Francesca LeDonne Photo

Pletcher continues preparations for Belmont Stakes Racing Festival contingent

by NYRA Press Office

• War of Will to post final G1 Belmont breeze at Keeneland; Sir Winston breezes in company at Belmont
• Tax records 'easy work' for G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets
• Joevia under consideration for G1 Belmont
• Japanese-bred Master Fencer arrives at Belmont Park
• Daddy Is a Legend breezes for G1 Longines Just a Game
• Highland Sky to stretch out in G2 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational
• Disco Partner remains on target for G1 Jaipur
• Castellano to be presented Venezia Award on Memorial Day at Belmont Park

It was a busy Saturday morning at Belmont Park for trainer Todd Pletcher as he breezed a number of stakes contenders in preparation for upcoming assignments in the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival set for Thursday, June 6 - Saturday, June 8.

Wertheimer and Frere's homebred Spinoff will make his next start in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8, after finishing a disappointing 18th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on a sloppy track.

Spinoff breezed five furlongs in 59.91 seconds in company with fellow 3-year-old stablemate Last Judgment, raking second out of 28 runners at the distance.

"I thought he [Spinoff] worked well," said Pletcher. "I think the main track was a bit fast, but he galloped out [six furlongs] in one [minute], twenty-four [seconds] and change and a mile in one [minute] thirty-seven [seconds] and change so it was the kind of big work we were looking for from him today."

Last Judgment, a son of Congrats owned by Mathis Stable and Madaket Stables, broke his maiden in his second career start in February at Gulfstream and followed up with an allowance win on March 16 at Oaklawn.

Following a ninth-place finish as the even-money favorite in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile on May 4 at Churchill Downs, Last Judgment is expected to target the $150,000 Easy Goer at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds on Belmont Stakes Day, June 8.

"We have him penciled in for the Easy Goer at the moment," said Pletcher. "He looked good this morning and that's encouraging. His race in the Pat Day was probably the most disappointing performance I've seen in a long time from a horse that trained like he did leading into it. I don't know if it was leaving from post 14 or what, but he never tightened the bridle at any stage."

Intrepid Heart is also pointing for the Grade 1 Belmont following a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Peter Pan, and posted his first breeze back completing four furlongs in 49.16 seconds, with the addition of blinkers. He breezed in company with Outshine. Multiple graded stakes winning stablemate Prince Lucky, who finished sixth in the Grade 3 Westchester on May 4 in his most recent start, also breeze a half-mile on Saturday and was clocked in 48.82 seconds.

"I thought his [Intrepid Heart's] workout was very good," said Pletcher. "It was his first time with blinkers and he seemed to be a little bit more focused, but not head strong, so we got the response we were looking for. I thought he put in a nice move toward the end of the work and he had a nice gallop out as well. Prince Lucky didn't quite get to finish his gallop out due to the loose horse siren that went off, but I thought he also worked well. We'll see how he comes back next week before deciding on a race for him."

Marconi completed his first breeze since winning the Flat Out on May 9. The handsome Tapit colt also visited the main track, breezing four furlongs in 49.82 seconds with his next target the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Brooklyn Invitational.

"We didn't want to do too much today and I thought it was a good effort from him," said Pletcher. "We're looking at the Brooklyn [Invitational] for him, so we'll see how he comes out of the work."

Making a visit to the inner turf for Pletcher was Bortolazzo Stable's graded stakes winner Bellavais, who breezed four furlongs in 49.31 seconds and is targeting a start in the Grade 1, $700,000 Longines Just a Game following a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland.

"I thought it was nice, consistent work from her," said Pletcher. "We're getting her ready for the Just a Game. She ran pretty well here last fall [October 24, Allowance win] going a mile on the turf, so we'll try to do that here again. It'll be a tough assignment, but we'll give her a try."

On Friday, Pletcher sent multiple graded stakes winner Coal Front to the main track for his fourth workout since returning from Dubai after winning the Group 2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan Racecourse.

The 5-year-old son of Stay Thirsty breezed five furlongs in 1:00.66 in preparation for an upcoming start in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Runhappy Metropolitan Mile.

"I thought he had an especially good work as well," said Pletcher. "He's come out of it well and he seems to be in good shape in what's looking like a very deep race, but he's certainly earned his way to be in there."

Also expected for a loaded renewal of the Runhappy Metropolitan are Mitole, McKinzie, Firenze Fire, Promises Fulfilled and Thunder Snow.

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War of Will to post final G1 Belmont breeze at Keeneland; Sir Winston breezes in company at Belmont

Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will saddle both War of Will and Sir Winston in the Belmont Stakes.

Casse said Gary Barber's War of Will, who was a powerful winner of the Grade 1 Preakness, is in good order in Kentucky where he is currently preparing for the third leg of the Triple Crown.

"He trained this morning and it went well. He's been through a lot the past couple weeks, so right now we're just trying to gather up energy and get him feeling good," said Casse.

Casse said War of Will is likely to arrive in New York on Monday, June 3 ahead of the Belmont, which is slated for Saturday, June 8.

"The plan is for him to breeze on Friday [May 31] or Saturday [June 1] the week prior to the Belmont at Keeneland. If all goes as planned, he'll get on a van Sunday night or Monday afternoon to New York to arrive for the week of the Belmont," said Casse. "We've had pretty good luck doing it that way, not only with him, but with others. I talked it over with Gary Barber and David Carroll [assistant trainer] and that's the way we're going to do it."

Tracy Farmer's homebred Sir Winston, a chestnut son of Awesome Again, worked five furlongs in company with fellow Farmer-owned Catch a Thrill on Saturday morning on the Belmont main track.

With Joel Rosario up, Sir Winston tracked the stakes-placed Catch a Thrill before finishing strong to stop the clock in 1:01.48 just in front of Catch a Thrill in 1:02.31.

"I was very happy with Sir Winston this morning," said Casse. "He's never been much of a work horse, but since he's started running better recently he's become a better workhorse. I would call that an A+ work for him this morning - it might be a 'B' for most horses, but for him it's an 'A+'."

Assistant trainer Jamie Begg, who saddled Sir Winston at Casse's New York base, said that the improving colt came out of the work in good order.

"He came out of it well. We wanted to give him a good finishing work. We're not looking for track record speed in any regard, it's just the fact that he comes home and builds some confidence," Begg said.

Sir Winston earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out when rallying for second behind Global Campaign in the Grade 3 Peter Pan.

"More importantly, he ran the last quarter of a mile, after going a mile and an eighth, in 23 and 2," said Casse.

Begg said that Sir Winston is training in the morning in a style that matches his afternoon efforts.

"We work him the way he likes to run," said Begg. "Let him fall away from the pole and then run when you need to run and he gets a lot more out of the gallop out. He seems to have responded to that in his works."

Casse also noted that Grade 3-winner Got Stormy breezed well this morning at Churchill Downs, covering five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.40. The 4-year-old Get Stormy chestnut is targeting the Grade 1, $700,000 Longines Just a Game, a one-turn mile on the Belmont turf.

"She breezed well this morning and she'll be traveling with 'WOW'," said Casse, in reference to War of Will. "I think it suits her perfectly - the distance, the one-turn. It's a good spot for her. It's a tough spot, but she's doing extremely well right now. We're excited about her."

Casse also noted that he expects to saddle both Perfect Alibi and Reiterate in the $150,000 Astoria, a 5 ½-furlong dirt sprint for juvenile fillies set for June 6 to kick off the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival; while the graded stakes placed Dream Maker is pointed to the $150,000 Easy Goer, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomores on Belmont Stakes Day.

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Tax records 'easy work' for G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

Trainer Danny Gargan was looking for an easy move out of graded stakes winner Tax on Saturday morning and that's exactly what he got as the 3-year-old gelded son of Arch went a half-mile in 49.80 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

Under mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the early 60's, Gargan sent Tax to the training track at 7:40 a.m. on Saturday morning as he recorded his first serious work since a 14th place effort in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

"It was just a maintenance work, I wanted a nice easy work," Gargan said. "He gallops out like he always does, nice and strong. We worked him by himself so he wouldn't go too fast.

"When he was in company, he grabs the bridle and works more impressive but today we just wanted to keep him going forward. We'll come back next week and work him and get a stronger breeze in him. Hopefully we can work on Saturday next week. I'll work him with another horse next week, so he gets a lot more out of it."

Gargan stated that Tax is pointing towards the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8.

"That's what we're pointing for; we're aiming for that. If everything goes as planned that's where we'll run," said Gargan.

Tax's energy level following the 'Run for the Roses' was good according to Gargan. He stayed on the rail throughout the Derby but was not a factor following the eventual disqualification of Maximum Security. In six career starts, it was the only off-the-board effort for Tax, who won the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct before a runner-up placing in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets.

"We didn't do much running in the Derby. I expected the track to be sealed tight so I told him to stay on the inside and they harrowed it and it was kind of a disaster," Gargan said. "We didn't do that right thing by getting on the rail when it was so deep. It is what it is and we'll just move on to the next race. Hopefully the Belmont will be a good track that day and we can show that we can run with these horses."

Owned by R A Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, Tax was bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farms and Adele Dilschnieder. He is out of the Giant's Causeway broodmare Toll and comes from the same family as two-time Grade 1 winning millionaire Elate.

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Joevia under consideration for G1 Belmont; Mind Control to G1 Woody Stephens/u>

Following a stakes triumph in the Long Branch at Monmouth Park two Saturdays ago, trainer Greg Sacco stated that Joevia is possible for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8.

Owned by Jeff and Michael Fazio, the 3-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby went gate to wire in the 1 1/16-mile Long Branch over a sloppy track, where be recorded a career best 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

Joevia recorded his first work since the Long Branch on Saturday morning and went a half-mile in 48.80 over the Monmouth Park main track. Prior to the Long Branch, Joevia raced in the Wood Memorial where he crossed the wire seventh but was disqualified to last due to interference caused in the first turn.

"He worked well this morning, cooled out great, scoped well," Sacco said. "He'll have one more work next Saturday. He's not definite [for the Belmont Stakes] but we'll talk it over with the owners and make a decision. It was nice to get him back into the win column, after the sort of disaster he caused in the Wood. We know he's a better colt than that. He's still learning and improving with each start."

A first out graduate over a sloppy main track at Monmouth last July, Joevia was twice stakes placed following his career debut. He did not race again until the following February but was beaten a neck to Haikal in the Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct. He then raced back a month later in Laurel Park's Private Terms Stakes where he was a distant second to Alwaysmining.

"It's a talented group of colts, but our colt is talented as well," Sacco said. "He ran very well in the Long Branch. He trained at Belmont all winter and really went well over the surface, which can be a tricky surface."

While Sacco is not definite to race Joevia in the Belmont Stakes, he has committed Grade 1 winner Mind Control to the Grade 1 $400,000 Woody Stephens on the undercard.

Owned by Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stable, the 3-year-old son of Stay Thirsty was a 10-1 upset winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga last summer. Last out, he scored at graded stakes caliber once more when taking the Grade 3 Bay Shore at Aqueduct.

On Friday morning, Mind Control drilled five furlongs in 1:00.60 at Monmouth Park - his fourth work since the Bay Shore.

"He worked super [Friday morning], he galloped out strong," Sacco said. "We're looking forward to going back to New York with him. He's been training great and really has blossomed these past few months."

Bred in Kentucky by co-owners Red Oak Stable, Mind Control is out of the stakes winning Lightnin N Thunder broodmare Feel That Fire - a half-sister to recent stakes winner King for a Day.

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Japanese-bred Master Fencer arrives at Belmont Park

Katsumi Yoshizawa's homebred Master Fencer, a Japanese-bred son of Just a Way arrived at Belmont Park on Friday evening from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, where he has trained towards the 1 ½-mile 'Test of a Champion' following his sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

"Today he will just walk and graze. It's a relax day for him. He'll go to the training track and the main track probably tomorrow morning," racing manager Mitsuoki Numamoto said.

With Julien Leparoux up for the Derby, Master Fencer was last of 19 at third call 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].

Numamoto said Master Fencer should appreciate the added distance in the Belmont.

"In Kentucky, after the race, his jockey Julien said, 'I needed one more furlong,'" said Numamoto.

On Saturday, June 8, Master Fencer will have two additional furlongs to demonstrate his late flourish.

"Maybe we wouldn't have beaten Maximum Security and Country House, but he has a strong late kick. His movement is not like a sprinter. We asked Julien last time to please put pressure on him for the last six furlongs. He has a really strong heart," said Numamoto.

Leparoux will have the return call on Master Fencer in the Belmont.

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Daddy Is a Legend breezes for G1 Longines Just a Game

Jim and Susan Hill's Daddy Is a Legend breezed four furlongs in 49.89 on the inner turf on Saturday morning at Belmont in preparation for the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game.

The Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Scat Daddy notched Grade 3 wins in the 2017 Jimmy Durante at Del Mar and 2018 Lake George at Saratoga for trainer George Weaver. She just missed a Grade 1 win when second, by half a length to Uni, in the Matriarch at Del Mar to close out her 2018 campaign.

Daddy Is a Legend made her seasonal debut in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day and finished a closing third with regular pilot Manny Franco up.

Assistant trainer Blair Golen said she was pleased with Daddy Is a Legend's first breeze back at Belmont.

"She breezed excellent. I'm very happy with her. I haven't seen her since last year, but she looks nice and has filled out great. She ran excellent at Churchill so I'm excited," said Golen. "We told Manny to let her do a nice half-mile and let her do what she wants. She went 49 and 4 beautifully. We couldn't have asked for any more from her."

Thomas Brockley's Colonel Tom, bred in New York by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, commanded attention on the turf last year winning back-to-back races at sprint distances including a 2 3/4-length score at Saratoga that earned a 90 Beyer number.

The 4-year-old Colonel John bay worked four furlongs in 48.09 on the Belmont main on Saturday morning.

"He breezed good today. He's doing really good. We could try an 'open 1x' now and if he does good there maybe entertain a New York-bred stakes race with him, said Golen.

Talented Weaver trainees Vekoma, who captured the Grade 2 Blue Grass ahead of finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby; and Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan winner Point of Honor, are both training at Saratoga.

"Vekoma just went to Saratoga on Wednesday along with Point of Honor. He came out of the race well," said Golen. "With Point of Honor, she came out of the race excellent, and we'll look for something at Saratoga. We're happy with them."

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Highland Sky to stretch out in G2 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational

Multiple graded stakes placed Highland Sky, trained by Barclay Tagg, breezed six furlongs in 1:12.76 on Saturday morning over the inner turf course in preparation for the Grade 2, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational.

Tagg said he was pleased with the effort ahead of the two-mile stamina test on Friday, June 7 as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

"I thought he did great," said Tagg. "It was a nice, easy breeze and I got him going out seven furlongs in 1:25 and a tick. It was just what I wanted."

In 2016, the now 6-year-old Sky Mesa gelding, captured the Woodhaven at Aqueduct ahead of a strong second, defeated by a neck to Deauville, in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.

Highland Sky won at 1 3/8-miles last June at Belmont and Tagg said the added distance shouldn't bother his hard-trying charge.

"He should have plenty of stamina. He comes from a stamina family and I've trained that whole family for 30 years," said Tagg.

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Disco Partner remains on target for G1 Jaipur

Patricia A. Generazio's multiple graded stakes winning New York-bred Disco Partner visited the inner turf on Saturday under the watchful eye of conditioner Christophe Clement.

With regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, Disco Partner completed four furlongs in 49.72 seconds in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur Invitational.

"I thought he worked well," said Clement. "It was a slow work by design, but he looked good and very sound. Irad was very positive following the work and as of now we're still on target for the Jaipur."

The 7-year-old son of Disco Rico is the reigning two-time defending champion of the Jaipur. He has made only one start this year finishing ninth in the Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland and has an impressive 9 wins from 16 starts at Belmont.

Also visiting the turf for Clement was 5-year-old multiple graded stakes placed White Flag for owner and breeder Robert S. Evans, breezing four furlongs in 49.51 seconds and 4-year-old French-bred Chipolata owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Hubert Honore and Robert Masiello, who worked 51.43 seconds.

Clement is weighing options for each of their next starts.

"Chipolata had a nice easy work," said Clement. "It was also slow by design. She looked well. I'm not sure where we'll go next, but we'll look at a number of options. White Flag also worked well with Joel Rosario aboard. We'll also take a look at what's coming up and see how he comes out of this work and go from there."

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Castellano to be presented Venezia Award on Memorial Day at Belmont Park

On Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano will be presented with the Mike Venezia Award in a presentation following the second race.

The prestigious honor is awarded to jockeys who exemplify extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship.

Established in 1989, the award is named in honor of jockey Mike Venezia, who died as a result of injuries he suffered in a spill in 1988 at Belmont Park. Venezia, a Brooklyn native, won more than 2,300 races during his 25-year career.

Castellano has also been a leading spokesman and representative for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, an independent charitable organization that provides financial assistance to jockeys Fund, an independent charitable organization that provides financial assistance to jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. Castellano also spends time volunteering by visiting children's hospitals including Ronald McDonald House and the Belmont Park backstretch organization Anna House, a full-scale early childhood education facility located on track offering affordable childcare for backstretch families.

The first Venezia Award was awarded posthumously to Venezia in 1989. Previous winners of the award include Joe Bravo (2018), Kendrick Carmouche (2017), Mario Pino (2016), Jon Court (2015), Hall of Famer John Velazquez (2014) and Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez (2013).