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Master Fencer breezes five furlongs in preparation for G1 Belmont Stakes

by NYRA Press Office

Katsumi Yoshizawa's homebred Master Fencer, a Japanese-bred son of Just a Way trained by Koichi Tsunoda, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.48 on Wednesday morning on the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, slated for Saturday, June 8.

Jockey Julien Leparoux was scheduled to pilot the chestnut but a cancelled flight kept the French-born rider in Kentucky. Master Fencer's regular exercise rider Yosuke Kono was in the irons for Wednesday morning's breeze, which saw the horse appear to stumble slightly inside the eighth pole, causing Kono to pull the horse up shortly after the finish line.

Kono, via translator Mitsuoki Numamoto, said Master Fencer was working well up until the stumble and that the horse appears to be in good order after cooling out at the barn.

"Up until the eighth pole, he was breezing really well and I was so satisfied. All of a sudden, he stumbled, and gradually shifted to the left by the rail. I switched my whip to make him aware and focus to the end of the breeze," said Kono. "We then recovered but it was feeling a little weird so I tried to stop him as soon as possible.

"After the work he had a light jog and there were no problems. I don't think it's something that will cause a major issue."

Master Fencer was last of 19 at third call in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby before launching a menacing bid up the rail to finish seventh, defeated just four lengths.

When Maximum Security was disqualified, Master Fencer was elevated to sixth besting the effort of the two previous Japanese-based horses in the Derby topping Lani [9th, 2016] and Ski Captain [14th, 1995].

Kono said that Master Fencer has flourished since the eye-catching Derby effort.

"After the Derby his appetite has been really good and he's been working really good," said Kono. "At the same time, his body is growing and changing. I felt his running stride has been getting longer than before which is a good sign for us, but maybe that was causing him a little trouble today."

Kono said that the additional two furlongs in the 'Test of the Champion' will benefit Master Fencer.

"He has a big heart and big lungs and is better suited to the longer distance," said Kono. "He is not the type to make crazy speed. He has a long, strong late kick. For him, the mile and a half will be a lot better."

* * *

War of Will to skip scheduled breeze and train into G1 Belmont Stakes

Trainer Mark Casse has War of Will where he wants him, and he wants the son of War Front to stay that way.

After initially planning to breeze the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner this week in preparation for the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, Casse said Tuesday that he will instead have the bay colt gallop into the 1 ½-miles classic.

"He's not going to breeze. We kind of feel like he's in a very happy place and relaxed right now and we want him to be that way going 1 ½ miles so I don't really see any reason to," Casse said. "We know his Preakness was good and I didn't breeze him into that. We are going to do it our way. So he is not going to breeze."

War of Will has been stabled at Keeneland under the watch of assistant trainer David Carroll since arriving from Baltimore following his 1 ¼-length victory over Everfast in the middle leg of the Triple Crown. Gary Barber's colt is expected to arrive in New York on Monday, June 3 for his Belmont Stakes run, where he is slated to be the only horse this year to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Indeed, fitness has not been an issue for War of Will this season. Beginning with his triumph in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds on Jan. 19, the colt has made five starts thus far in 2019 and had his mettle tested in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby when he was impeded at the five-sixteenths by Maximum Security, leading to the latter's disqualification from first.

* * *

Owendale out of G1 Belmont; Cox well-represented at Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

Rupp Racing's Owendale, a rallying third in the G1 Preakness, will skip the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

Trainer Brad Cox said the Into Mischief bay, who captured the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland in April, could consider the 85th running of the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby slated for Saturday, June 22 at Thistledown.

"We're going to bypass on the Belmont. He's great, doing outstanding. Maybe the Ohio Derby [next]," said Cox.

Cox said the 1 ½-mile distance played a part in the decision to skip the third leg of the Triple Crown.

"That and a combination of coming back in three weeks is asking him a lot," said Cox.

Cox, who enjoyed his first Breeders' Cup win in 2018 saddling Monomoy Girl to a thrilling score in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff, will send out the formidable trio of Arklow, Beau Recall and Break Even at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Peter Coneway's Arklow, a 5-year-old son of Arch, rallied from last to finish second, defeated just a neck by Channel Maker, in the Grade 1 Man o' War.

"He's training really well. We're pointing for the Belmont Gold Cup [Grade 2, $400,000] with him right now," said Cox. "It was a fantastic effort in the Man o' War. He ran a great race. That was his first race off the layoff and you really couldn't have asked for much more He's rebounded well. We shipped him back to Churchill and we'll fly him back up on Wednesday before the race on Friday."

Florent Geroux will retain the mount aboard Arklow.

Slam Dunk Racing and Medallion Racing's Beau Recall, a 5-year-old Sir Prancealot mare, has won two of three starts this season including a last-out score in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs.

Cox said the talented bay, who boasts six wins and five seconds from 22 starts, is pointed to the Grade 1, $700,000 Longines Just a Game on Belmont Stakes Day.

"It was a big win last time," said Cox. "She's already a Grade 2 winner prior to that and she really picked it up again for another Grade 2 win. She's a nose from being a Grade 1 winner [2nd to Dream Dancing in the 2017 Del Mar Oaks] and it would be huge if she could get there. The Just a Game is a prestigious race, and I think if the pace sets up she could be there. I think she suits the Belmont turf course."

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard for the return engagement with Beau Recall.

Klein Racing's Break Even is perfect in four career starts including a romping 5 ½-length score in the Grade 2 Eight Belles last out at Churchill Downs to make the grade.

The 3-year-old Country Day filly is targeting the $150,000 Jersey Girl on June 9. Break Even breezed four furlongs in 48.20 on Saturday at Churchill Downs and Cox said the talented dark bay is in good order.

"She's doing fantastic. She had a great breeze on Saturday. She bounced out of it in good shape and will have a slower, maintenance type breeze this weekend and then off to Belmont," said Cox.

Shaun Bridgmohan, aboard for three of Break Even's four wins, will pilot the filly at Belmont.

* * *

Intrepid Heart and Spinoff visit main track; Newly minted G1 winner Vino Rosso targets summer campaign

With conditioner Todd Pletcher in Saratoga Springs overlooking his contingent at Saratoga Race Course, assistant Byron Hughes supervised morning gallops from Belmont Stakes contenders Intrepid Heart and Spinoff on Wednesday morning at Belmont and was satisfied with what he saw from both horses.

"They each continued to show good energy heading into the race," said Hughes. "The plan was to gallop them this morning and they both returned well out of it and continue to eat well and show good energy."

A gray or roan son of Tapit bred by WinStar Farm and Winchell Thoroughbreds and owned by Robert and Lawana Low, Intrepid Heart won his racing debut as a 3-year-old on February 18 at Oaklawn Park and followed up with an allowance win at Keeneland on April 5.

He made his graded stakes debut on May 11 in the Grade 3 Peter Pan, the traditional local prep for the Belmont Stakes, where he recovered from stumbling at the start to finish third.

Spinoff, a son of Hard Spun owned and bred by Wertheimer and Frere, targets the Belmont Stakes after finishing 18th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4.

"They'll each look to have their last major works for the Belmont on Friday," added Hughes.

On Saturday evening in Southern California, Repole Stable and St. Elias' Stable 4-year-old Vino Rosso picked up his first career Grade 1 victory, with a sparkling three-quarter-length victory in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

Hughes said Vino Rosso exited the race in fine fettle and was scheduled to return to Belmont Park on Thursday afternoon following which his summer campaign will be mapped out.

"That was a good victory and a nice performance from him," said Hughes. "I'm sure all the major races going forward will be under consideration for him to plan towards soon."

Options for Vino Rosso could include the Grade 2, $700,000 Suburban, June 22; Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, August 3; and the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward, August 31.

Lastly, Hughes reported 4-year-old Bal Harbour returned from his third-place finish in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile last Saturday at Monmouth Park in good order.

"He came back in good shape," said Hughes. "It was certainly a courageous effort after stumbling at the start for him to make a run and be involved at the finish."

* * *

Hollendorfer string growing at Belmont Park

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will stable up to 20 horses in New York this spring/summer under the care of assistant trainer Don Chatlos.

The first three Hollendorfer trainees, all owned by OXO Equine - Brill, Rowayton and Oggonis - arrived at Belmont Park in mid-May and that number has now strengthened with the addition of the OXO Equine-owned Cardiff Cay and Vegas Strong as well as an unnamed 2-year-old half-sister to Brill, by Curlin, who brought $420,000 as a weanling at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Purchased for $850,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale just last week, Vegas Strong, a 2-year-old son of Colonel John has impressed since arriving at Belmont.

"He's been everything they said he would be. He's like an older horse," said Chatlos. "I don't have a bunch of horses here yet that I can put him in company, so he's been galloping by himself. He's been going out to the training track, the main track and just marches around there - nothing phases him. He's by Colonel John, who won the Travers and the Santa Anita Derby, so I don't think there will be any distance limitations for him. He looks pretty versatile."

Cardiff Cay, a 3-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro and Lemon Kiss, is a full brother to multiple graded stakes winner Lochte, who captured the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in 2014.

He was purchased for $560,000 at the 2017 Keeneland Yearling Sale by Larry Best's OXO Equine, and Chatlos said the promising colt had trained well in California last year before they had to stop on the colt.

"Cardiff Cay was one of our better 2-year-olds last year and had an injury. He's ready to start breezing and he's one to look forward to," said Chatlos.

Chatlos said Brill, who finished fourth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan last out at Pimlico, has settled in well at her new home in Elmont, N.Y., and will be pointed to the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose set for June 29 at Belmont.

"It wasn't the result we wanted at Pimlico," said Chatlos. "It was the third time on the plane for her off the layoff. She shipped twice to Oaklawn before that and then to Pimlico and it might have caught up with here a little bit. We gave her a little freshening here and she seems to be bouncing around here good, so we'll see how it goes at the end of the month in the Mother Goose."

Rowayton, a multiple Grade 1-placed son of Into Mischief, is under consideration for the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun set for Belmont Stakes Day, June 8.

"I think Rowayton is a horse that can step up at Saratoga and really make some noise," said Chatlos.

Hollendorfer will also be represented at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival by multiple graded stakes winner Kanthaka in the Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur Invitational and by Danuska's My Girl in the Grade 3, $250,000 Bed o' Roses Invitational.

Kanthaka, a 4-year-old son of Jimmy Creed owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, won the Grade 2 San Vicente and Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera at Santa Anita in a productive 2018 campaign. He finished third last out in the Grade 3 Daytona.

Bad Boy Racing's Danuska's My Girl has posted back-to-back Grade 3 wins at Santa Anita taking the Las Flores in April and the Desert Stormer in May. The 5-year-old Shackleford bay has flourished since graduating in a maiden claiming tilt in July of 2018.

* * *

Rice riding high off of successful Big Apple Showcase Day

Trainer Linda Rice enjoyed a highly successful Big Apple Showcase Day on Monday, May 27 with three victories, two of which came against stakes company. In the $125,000 Mike Lee, the first leg of the Big Apple Triple, Rice sent out Blindwillie McTell for his third stakes win for Rice.

Never worse than second in five career starts, the Jerold Zaro homebred son of Posse stalked pacesetter Le General and took command at the three-sixteenths pole to win by two lengths. Named after a well-known Piedmont blues and ragtime musician, Blindwillie McTell previously scored wins in the Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series and the Rego Park, both contested at Aqueduct.

While the second leg of the Big Apple Triple, the $150,000 New York Derby on July 20 at Finger Lakes, is a possibility for Blindwillie McTell, Rice also said the $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series on June 23 at Belmont Park is an option as well.

"We are going to consider the race at Finger Lakes but we are also going to consider the Stallion Stakes because he's eligible," Rice said. "You have two pretty good stallion series races, on June 23 and July 24 [$150,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series at Saratoga]. There are two stallion stakes that he's eligible for, or we can go to the direction of Finger Lakes and go on to the Albany at Saratoga. We're not sure which direction we're going to go yet."

Both the Spectacular Bid and Cab Calloway divisions of the New York Stallion Stakes Series are contested over turf. All of Blindwillie McTell's races have taken place on the main track.

Earlier on the Memorial Day card, Rice sent out Newly Minted to a win in the Bouwerie. The Beach Haven Thoroughbreds-owned daughter of Central Banker is unbeaten in three career starts, which includes a graduation at first asking and a win in the Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series on April 20, both contested at Aqueduct.

"She really dug in. It was the first day she won on a dry track and behind horses, which I was excited to see her do that," Rice said. "The first three eighths of a mile she looked like she was climbing a little from the dirt, she's never had that before. I was pleased the way she busted through at the quarter pole."

Rice's Big Apple Showcase Day got off to a good start when Elektronic defeated winners over Belmont Park's inner turf. Owned by Rice, the son of City Zip will likely race back in a second level allowance event on June 13 over the Widener turf course.

"We're going to shoot for another allowance race for him and hopefully he can continue to gain some seasoning and experience and maybe, fingers crossed, he'll be stakes caliber by the time we get to Saratoga," Rice said.

Elektronic is by the late City Zip, a well-rounded and prominent sire in North America who also was trained by Rice. She also trained Karakorum Elektra - the dam of Elektronic who won the Memories of Silver at Belmont Park against open company in 2009.

"Elektronic is a little more of a late-developing horse," Rice said. "His mother was a tremendous turf mare for us and I got the feeling this colt was turf, so we went right to the grass with him. Mentally, he's still a little immature. Jose told me that when he gets to the lead he pricks his ears and he waits on horses and isn't sure where to go next. He's just learning."

Rice also discussed plans for Nicodemus, who won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct last out.

Owned by Everything's Cricket Racing and Lawrence Goichman, the son of Candy Ride is not ruled out of a start in the Grade 2, $250,000 True North on June 7 at Belmont, however Rice is more likely to wait until the Grade 2, $300,000 John Nerud on July 6.

"We're going to take a look at the True North but we're probably going to sit on him until the John Nerud," Rice said.

Barry Schwartz's Grade 1 winner Voodoo Song arrived at Rice's barn on Tuesday morning from WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky from an extended rest and will target the Grade 3, $150,000 Forbidden Apple on July 12 at Saratoga. He won the one-mile event last year, when it was a non-graded event.

"He missed New York Showcase day but we are going to train him towards the Forbidden Apple at Saratoga," Rice said. "We know he loves the course there and I think we'll have enough time to get him ready for that."

The New York-bred son of English Channel last raced in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland where he finished 12th. As a 3-year-old, he won the Grade 3 Saranac over the turf at Saratoga.

* * *

Cross Country Pick 5 with Lone Star Park handles $44K

Monday's Memorial day Holiday Cross Country Pick 5 featuring stakes races from an all New York-bred Big Apple Showcase Day card at Belmont Park and Lone Star Park handled $44,522 returning $756.75 for the minimum $0.50 wager.

The sequence began with Belmont Park's sixth race, a maiden claiming race in which 7-1 Nazay won by 1 ¼ lengths, returning $16.80. In the seventh race, the $200,000 Critical Eye for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward, 2-1 post-time mutuel second choice Kathryn the Wise for trainer Chad Brown and owner Lawerence Goichman bested a field of six to win by an impressive five lengths returning $6.30.

In the third leg, the ninth at Belmont, post-time favorite Blindwillie McTell for owner-and breeder Jerry Zaro and conditioner Linda Rice captured the $125,000 Mike Lee for New York-bred 3-year-olds returning $7 for a $2 win wager.

The penultimate leg saw the action shift to Lone Star Park for the day's feature where 3-1 Adore won the Lone Star Park Turf by a neck over 3-5 post-time favorite Sensitive returning $9.40.

The final leg of the sequence returned to Belmont, and the penultimate race on the card, where 2-1 second-choice Pat On the Back won a thrilling edition of the $200,000 Commentator for New York-breds 3-years-old and upward besting Giant Expectations by a nose at the wire returning $6.70.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents, featuring a 15 percent takeout and a mandatory payout of the entire pool. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country.

For more information on the Cross Country Pick 5, please visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.