Keen Ice Breezes Nicely; 'Pharoah' Walks
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Donegal Racing's Keen Ice, who finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) in his previous start, breezed six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 on a fast track at Churchill Downs May 27 in preparation for the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Meanwhile, Zayat Stables' American Pharoah, who will shoot for the Triple Crown in the Belmont, walked the shedrow Wednesday morning.
"Everything looked very good this morning," said Jimmy Barnes, assistant to Bob Baffert, who trains the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner.
Barnes said American Pharoah would return to the track May 28 at 8:30 a.m. EDT for a clockwise jog around the one-mile track.
Keen Ice was the only horse on track during the special 8:30-8:45 a.m. EDT training period for Churchill-based Belmont contenders. Tammy Fox guided the son of Curlin through 1/8-mile fractions of :12 2/5, :24 2/5, :36 1/6, :48 3/5, and 1:00 3/5 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27 4/5.
"He's doing well," said trainer Dale Romans. "He's picking it up every pole and had a lot of energy galloping out. He has just been so good even before the Derby and he just keeps on improving.
"I think the further the better. A mile-and-a-half shouldn't be a problem. I really like my chances.
"American Pharoah is definitely head and shoulders above the rest of them in class, but I know we do want to go a mile-and-a-half. I know he's feeling good; he's sitting on all cylinders. It's just a matter of if he's good enough to beat him."
Fox gave Romans two thumbs up as he came off the track.
"When I give two thumbs up that means that they're really ready to go," Fox said. "He is as ready as he can be. Dale's done a great job with him."
In other Belmont Stakes news, Conquest Stables' Conquest Curlinate jogged and galloped one mile around the main track at Churchill. Norman Casse, assistant to his father, Mark, said the son of Curlin would likely breeze May 29 or May 30, depending on the weather.