Tacitus Breezes a Half at Belmont

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott was trackside at Belmont Park early Saturday morning to oversee Juddmonte Farms homebred Tacitus making his first breeze back since a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Mott is pointing the son of Tapit  out of champion Close Hatches toward the June 8 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

Tacitus breezed over the main track just after 6 a.m., working in company with graded stakes winner Multiplier. Tacitus settled a length back of the grade 3-winning Multiplier through a quarter-mile in :24 3/5 and edged along outside Multiplier down the lane with both grays officially clocked in :48 2/5 for the half-mile drill. Tacitus galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 2/5.

"It all went smoothly. It was his first breeze back and exactly what we wanted," said Mott. "It's what I expected. They look like a good team together."

Tacitus, piloted by Jose Ortiz in the Derby, rallied from 16th to finish fourth over a sloppy track. He was elevated to third when Maximum Security, who crossed the wire first, was disqualified. The Mott-trained Country House declared the winner of the 145th Run for the Roses.

"We were very happy with Tacitus' effort in the Derby. We always suspected he'd do well at a mile and a quarter," said Mott.

Country House, who provided Mott with his first Derby winner, developed a cough after his historic win and was forced to skip the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1).

Country House was examined at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington and returned to Churchill Downs Wednesday. Mott said he will take his time with Country House before deciding on where the Derby winner will make his next start.

"He's just been walking under tack," Mott said. "I'll leave him there for a couple weeks. I want to make sure he's healthy before we move him and make sure everything is good as it should be.

On Friday, Mott watched his dual grade 1-winner Yoshida breeze four furlongs in :49 3/5 over the dirt training track at Saratoga.

Owned by China Horse Club International, WinStar Farm, and Head of Plains Partners, Yoshida

is on target for the June 15 Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill Downs.