Now that the dust has settled after the 132nd running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico last Saturday, owners and trainers are plotting the courses their Thoroughbreds will take over weeks to come.

In recent years, when a different horse has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, horsemen have typically been non-committal in announcing plans to run in the Belmont Stakes in the days immediately following the Preakness. With the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes just 20 days away on Saturday, June 9th, the potential lineup for the final leg of the Triple Crown could vary greatly.

The dream scenario for racing fans and the New York Racing Association would be that Preakness winner Curlin, Kentucky Derby champ Street Sense and the ubiquitous Hard Spun all show up for the 139th running of the Belmont.

Curlin left Pimlico early this morning to head back to trainer Steve Asmussen’s barn at Churchill Downs. Asmussen shed little light on the colt’s immediate future following his Preakness win other than that he would be in racing’s marquee events.

“This is the stage this horse deserves and those are the caliber of races he is intended for,” Asmussen said. “It will all be up to him physically. Our job is to make sure he is prepared for it.”

Racing can be a game of inches and if Street Sense was able to hold off Curlin in the Preakness, he would have definitely been destined for the Belmont Stakes. After his narrow loss, however, trainer Carl Nafzger seemed more inclined to pass the Belmont.

“There won’t be a decision on the Belmont until [owner Jim Tafel] and I have a meeting,” said Nafzger, who sent Street Sense back to Churchill Downs this morning. “That will probably take place two or three days or maybe a week. Right now, I don’t think we probably will.”

Although Hard Spun did not look like a horse that would relish a mile and a half judging from his Preakness effort, the pace in the Belmont Stakes should be far different than it was at Pimlico. A relaxed Hard Spun could turn out to be dangerous depending on the how much other speed enters the Belmont.

“I don’t know (about the Belmont),” trainer Larry Jones said. “We’ll discuss it. His mother was a stakes winner at a mile and a half. There is no reason to think he can’t do it because he sure won’t have to run this fast early next time. As we said when we started, we had plans of running three races, all three of them.”

Centennial Farms owned two potential Belmont starters until this morning when Vitruvius was scratched from Sunday’s Peter Pan, a race that typically produces a starter or two for the Belmont.

Vitruvius is currently battling a reoccurring case of skin disease according to trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Jerkens said he intends on finding an allowance race for the unbeaten Vitruvius in the near future.

“It got worse as raceday got closer,” Jerkens said. “He’s on antibiotics right now. We’ll find another spot to get him going.”

Vitruvius broke his maiden at first asking February 17th at Gulfstream Park, but an outbreak of skin disease delayed his second start and foray into stakes competition for about seven weeks. Vitruvius, a son of E Dubai, has not raced since taking an entry-level allowance at Aqueduct April 11th with a winning Beyer Speed Figure of 101.

Now, Centennial could be represented by Chelokee, who won the inaugural running of the Barbaro at Pimlico Saturday.

“We turned him out this morning and he seemed to enjoy himself in the paddock,” said Michael Matz, trainer of Chelokee. “It was a good spot for him because he needed a race.”

Matz said he would wait and see where the top three horses from the first two legs of the Triple Crown go next and evaluate Chelokee before making any decision with Centennial about running in the Belmont.

In addition to the horses that raced this weekend, there are a handful of other horses possible for the Belmont Stakes, most notably the sharp Kentucky Oaks winner Rags to Riches. If she does run in the Belmont, Rags to Riches would be the first filly to try the Test of the Champion since Silverbulletday who finished seventh in 1999.

Derby also-rans Imawildandcrazyguy and Tiago are considered definite starters for the Belmont. Imawildandcrazyguy was fourth in the Derby while Santa Anita Derby winner Tiago checked in seventh. Tenth-place finisher and Wood Memorial winner Nobiz Like Shobiz is possible for the Belmont.

Others possible for the Belmont include Lexington and Lone Star Derby winner Slew’s Tizzy and French import Cristobal.

First-race post time on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 9, is noon. On Belmont Stakes Day, the New York Racing Association will offer a guaranteed $1 million Pick 6 as well as a $1 million Pick 4 on its 13-race live card. The Belmont Stakes will be run as race 11 at 6:30 p.m.

ESPN will provide live coverage of Belmont Stakes Day from noon to 5 p.m., and then ABC will televise the Belmont Stakes as part of its two-hour telecast that begins at 5 p.m.

Gates open at 8:30 a.m. on Belmont Stakes Day, with $10 for general parking and $25 for preferred parking. There is no valet parking on Belmont Stakes Day. General admission is $5, while clubhouse admission is $10.
Source www.nyra.com