J Boys Echo Confirmed For Belmont Run

Gotham Stakes (G3) winner J Boys Echo will head to New York for a planned start in the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1), Jason Loutsch of owners Albaugh Family Stable confirmed May 27.

Loutsch stated May 26 that as long as J Boys Echo worked well Saturday and emerged from the move to the satisfaction of trainer Dale Romans, the son of Mineshaft   would likely have travel plans to head to the final leg of the Triple Crown. The bay colt held up his part of the equation when he breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 under Tammy Fox at Churchill Downs Saturday morning, his first move since finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

"He got hammered out of the gate and... he just dropped the bit and didn't fire (in the Kentucky Derby)," said Loutsch, general manager for Albaugh Family Stable, which is helmed by his father-in-law Dennis Albaugh. "He's been training good coming out of the Derby and hopefully he'll continue to go forward. You only get so many chances with these 3-year-olds."

J Boys Echo was ridden by Luis Saez in the Kentucky Derby and Loutsch added they should have a Belmont rider firmed up "by the middle of next week."

J Boys Echo has two wins from seven starts but had his form flattered when Cloud Computing, who he defeated by 3 1/2 lengths in the March 4 Gotham Stakes, came back to win the May 20 Preakness Stakes (G1).