Twisted Tom Works Toward Belmont Stakes

Cobra Farm's Federico Tesio Stakes winner Twisted Tom will run in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1) June 10, while Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Cloud Computing will not run in the third leg of the Triple Crown, trainer Chad Brown said May 28.

The Creative Cause gelding, under exercise rider Peter Roman, worked five furlongs Sunday on the main track at Belmont Park in company with 4-year-old stakes winner Economic Model. The pair went together in 1:01.16, with the last quarter-mile going in :23 3/5, and galloped out to six furlongs in 1:13 4/5, according to NYRA clockers.

"(Twisted Tom) worked great," Brown said. "This horse has continued to improve all year, and more of the same today. It was a nice, strong work from him. (The Belmont is a) huge class test for this horse, but I love the way he's developed. I do think he can stay a mile and a half, I think the longer the better for him, so I'm anxious to get him out to that distance, but it'll be a tough field, a large field."

Bred in New York by Dr. William B. Wilmot and Dr. Joan M. Taylor, Twisted Tom faced statebreds in his first four starts, graduating into stakes company in the March 18 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park, beating O Dionysus by a nose. He returned April 22 in the 1 1/8-mile Tesio on a sloppy and sealed track, this time posting a 2 1/4-length victory over O Dionysus. 

"He appreciated the time after the win in the Tesio and has had a nice string of works since then, so the horse seems to be sitting on a new top again," Brown said.

Not nominated to the Triple Crown, Twisted Tom will require a $75,000 supplemental fee to run in the June 10 Belmont. 

Also on the worktab at Belmont Sunday was Moyglare Stud Farm's multiple graded stakes winner Celestine, who completed five furlongs in 1:01.18 over the main track, through splits of :36 1/5 and :48 2/5.

"I thought she looked very good this morning," said trainer Christophe Clement. "I was pleased with the work."

Celestine is pointing toward the $700,000 Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) June 10. Jose Ortiz, who has been aboard for her first two starts and wins this year, will retain the mount, the trainer said. 

Shadwell Stable's Mohaymen breezed four furlongs in :47.09, the bullet for the distance, on the Belmont Park main track behind a pair of workers Sunday morning. The move was the penultimate work for the son of Tapit   before the $1.2 million Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (G1) June 10. 

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was pleased with the effort for the 4-year-old colt, who last year won the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (G2) and the Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). 

"He got a little bit farther back than we wanted so it was hard to go by them," McLaughlin said. "The two in front of him worked well. But he worked :47, so it was a fast work. He's doing very well. He was happy after it. He's doing well and we'll have one more work and see where we're at."

McLaughlin said Mohaymen will work either June 3 or June 4, depending on the weather for his final breeze before his first grade 1 start since his off-the-board finish in the Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes (G1) last August.

Putting in his first serious work since returning to the United States, Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1) winner Mind Your Biscuits breezed three furlongs in :36.87 on the main track.  

"He looked very good this morning, I was pleased with the way he moved," said trainer Chad Summers. "He didn't work with blinkers today, we'll get to that point about a week from the race to tighten him up because he really puts in fast works with them on, but we just wanted to begin the process of getting him ready for the (July 8) Belmont Sprint Championship (G2) and today was a good step in that direction."