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| Staff Writer |
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Rodriguez is back on track for the Belmont Stakes after overcoming the quarter crack that forced him to miss both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, with trainer Bob Baffert expressing confidence about his charge's recovery.
The son of Authentic impressed connections with a sparkling seven-furlong workout in 1:24 4/5 at Santa Anita Park, followed by a sharp five-furlong breeze in 1:00 2/5, signalling his return to full fitness ahead of the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Tom Ryan, managing partner of SF Racing, was delighted with the positive reports from California. "I was waiting for that call that morning. It was two thumbs up and Bob was excited," said Ryan. "Bob was more excited the next day and even more the day after that."
Baffert confirmed the colt's recovery, stating: "The foot has healed up well and looks good. It's not an issue. He came out of the work well and we're planning to run in the Belmont."
The quarter crack developed during the wet weather leading up to the Kentucky Derby, forcing connections to scratch their Wood Memorial Stakes winner from Churchill Downs. "Unfortunately, we couldn't run in the Derby with a little quarter crack and we didn't have time to address it," Baffert explained. "You can't miss training when you are trying to run in the Kentucky Derby."
Rodriguez announced himself as a serious Derby contender with a dominant performance in the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, where he romped home by three and a half lengths under Mike Smith. Running without blinkers for the first time, the colt grabbed the early lead from the rail and was never threatened.
The US$485,000 purchase from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale had previously shown promise in stakes company, finishing second to stablemate and 2YO champion Citizen Bull in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes before running third behind Journalism in the San Felipe Stakes.
Jockey Flavien Prat, who rode Rodriguez in the San Felipe, was stunned by the transformation in the Wood Memorial. "It was unbelievable," Prat said. "He didn't run for me much, but when Bob took the blinkers off, he ran like a different horse."
Baffert believes the longer distance of the Belmont Stakes will suit his improving colt perfectly. "The longer the distance, the better it is for him," the trainer said. "He's still growing and hasn't filled out yet. He's going to get better with age like his sire."
Ryan emphasised the importance of being completely ready for the Triple Crown races. "His foot is 110% and we definitely feel like we have worked our way back onto a schedule we can stick with. Bob told me before the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness that we need to be 110% to run and we found ourselves on the wrong side of that metric both times," Ryan said.
"The bad weather complicated the problem with his foot and we all know Mother Nature is undefeated. So, we had to be patient and we're hoping to be rewarded in the Belmont. The timing was just unfortunate for a horse who never had an off day before that."
The Belmont Stakes field appears light at an early pace, potentially playing into Rodriguez's hands as the only horse with genuine early speed among the likely starters. With Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Preakness victor Journalism expected to feature prominently, connections believe their colt's tactical speed could prove decisive in the mile-and-a-quarter contest.
"Most likely Rodriguez will be the target and we have visibility on his ability. This is not like we're hoping he steps up. We know he has the class and that he has extra gear," Ryan said. "But everything has to go right. We were looking at the first Saturday in May and now we're focusing on the first Saturday in June. I'm taking nothing for granted. No matter how many horses are in the field, it will be a tough race."
The colt, bred by Roderick Wachman's Kingwood Farm and David Egan out of the Cherokee Run mare Cayala, represents the third different 3YO the ownership group will start in the Triple Crown series after Citizen Bull finished fifteenth in the Kentucky Derby and Goal Oriented placed fourth in the Preakness.
Baffert, seeking his fourth Belmont victory and record-extending eighteenth Triple Crown triumph, appears confident his patient approach will be rewarded at Saratoga Racecourse.