Susie Raisher Photo

Coal Front breezes half-mile for G1 Runhappy Met Mile

by NYRA Press Office

• Schiergen seeking Saturday success saddling Binti Al Nar in G3 Beaugay
• Aidan O'Brien's Hunting Horn and Magic Wand in fine fettle for Man o' War
• Cassidy hoping for another heroic effort from Epical
• Global Campaign and Recruiting Ready all set for Saturday stakes
• Walsh 'on the fence' for G1 Belmont with Plus Que Parfait
• Tax a possibility for Belmont appearance later in the meet
• Cox looking at G1 Just a Game with Beau Recall
• Cross Country Pick 5 featuring free past performances

Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners' Coal Front continued his preparations for the Grade 1, $1.2 million Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap when he breezed four furlongs in 50.55 seconds on Friday morning for trainer Todd Pletcher.

The move was the son of Stay Thirsty's second work since an overseas triumph in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on March 30 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

"I thought he worked really well, consistently with what we've been seeing before he went to Dubai," Pletcher said. "It seemed like he shipped back with some good energy, good weight and all the all the signs that you would hope for coming back from a long trip like that. I was very happy with the breeze this morning and everything is going according to schedule so far."

A five-time graded stakes winner at five different tracks, Coal Front has won three races in a row. Prior to his international endeavor, he won the Mr. Prospector on December 22 at Gulfstream Park and the Razorback on February 18 at Oaklawn Park. Both are Grade 3 events.

Bred in Kentucky by Michael Edward Connelly, LaPenta purchased Coal Front for $575,000 at Ocala Breeders Sales Company's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in April 2016.

Pletcher also spoke of Marconi, who won his second straight stakes race in Thursday evening's Flat Out and said that the well-bred son of Tapit would target the Grade 2 $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on June 8.

In the 1 3/8-mile event over the main track, Marconi sat just off of pacesetter Tour de Force and took command at the top of the stretch to draw off by 2 ¾ lengths under a patient ride by Jose Lezcano.

"It was exactly the way that we thought it would unfold on paper," Pletcher said. "We were able to get into a good comfortable gallop and I thought he ran a really big race."

Owned by Bridlewood Farm, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, Marconi is a half-brother to 2013 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man. He was a $2 million purchase from the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Pletcher also noted that graded stakes winner Bellavais is possible for the Grade 1 $700,000 Longines Just a Game on Belmont Stakes Day. The daughter of Tapit breezed a half-mile in 49.90 seconds over the Belmont training track on Thursday morning. Two-time winner Last Judgment, ninth in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs last Saturday as the second choice, will target the $150,000 Easy Goer.

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Schiergen seeking Saturday success saddling Binti Al Nar in G3 Beaugay

Peter Schiergen, a champion German jockey for multiple seasons in the 1990s, and now a highly-successful trainer, will saddle German-bred Binti Al Nar in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Beaugay.

Schiergen is familiar with beautiful Belmont Park having piloted Bad Bertrich Again to finish seventh in the 1996 Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational. He's also saddled four horses here including Sumitas [4th, 2001 G1 Manhattan], Walzerkoenigin [2nd, 2003 G1 Flower Bowl], Quijano [3rd, 2009 Man o' War] and Ross [5th, 2017 G2 Kelso].

On Friday morning, Schiergen was trackside with Binti Al Nar's owners - Rapido Racing Stable - as the chestnut filly, winner of the Group 3 Premio Elena E Sergio Cumani at San Siro in Italy, trained over the Belmont main track.

"She traveled well," said Schiergen. "We trained on the main track for the first time yesterday morning to let her stretch her legs. This morning we just went once around and not too fast."

Binti Al Nar, a 4-year-old daughter of Arelon, owns a record of two wins and four seconds from 11 starts and Schiergen said he is hopeful for a similar performance to her winning effort in Italy.

"It was a good Group 3 race and she traveled well in the race which had some speed," said Schiergen. "Having a good pace is important for her and I hope tomorrow is the same as well."

Schiergen said Binti Al Nar is handy on all types of going and isn't concerned with the wet weather forecast for Friday afternoon at Belmont.

"She runs well on good or soft ground, but hopefully not too heavy," said Schiergen.

Binti Al Nar will leave from post 6 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez up. The Beaugay is slated as Race 7 (4:45 p.m. ET) on Saturday's 11-race card.

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Aidan O'Brien's Hunting Horn and Magic Wand in fine fettle for Man o' War

Aidan O'Brien's Group 1-placed Hunting Horn and impressive filly Magic Wand, a Group 2-winning daughter of Galileo will represent owners Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith in Saturday's Grade 1, $700,000 Man o' War at Belmont Park.

Saturday's Man o' War Racing Festival also includes the local prep for the Belmont Stakes, the Grade 3, $300,000 Peter Pan for sophomores at 1 1/8 miles; a pair of Grade 3 contests for fillies and mares with the $200,000 Beaugay at 1 1/16 miles on the grass and the $200,000 Vagrancy for main-track sprinters; as well as the $150,000 Runhappy for sprinters 4-years-old and up.

America's Day at the Races will provide live coverage of the Man o' War Racing Festival from 4 - 5 p.m. ET on FS2, with coverage extended to 7:30 p.m. on MSG+.

On Friday morning, the O'Brien-trained contenders schooled in the Belmont paddock under the watchful eye of assistant T. J. Comerford before heading out to train on Big Sandy.

"We had a couple laps of the paddock. I think it's good for them when they go up for the day," said Comerford. "Then they had a jog around and went back to the 1500 [meter mark] and a had a canter around. The same as yesterday [when on the training track], but just a little bit quicker for the last half. They look well."

Gallop rider Aaron Smullen was aboard Hunting Horn and Yvonne Zuercher guided Magic Wand through the training session.

"I wanted a little bit more from yesterday. They're fit coming here, so we're just stretching their legs," said Comerford.

With grey skies and a relatively cool temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit [15 Celsius] as the contenders trained just after 7:30 a.m on Friday, Comerford said the setting was ideal.

"The weather is perfect for us. I find when it gets too hot here, they have to acclimatize. But at the moment this is perfect for us. They are quick ground horses and I'd say the ground at the moment is good to firm," said Comerford.

Michael Hussey will have the call on Hunting Horn from the inside post, while Wayne Lordan will guide Magic Wand from post 5.

The Man o' War is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race program with an approximate post time of 6:24 p.m. ET.

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Cassidy hoping for another heroic effort from Epical

Trainer James Cassidy will saddle Epical, last out winner of the Grade 2 San Luis Rey at Santa Anita, in Saturday's Man o' War.

The 4-year-old Uncle Mo gelding, bred in Kentucky by Jamm Ltd, stretched his legs on the Belmont main track on Friday morning.

"We arrived on Wednesday and I walked him yesterday," said Cassidy. "He's not the kind of horse that needs a whole lot. He galloped on the main track here today."

The talented bay has raced prominently to victories in three of his last four starts. In the 1 1/2-mile San Luis Rey, regular jockey Tyler Baze sent Epical straight to the lead and never looked back en route to a 2 1/4-length win. He earned a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.

"He got away clean and it was just a matter of wondering if he was going to hold on. The distance didn't bother him at all. Tyler thinks he'll run three miles," said Cassidy.

Baze will be back in the irons on Saturday and is expected to lead the way again from post 7.

"A lot of these types of horses that go that far are plodders, but he has speed. A horse that has speed and can go a route of ground is a good horse," said Cassidy.

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Global Campaign and Recruiting Ready all set for Saturday stakes

Stanley Hough will send out a pair of strong contenders at Saturday's Man o' War Racing Festival with Global Campaign returning to action in the Grade 3 Peter Pan and Recruiting Ready looking for more silverware in the $150,000 Runhappy.

Hough's assistant Lazaro Cruz is overseeing the pair at Belmont and said that Global Campaign, a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-winner Bolt d'Oro, is enjoying his new surroundings.

"Global Campaign galloped on the main track this morning. He's settled in well here," said Cruz. "He's bred to go long, and he's shown that he can run a little bit. We're hoping for a good race from him."

Global Campaign won the first two starts of his career before finishing fifth last out in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. He will leave from post 3 in the nine-furlong Peter Pan with regular pilot Luis Saez in the irons.

Recruiting Ready, a 5-year-old son of Algorithms, continues to perform with great consistency. With a record of 7-2-4 from 19 starts, Recruiting Ready has banked just shy of $600,000 in purse earnings.

Recruiting Ready is no stranger to stakes wins. In 2017, he captured the Bachelor at Oaklawn and the Chick Lang at Pimlico; and last year added the Gravesend at the Big A to his credentials.

In March, Recruiting Ready made the grade in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint.

The talented bay posted a career-best 106 Beyer number here last year when annexing an optional claiming field at 6 1/2-furlongs in a rapid 1:15.30 on a sloppy and sealed main track.

Cruz said Recruiting Ready is in good order ahead of Saturday's six-furlong test.

"He's doing really good. He's sharp right now we're expecting a big race out of him," said Cruz.

Saez will pilot Recruiting Ready from post 5.

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Walsh 'on the fence' for G1 Belmont with Plus Que Parfait

Following an eighth-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, trainer Brendan Walsh stated that Plus Que Parfait could race in the Grade 1 $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8.

The son of Point of Entry, who won the Grade 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in his start prior to the Run for the Roses, will breeze sometime next weekend and a decision will likely be made from there.

"He's still in the mix," Walsh said. "We'll see how he does next weekend but we're very much on the fence."

Owned by Imperial Racing, Plus Que Parfait made amends when shipping to Dubai after two unplaced efforts against stakes company at Fair Grounds over the winter. As a 2-year-old, he broke his maiden at third asking over the main track at Keeneland where he defeated eventual graded stakes winners Harvey Wallbanger and Cutting Humor.

Bred in Kentucky by Calloway Stables, Plus Que Parfait is the second foal out of the Awesome Again broodmare Belvedera. He was purchased for $135,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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Tax a possibility for Belmont appearance later in the meet

Tax came out of the Kentucky Derby in good order and is still awaiting definitive plans for his next stop after placing 14th in the "Run for the Roses," trainer Danny Gargan said Friday morning.

The Arch gelding will skip the Preakness and could possibly stay on dirt with the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8, or switch to turf in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational on July 6.

"I don't really know what I'm going to do next, yet," Gargan said. "I'm definitely not going to the Preakness. It will either be the Belmont, or the Belmont Derby, probably."

The Belmont Derby, part of the Stars & Stripes Racing Festival at Belmont Park, is the first leg of the recently launched Turf Triple Series that offers $5.25 million in purse money, with the Turf Trinity and Turf Tiara, for 3-year-old fillies, seeking to attract the best sophomore turf runners in the country.

The $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational, contested at 1 1/4-miles on the Belmont turf to kick off the Turf Trinity, will be broadcast live on NBC. The two additional legs of the Turf Trinity will include the inaugural $1 million Saratoga Derby on August 4 at Saratoga Race Course and concludes at Belmont with the first running of the $1 million Jockey Club Derby on September 7.

Tax is 2-2-1 in six career starts, all on the main track, including a win by a head over Not That Brady in the Grade 3 Withers on February 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack and a runner-up effort by 1 ¼ lengths to Tacitus in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets on April 6. Owned by R.A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred, Tax's pedigree makes a switch to grass a possibility, Gargan said.

"When I claimed him, I claimed him to be a grass horse. I'm not guaranteeing I'm doing anything at the moment, but at some stage in the future, he will try the turf," Gargan said.

Arch, his sire, produced winners on both surfaces, but saw his progeny have great success with turf careers, with Grand Arch winning the 2015 Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile and Arravale, the 2006 Sovereign Award-winner as Horse of the Year and Champion Grass Mare.

Divine Miss Grey raced the day before the Derby, finishing eighth in the Grade 1 La Troienne. The 5-year-old Divine Park mare was coming off a three-length win in the slop in the one-mile Heavenly Prize on March 10 at Aqueduct, marking her first start since a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Fall City Handicap on November 22 at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Corms Racing Stable and R.A. Hill Stable, Divine Miss Grey had a successful 4-year-old campaign, winning five stakes races, including her first career graded stakes when capturing the Grade 2 Chilukki on November 3 at Churchill. She will now get some time off before her connections decide on next steps.

"I don't have an idea of where I'll run her next yet," Gargan said. "She's doing well. But she's not going to run for six weeks."

Bailey Morris' Amazing Audrey has finished first or second in her last six races,earning a personal-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure after a three-quarters of a length score against allowance company on May 1 at Churchill.

Gargan said he isn't thinking of moving the 4-year-old Bodemeister filly up to stakes company just yet but left open the possibility she could return to Belmont, where she has a pair of runner-up finishes in three starts, later in the meet.

"She's doing good, but I don't think [moving her up to stakes company] is something we'll do," Gargan said. "She still has a two-other-than condition. She's staying in Kentucky for now, but she may come to New York depending on the stall situation."

Cox looking at G1 Just a Game with Beau Recall

Slam Dunk Racing and Medallion Racing's Beau Recall added a second Grade 2 triumph to her resume when she took the Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile on the Kentucky Debry undercard last Saturday.

Trainer Brad Cox stated that she could ship to Belmont Park to target a Grade 1 win in the $700,000 Longines Just a Game - one of eight Grade 1 races that are a part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

"We're looking at it," Cox said. "I'd say that's what we're pointing towards. She came back from the race well. She's back to the track training and doing fine."

Bred in Ireland by Tom Wallace, the 5-year-old daughter of Sir Prancealot won the Grade 2 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita last April when under the care of former conditioner Simon Callaghan.

She was offered at this year's Keeneland January Sale but did not meet the reserve, so she remained in training.

Cox said this ended up being a blessing in disguise.

"Without a doubt," Cox said. "She wouldn't have been able to accomplish what she did on Saturday, if she did."

Elsewhere, Cox stated that Klein Racing's Grade 2 Eight Belles winner Break Even could target either the Grade 1 $700,000 Acorn on June 8 or the $150,000 Jersey Girl the following day. The daughter of Country Day is now unbeaten in three career starts

A good performance from Arklow in Saturday's Man o' War could result in a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan, said Cox.

The two-time graded stakes winning son of Arch was fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf last year. His only start in 2019 took place at Keeneland where he unseated jockey Florent Geroux at the start of the race.

"He's doing very, very well. I'm super happy with the way he looks. It all comes down to getting a good trip and it could lead to something like the Manhattan," Cox said.

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Cross Country Pick 5 featuring free past performances

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will partner with Monmouth Park and Woodbine on Saturday for a special Cross Country Pick 5 featuring four stakes races.

The opening leg of the sequence is from Woodbine featuring the $100,000 Ballade for Ontario-breds 3-years-old and up scheduled as Race 8 with a post time of 4:59 p.m.

The action then shifts to Belmont Park for a 1 1/16-mile maiden race with a post time of 5:18 p.m., followed by the $75,000 Serena's Song at 5:25 p.m. from Monmouth Park.

The two remaining legs will close out the stakes action from the Man o' War Racing Festival at Belmont with the $150,000 Runhappy (5:40 p.m.) at six furlongs and the 67th running of the Grade 1, $700,000 Man o' War (6:24 p.m.) at 1 3/8-miles on the inner turf.

Free past performances for this Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 are available on Equibase here.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. There will be a mandatory payout of the entire pool.