sadler’s Joy (Tom Albertrani); Time Test (C. Brown); Wake Forest (C. Brown); World Approval (Casse)

Grade 1, $750,000 Ogden Phipps
“Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Distaff Division”
Probable: Carina Mia (Mott); Factor of Faith (Joe Sharp); Highway Star (Rodrigo Ubillo); Paid Up Subscriber (C. Brown); Songbird (Jerry Hollendorfer)
Possible: Annie Rocks (Jason Servis); Bar of Gold (John Kimmel)

Grade 1, $700,000 Acorn
Probable: Abel Tasman (Baffert); Benner Island (Brad Cox); Florida Fabulous (David Fawkes); My Miss Tapit (Pletcher); Nikki My Darling (Dominic Giglio, Jr.) Salty (Casse); Sweet Loretta (Pletcher); Tequilita (Michael Matz); Union Strike (Mick Ruis)
Possible: Lockdown (Mott); Torrent (Moquett)

Grade 1, $700,000 Longines Just A Game
Probable: Antonoe (C. Brown); Celestine (Clement); Dickinson (McLaughlin); Prize Exhibit (James Cassidy); Roca Rojo (C. Brown); Sassy Little Lila (Cox)
Possible: Harmonize (Mott)

Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens
Probable: American Anthem (Baffert) Aquamarine (Lukas); Classic Rock (Kathy Ritvo); Gold for the King (Charlton Baker); Hard Scramble (Asmussen); Long Haul Bay (C. Brown); Recruiting Ready (DePaz); The Money Monster (Mott); Wild Shot (Rusty Arnold, III.)
Possible: Jamminwithbrandon (Louis Linder); Petrov (Moquett)

Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational
Probable: Doyouknowsomething (A.C. Avila); Behesht (Arnold, III.); Governor Malibu (Clement); Idolo Porteno (Ignacio Correas); Send It In (Pletcher); Sunny Ridge (Jason Servis); Tu Brutus (Gary Contessa); War Story (Navarro);

Grade 3, $300,000 Jaipur Invitational
Probable: Canadian Flyer (Mott); Conquest Enforcer (Giglio); Disco Partner (Clement); Green Mask (Cox); Hogy (Larry Rivelli); Holding Gold (Casse); Loose on the Town (Lynch); Pure Sensation (Clement); Stormy Liberal (Miller); Tombelaine (C. Brown), Undrafted (Ward); Why Two (Michael Machowsky)
Possible: Always Sunshine (Allard)

$150,000 Easy Goer
Probable: Giuseppe the Great (Zito); Local Hero (Asmussen); Sonic Mule (Pletcher); Super Dude (Rice); Tale of Silence (Barclay Tagg); West Coast (Baffert)
Possible: Impressive Edge (Romans)