Busy Weekend for Belmont Stakes Hopefuls
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Several horses slated to challenge dual classic winner California Chrome in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 7 are scheduled to breeze this weekend at Belmont Park.
Robert Evans' Tonalist, a four-length winner of the Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) May 10 at Belmont, likely will breeze Saturday, May 24 at 6 a.m. EDT on the main track, according to trainer Christophe Clement.
"Tomorrow or Sunday, most likely tomorrow," Clement said Friday. "First set, only if the track is good. If not, we'll wait until the next day."
Tentatively scheduled to breeze on Sunday are Wicked Strong, Samraat, Commissioner, and Intense Holiday.
Centennial Farms' Wicked Strong won the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) in April at Aqueduct Racetrack before finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Wicked Strong probably will make his next breeze on Belmont's training track.
"He'll probably go Sunday, but I don't know how far," said trainer Jimmy Jerkens. "I have to think it over, but most likely on Sunday."
Samraat, a My Meadowview Farm homebred, has finished one spot behind Wicked Strong in his past two starts, reporting home second in the Wood Memorial and fifth in the Derby. He is currently based at Aqueduct, but trainer Rick Violette is leaning in favor of taking him to Belmont to breeze on Sunday.
WinStar Farm's Commissioner, second in the Peter Pan, and Starlight Racing's Intense Holiday, 12th in the Derby, remain on schedule for Sunday breezes, according to Byron Hughes, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher.