Wednesday, June 08 2011

TRUE NORTH (G2) AND WOODY STEPHENS (G2) ADVANCES; for Saturday, June 11

TRAPPE SHOT, CALIBRACHOA LOOK TO EXTEND STREAKS IN TRUE NORTH; TRAVELIN MAN CUTS BACK FOR WOODY STEPHENS

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trappe Shot and Calibrachoa put their winning streaks on the line when they square off in the Grade 2 $250,000 True North Handicap Presented by Emirates Airline on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The six-furlong True North for 3-year-olds and up is one of two graded sprint stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard, joined by the Grade 2 $250,000 Woody Stephens Presented by VisitNassauCounty.com for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. Both will be contested on Belmont’s main track.

GIO PONTI HEADS THE FIELD IN HIS THIRD MANHATTAN

ELMONT, N.Y. – One of the most accomplished racehorses in recent history, Castleton Lyons Farm’s Gio Ponti returns to the turf at Belmont Park on Saturday to run in his third straight Grade 1, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap.

The 139th running of the historic grass race, run at 1 ¼ miles on the Inner Turf Course, is race No. 10 on the card, the third leg of the $1 Million Guaranteed All Stakes Pick 4 that culminates with the Belmont Stakes.

IT’S ANIMAL KINGDOM VS. SHACKLEFORD, 10 OTHERS, IN BELMONT STAKES

ELMONT, N.Y. – When the gates open for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, 1 ½ miles will be standing between any one of a dozen thoroughbreds and the right to claim the title as the 143rd winner of the “Test of the Champion.”

But for Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness hero Shackleford, much more is at stake in the oldest and longest leg of racing’s Triple Crown.

Tuesday, June 07 2011

BELMONT CONTENDERS SANTIVA, PRIME CUT ARRIVE AT BELMONT PARK ALONG WITH ….

ELMONT, N.Y. – After sharing a flight from Kentucky to New York, Belmont Stakes contenders Santiva and Prime Cut reached Belmont Park in separate vans shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Grade 2 winner Santiva, a closing fifth in the Kentucky Derby in his most recent start, was accompanied on the trip from Churchill Downs by Brendan Walsh, assistant to trainer Eddie Kenneally.

BELMONT PARK NOTES June 7th 2011

ELMONT, N.Y. – Team Valor International’s Barry Irwin, the outspoken owner of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, was the first to throw down the gauntlet in advance of Saturday’s showdown with Shackleford, saying he wasn’t worried at all about the rematch with the Preakness winner in the Belmont Stakes.

“I’m not concerned at all about Shackleford,” said Irwin at Tuesday’s Belmont Stakes Media Luncheon at 620 Loft & Garden at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. “Mucho Macho Man is the horse I’m worried about.”

BELMONT PARK NOTES - June 6th 2011

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom signaled his readiness for the rematch with Preakness winner Shackleford in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes with a bullet half-mile work this morning in 47.76 under jockey John Velazquez.

The move was the fastest of 32 at the distance over Belmont Park’s main track.

Monday, June 06 2011

BELMONT PARK WORKOUT FLASH QUOTES

Animal Kingdom, four furlong bullet in 47.76 over main track with jockey John Velazquez aboard, fastest of 32 works at distance (fractions were 24.18, 47.76, 1:00.06, 1:14.38)

Barry Irwin, Founder and CEO, Team Valor International: “I liked it. It looked like he handled it really nicely. He looked like a grass horse. He was like an inch off the ground. It looked like he was moving great. It looked like he went in 50. I think he’s got a lot of energy, still. I think that’s the key with him. He didn’t look like a tired horse or anything.”

Sunday, June 05 2011

DERBY WINNER ANIMAL KINGDOM ARRIVES AT BELMONT PARK

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner-up Animal Kingdom arrived at Belmont Park Sunday morning at approximately 7:30 a.m. in advance of a run in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, June 11.

The 3-year-old son of Leroidesanimaux took a few laps around the shedrow before getting acclimated to his new stall in the barn of trainer David Donk, a longtime friend of the Derby winner’s trainer, H. Graham Motion. He is expected to gallop on the main track later Sunday morning and will have his final pre-race workout on Monday.

BELMONT PARK NOTES - June 5th 2011

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner-up Animal Kingdom is scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park early Sunday morning, and will gallop over the main track in advance of Monday’s final workout for the 143rd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 11, trainer Graham Motion said today.

“He’ll be leaving here about 4 a.m. and should arrive between 7 and 7:30 a.m.,” said Motion from the training center at Fair Hill, Md. “We expect to gallop him on the main track after the break [8:45 a.m.] and then he will breeze Monday morning, also after the break.”

Saturday, June 04 2011

BELMONT PARK NOTES - May 3rd 2011

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kentucky Derby runner-up Nehro arrived at trainer Steve Asmussen’s barn early this morning after an overnight van ride from Churchill Downs and will likely breeze early Monday morning for the 143rd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 11.

“He came in around 5 o’clock this morning, he shipped in well,” said Toby Sheets, Asmussen’s New York assistant. “He’s supposed to have an easy breeze on Monday and train lightly the next two days. He’ll go to the track around 6:30, 6:45, in the second set.”

Friday, June 03 2011

SINATRA’S “NEW YORK, NEW YORK” HEADLINES BELMONT STAKES DAY TUNES

ELMONT, N.Y. – As the field for the 143rd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes makes its way onto the track for the post parade at Belmont Park, they will be accompanied by Frank Sinatra’s timeless recording of “New York, New York.”

As part of their live coverage of the June 11 Belmont Stakes, NBC will broadcast the song as the horses step on to the track and make their way to the starting gate. Post time for the prestigious third leg of the Triple Crown, which will likely feature a rematch between Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford, is 6:35 p.m. EDT.

BELMONT STAKES POST POSITION DRAW BROADCAST ON MSG STREAMED LIVE ONLINE

ELMONT, N.Y. – In addition to the coverage provided by the MSG television network, video of Wednesday’s post position draw for the 143rd running of the June 11, Grade 1 Belmont Stakes will be streamed live on BelmontStakes.com at the following link: http://www.belmontstakes.com/livestream/

The MSG broadcast, hosted by NYRA TV’s Jason Blewitt and with contributions from Eric Donovan, Richard Migliore, and Maggie Wolfendale, will run from 11-11:30 a.m. EDT. It will include interviews conducted by NYRA TV’s Andy Serling with connections of the Belmont Stakes contenders, and MSG Plus will replay the show at 1 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. (June 9).