 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |  |
Trainer Chad Brown intends to have Tuscan Gold, who finished fourth in a muddy Gr.1 Preakness Stakes, join stablemate Sierra Leone, the runner-up in the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby, in the 8th June Gr.1 Belmont Stakes if Tuscan Gold performs satisfactorily this weekend.
"Right now, I'm planning on entering him," Brown said during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference.
The contenders for the Belmont, including Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, are currently undergoing final assessments by their trainers before being confirmed for the race. Gr.1 Preakness Stakes victor Seize the Grey is also a notable contender for the final leg of the Triple Crown, which is set to be held at Saratoga Race Course over a distance of 1 1/4 miles due to ongoing construction at Belmont Park.
Additionally, Tuscan Gold, who finished third in the Gr.2 Louisiana Derby just before the Preakness, has a record of 1-0-1 in four starts and has earned US$267,100 for owners William Lawrence, Walmac Farm, and Stonestreet Stables.
Brown said he did not feel the Preakness was a fair representation of his colt's potential, owing to the muddy track. He noted his colt came under early encouragement from Preakness rider Tyler Gaffalione to maintain contact with the field when in sixth early.
"In the second half of the race, he got him engaged, and he made a little run there," he said of the 8 1/4-length defeat.
Seize the Grey performed exceptionally well on the wet track at Pimlico Race Course, leading the 18th May Gr.1 Preakness Stakes from start to finish under the guidance of Jaime Torres, and triumphing over Gr.1 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan by 2 1/4 lengths.
Two weeks ago at the exciting 150th Kentucky Derby, Mystik Dan bravely defeated Sierra Leone and the Japanese standout Forever Young.
As we look forward to the Gr.1 Belmont Stakes, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, it's worth noting that if both Seize the Grey and Mystik Dan compete, it will mark the first time since 2013 that a separate Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness winner have met in the Belmont. Not since Afleet Alex in 2005 has a non-Derby-winning Preakness victor prevailed in the final leg of the Triple Crown. The Belmont drought for Derby winners who lost the Preakness is even longer, dating back to Thunder Gulch in 1995.
The upcoming Belmont Stakes will be unique, as it has been moved to Saratoga Race Course and will be contested over a shorter distance of 1 1/4 miles, not the traditional 1 1/2 miles. This change in distance could potentially benefit Seize the Grey this year.
The surface at Saratoga changes the dynamic from Belmont Park and may suit Mystik Dan well, as he performed admirably in the Preakness, showing that he is better suited to 1 1/4 miles than 1 1/2 miles. If both Seize the Grey and Mystik Dan race in the Belmont, each will be making their third start in five weeks. Conversely, horses like Sierra Leone are fresher, not having competed since their previous races.