Forever d'Oro '50-50' for Belmont

Charles Fipke homebred Forever d'Oro is under consideration for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I), according to trainer Dallas Stewart, following his maiden victory May 29 at Belmont Park.

"We've got to get back to training the horse, but we're tossing it around," Stewart said of the June 11 classic. "I'm 50-50 on it right now."

A half brother to multiple graded stakes winners Unbridled Forever and Forever Unbridled, Forever d'Oro was winless in his first two starts. He finished fifth in a pair of maiden special weight races this spring at Keeneland and Churchill Downs.

"I've always liked the horse," Stewart said. "He's a horse that got started a little late, but I thought he ran pretty well the first time. He's a beautifully bred horse. Then he ran (on the undercard) Derby Day and just got in a lot of traffic in the race. Even though the race was a mile and an eighth, he never really got a chance to run."

Forever d'Oro's racing luck changed when Stewart sent the horse east for his third start. The colt shook free of his maiden status with a fast-closing nose victory, despite a poor break and a wide trip through much of the 1 1/16-mile contest.

"He broke kind of sideways and he was way, way back," Stewart said. "He is a horse that can lay up close. He's got a little bit of speed. He just didn't get off good, I think, because of the way he was standing in the gate. But he really finished great. He got out in the middle of the track and really ran well. I think if he would've broke with the rest of them, he would've been spectacular in that race."

Forever d'Oro is by 2002 Belmont runner-up Medaglia d'Oro and out of 2006 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Lemons Forever, who was trained by Stewart throughout her career.

Another homebred for Charles Fipke, Forever Unbridled will make her first start in eight weeks in the $1 million Ogden Phipps (gr. I) also June 11.

Forever Unbridled has been perfect in her two starts this year, with victories in the Houston Ladies Classic (gr. III) and the Apple Blossom (gr. I).

BALAN: Forever Unbridled Victorious in Apple Blossom

"There was really nowhere to run (after the Apple Blossom)," Stewart said. "The (Humana) Distaff at Churchill came up three weeks later, so that was really soon. She's worked really consistently the last several weeks and, if you look at her past performances, she does well with 30, 60 days (of rest)."

Stewart said Forever Unbridled will be joined by Woody Stevens (gr. II) contender Tom's Ready on a New York-bound flight June 7.