Speaker's Corner, Gufo Work Ahead of Belmont Undercard

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Godolphin's Speaker's Corner  looked strong in his breeze the morning of June 5 over the dirt training track at Belmont Park in his final prep for the June 11 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1).

Jockey Jose Lezcano guided the last-out Carter Handicap (G1) winner through the solo half-mile work in :48.01.

"I let him pick it up a little more," Mott said. "He shaded :24 coming home today. He was off nice and I had him in :47 and 3. The gallop out was just normal. We let him finish up to the wire."

Speaker's Corner has breezed back five times at Belmont out of the Carter score, and Mott said he is pleased with how the talented colt is coming into the meeting with undefeated grade 1-winner Flightline  and last year's Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner, Aloha West .

"We've had a nice schedule. We've got a good foundation and plenty of time to be fresh for this race, so hopefully it works out," Mott said. "He seems to be doing well and we got all our works in and been fortunate enough that we haven't missed anything. We did what we wanted to do."

Mott said he was impressed by Flightline's Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) win and is looking forward to Saturday's test, which offers the winner an automatic berth in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in November at Keeneland.

"Visually, very good," Mott said of Flightline. "But I'm comfortable being in my spot."

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R.A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's multiple grade 1winner and 2020 champion turf male Channel Maker  is on target for the June 11 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T), a 1 1/4-mile test for older horses on the grass.

The 8-year-old English Channel gelding will be making his fourth appearance in the Manhattan after finishing eighth in 2018 and fourth in both 2019 and 2020.

Channel Maker opened his current campaign with a 1 1/4-length score in the 12-furlong Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) on April 23 at Keeneland.

"He's doing good," Mott said. "He'll work tomorrow. It's (the Manhattan) 10 furlongs and I think he's probably better at 12, but there's really nowhere else to go and he's doing fine."

Also working for the Manhattan was Otter Bend Stables’ dual grade 1 winner Gufo , who breezed four furlongs in :49 3/5 in company with multiple-stakes winner Plum Ali  on Sunday over Belmont's inner turf.

Christophe Clement trains Gufo, whose work was his second since a game runner-up effort in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1T) over firm Belmont turf on May 14. That day he went seven-wide on the turn and finished a length behind upset winner Highland Chief .

“Gufo worked great and is ready for the Manhattan,” Clement said. “He tried very hard and ran very well in the Man o’ War.”

Chad Brown trainee and last year's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) winner Rockemperor breezed five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 on the inner turf course in preparation for the Manhattan. The son of Holy Roman Emperor  was second and fifth in the past two editions of the race.  

"He worked really good," Brown said. "He likes Belmont quite a bit, and the key with him is firm turf. If the turf is firm on Saturday, he will run."

Brown also sent out Peter Brant's In Italian , winner of Gulfstream Park's Honey Fox Stakes (G3T) in March, and Juddmonte's Seek Again Stakes winner Masen  to breeze four furlongs in company in :50 2/5. In Italian is preparing for the June 11 Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) and exits a runner-up effort in the May 7 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs.