Up next the 144th Belmont Stakes: June 9th

[Glimmerglass]

Monday June 4th on the NBC Sports Network following the NHL playoff game Doug O’Neill will appear with Bob Costas on “Costas Tonight” interview program.

Not sure who is still watching the NHL Stanley Cup with the LA Kings leading 2 games to none over the New Jersey Devils.

Costas tonight

Costas will then sit down one-on-one with Doug O’Neill, the colorful and controversial trainer of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another as he prepares for the Belmont and the elusive Triple Crown.

Re-Air Dates (All times ET):Tuesday June 5, 8:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Wednesday June 6, 7 a.m.

Thursday June 7, 2 a.m.

[Glimmerglass]

The official Belmont Stakes website has several workout and schooling videos

Video: compilation of all 11 TC failures since 1979 in the Belmont

I’ll give Doodnauth Shivmangal the trainer of Guyana Star Dweej (whose last effort was a 70-Beyer Speed Figure) props for being up beat. Yes they have now Kent D. up as the jockey but its amazing how the lackluster news can be so “bright”!

“Guyana Star is in the Belmont,” Shivmangal said. “I was very pleased with him yesterday morning, but I am more pleased today. We were able to beat the weather, and he did what he needed to do. I think Guyana Star is back on the straight path again.”

[Glimmerglass]

Ah, but of course the union would be saber rattling with putting some pain on patrons during the Belmont Stakes …

DRF 6-4-12 “Union representing NYRA maintenance workers authorizes strike”

The union representing approximately 130 to 150 maintenance crew workers for the New York Racing Association – including the starting gate crew – has authorized a strike that could impact Saturday’s Belmont Stakes in which I’ll Have Another will attempt to win the Triple Crown.

The members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3 voted recently to authorize a strike at the three NYRA tracks, although no date was selected for that strike to begin, according to Vincent McElroen, financial secretary for the IBEW.

Amazing that the starting gate crew would be unionized.

[dogdays]

[quote=Glimmerglass;6357390]
The official Belmont Stakes website has several workout and schooling videos

I’m only a race horse fan, not an expert, but I watched the gallop of I’ll Have Another on June 3rd, and he ran on his right lead the entire time of the video. Is this normal?

[Glimmerglass]

DRF - “Guyana Star Dweej fails to impress in final workout” …as has been reported not exactly impressing despite the trainer’s comments.

I’ll Have Another on June 3rd, and he ran on his right lead the entire time of the video. Is this normal?

I thought he switched and the general consensus was that his work was excellent. Maybe I’m wrong?

Again Unstoppable U is doubtful: TB Times June 3rd

McPeek was not as enthusiastic about Unstoppable U’s breeze and said the colt’s Belmont status will be determined close to entry time.

“I was more concerned with him switching to his right lead when they straightened up than I was with the time of the work,” McPeek said. "He really struggled in his last breeze switching leads and I’m not sure where that’s coming from.

“I’m going to tell you he’s probably 50-50 to run in the Belmont right now. I’m going to watch him the next few days; we don’t have to make a decision until Wednesday. I wasn’t thrilled with it. He hung on the left again to the eighth pole. For him to win the Belmont, he can’t do those kinds of things. It’s just a bad habit, and it’s really only popped up recently. We’ll see. We’ll give it a few more days and then make a decision. It’s probably going to be what I call an audible at the line of scrimmage.”

As for O’Neill and I’ll have Another “I’m very confident,” O’Neill said. “Not cocky or arrogant, but confident.”:

O’Neill also remained outwardly sanguine regarding the required move to a detention barn for all Belmont Stakes horses. O’Neill wanted to get into the new barn as soon as possible and hoped to do so Monday, but was informed the barn would not be ready until Tuesday, so he was hoping to move then. All Belmont horses have to be in that barn by Wednesday. The Belmont Stakes horses are the only horses who will be required to be in that barn.

The forecast for Saturday is encouraging, with a high temperature of 77 degrees and only a 10 percent chance of rain.

[Mirakel]

Okay, so I am by no means a racing expert, just a very serious fan. I have been watching horse racing my entire life, and my mom told my stories of Secretariat and Ruffian over and over as a child, fueling my love of the sport. When I was seventeen I exercised racehorses for a while in Florida and loved every minute of it. I’m getting really nervous about the Belmont, because my entire life I have been waiting for a triple crown. Obviously, my main concern is that all of the horse come off the track safe and sound, but I have some questions for those of you who are more knowledgeable than I and perhaps may be willing to shed some light for me:

• I have been watching videos of Street Life. He looks inexperienced to my untrained eye, but is really impressive. Has he not been in races with stiff enough competition or is he a serious competitor in the Belmont? He seems to move late every time.

• I read the above article on Dullahan, who I thought was some stiff competition for IHA since the Derby. Are his numbers really that impressive or is it just fluff from his connections? I know he is more of a turf horse… The article makes him sound like he’s going to come in fresh and possibly blow IHA out of the water.

• Why are they running Optimizer again? Am I totally missing something here? Perhaps I am too uneducated about racing, but it seems like a lot of stress on a horse that (I don’t believe?) is likely to do well in this race… maybe I just don’t know enough about him.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can settle these questions for me. I can’t wait for this race and really hope the entire day is safe for everyone overall.

[Slewdledo]

[QUOTE=Mirakel;6358271]

• I have been watching videos of Street Life. He looks inexperienced to my untrained eye, but is really impressive. Has he not been in races with stiff enough competition or is he a serious competitor in the Belmont? He seems to move late every time.

Street Life was somewhat hyped earlier in the year. He should relish the Belmont distance and I’m glad they’re taking a shot with him here. His sire won the BC Juvenile & KY Derby, and of course is by Street Cry (Zenyatta’s sire.) The first race of his life was 6 furlongs and he wasn’t even close. Next time, he went 1 mile + 70 yards and won. Lots of talent here, but it make take awhile for him to develop.

• I read the above article on Dullahan, who I thought was some stiff competition for IHA since the Derby. Are his numbers really that impressive or is it just fluff from his connections? I know he is more of a turf horse… The article makes him sound like he’s going to come in fresh and possibly blow IHA out of the water.

The month off should be great for him. He’s the only horse (other than Creative Cause) to come close to I’ll Have Another in the last few races.And he was FLYING in the Derby. Big (half)brother Mine That Bird won the Derby, 2nd in the Preakness & 3rd in the Belmont.

• Why are they running Optimizer again? Am I totally missing something here? Perhaps I am too uneducated about racing, but it seems like a lot of stress on a horse that (I don’t believe?) is likely to do well in this race… maybe I just don’t know enough about him.

That’s Lukas being Lukas. Don’t be surprised if he instructs his jock to do whatever he can to screw I’ll Have Another. In the '90s Lukas ran all sorts of horses who didn’t belong in the TC races just so that nobody else would win the TC before he did. If this horse is still running a year from now, I’ll be surprised

[QUOTE]

I too am excited! Going to be a horse race, that’s for sure! Hope they all come home safe, jocks are smart. I would be ALL OVER rooting for Union Rags if it were he with the chance at the TC. I’m ambivalent about this one, which is better than I felt about Big Brown, War Emblem, & Charismatic, who I rooted against.
Did you see where they lit up the Empire State Building in Reddam’s colors?

[Glimmerglass]

In case anyone is wondering: Lava Man will not accompany I’ll Have Another in the security barn. Per a tweet this morning "O’Neill concerned he will not adapt as quickly as I’ll Have Another. "

As noted by another the Empire State Building will be illuminated June 7th evening with dual lights:

Split Lights: In honor of the 2012 Belmont Stakes & Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, I’ll Have Another, seeking to become the 12th Triple Crown Champion:

North/South Sides: I’ll Have Another colors (Purple/Purple/White)

East/West Sides: Belmont Stakes colors (Green/Green/White)

[Mirakel]

[QUOTE=Slewdledo;6358342]

[QUOTE=Mirakel;6358271]

I too am excited! Going to be a horse race, that’s for sure! Hope they all come home safe, jocks are smart. I would be ALL OVER rooting for Union Rags if it were he with the chance at the TC. I’m ambivalent about this one, which is better than I felt about Big Brown, War Emblem, & Charismatic, who I rooted against.
Did you see where they lit up the Empire State Building in Reddam’s colors?[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the answers! Man, I am so excited and happy to be here. I live pretty far out in Queens, but will go into the city to check out the lights on the ESB!

[Glimmerglass]

More on that potential strike and their utterly unfathomable current union contract: NY Daily News 6-5-12: “New York Horse Racing Association blasts ‘self-serving’ union as labor dispute threatens Belmont Stakes”

The main sticking points in the talks covering 150 workers at Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga are overtime and the structure of the workweek, sources told the Daily News.

NYRA conducts live racing Wednesday through Sundays, but the contract covers a Monday-through-Friday week.

That means union members earn overtime for Saturdays and Sundays.

Jaw dropping that someone along the way agreed to a horse racing related contract that deemed the primary bread & butter days of racing - Sat & Sun - as overtime!!

[Glimmerglass]

Interest bet from ‘across the pond’ (William Hill bookmakers) linking the historic feats of I’ll Have Another to take the US Triple Crown and Camelot to take the English Triple Crown.

Although 9-4 odds seem rather slim for the risk

Only once before have America and England had Triple Crown winners in the same year. Omaha emulated his sire Gallant Fox, by winning the American Triple Crown in 1935. Later that year, Bahram won the English Triple Crown.

“Like buses, it seems you can wait ages for a live Triple Crown contender - then two come along at once!” William Hill spokeswoman Lucy Rhodes said. “Camelot attempting the British Triple Crown and I’ll Have Another bidding for the stateside version really is a mouth-watering, once-in-a-lifetime prospect.”

[Glimmerglass]

An unexpected entry with the entry box tomorrow? Possibly.

Tweets from DRF’s Jay Privman:

There’s a chance My Adonis will be entered Wed. in Belmont. “Talking it over right now,” according to trainer Kelly Breen. ‪

My Adonis: 10 career starts 2-4-2 with $316,000 in total earnings. His results in graded races have been modest. My Adonis’ last five races:

05/05/2012 (ungraded) Canonero II Stakes: Finished 3rd
04/07/2012 Wood Memorial Stakes - Gr. 1: Finished 7th
03/03/2012 Gotham Stakes - Gr. 3: Finished 2nd
01/29/2012 Holy Bull Stakes - Gr. 3: Finished 3rd
11/19/2011 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes - Gr. 3: Finished 9th

[Glimmerglass]

D. Wayne Lukas is in hospital getting stitches (6-5-12) but he’ll be there for Optimizer’s run on Saturday. Lukas was struck upon his head by a rearing Hamazing Destiny Tuesday afternoon at Belmont Park, according to NYRA release.

“I don’t need this on Belmont week, but I guess these things happen,” Lukas said from the hospital. “I will be fine, it’s just a matter of getting it cleaned up. I fully expect to be at the track tomorrow.”

Similar situation happened with Charlie Whittingham and Sunday Silence before 1989 Belmont.

Doug O’Neill will get his jockey Gutierrez some race experience on Friday at 1 1/2 miles. He’s sending out 4-year-old colt Boxeur des Rues in the 124th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap on Friday.

The Brooklyn, won in the past by greats such as Discovery, Whirlaway, Kelso and Forego, is run at the Belmont distance. O’Neill hopes the ride aboard Boxeur des Rues and three other mounts on the Friday card, along with one Main Track Only, will have Gutierrez primed for his big assignment the following day.

“We brought this horse with that intent,” O’Neill said of Boxeur des Rues, who, like I’ll Have Another, is owned by J. Paul Reddam. “Three or four days ago, he didn’t train as well as I’d like and we went on a mad dash to have Paul invest in a horse for [the Brooklyn]. That didn’t work out too well.”

Boxeur des Rues, 10th in each of his past two starts – the Grade 1 Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day and the Grade 2 Dixie on Preakness Day – turned out to have a minor bruise inside his right front foot. O’Neill said the son of Smart Strike now is “looking fantastic.”

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6359538]
An unexpected entry with the entry box tomorrow? Possibly. My Adonis: 10 career starts 2-4-2 with $316,000 in total earnings.[/QUOTE]

Confirmed this evening as an entry for the Belmont Stakes:

My Adonis will run in Belmont with jockey Ramon Dominguez named. As folks will recall that trainer and owner combo won last year’s Belmont with Ruler On Ice

[Glimmerglass]

And the final Belmont Stakes field with morning line has been determined.

Post position. Horse. ML Odds

1. Street Life. 12-1
2. Unstoppable U. 30-1
3. Union Rags. 6-1
4. Atigun. 30-1
5. Dullahan. 5-1
6. Ravelo’s Boy. 50-1
7. Five Sixteen. 50-1
8. Guyana Star Dweej. 50-1
9. Paynter. 8-1
10. Optimizer. 20-1
11. I’ll Have Another. 4-5
12. My Adonis. 20-1

Union Rags showed up within the hour from Fair Hills so he had just 45-minutes to spare with getting into the detention barn

The best quip from Richard ‘The Mig’ Migliore this morning: “any horse can go a mile and half … if you give the horse time”. Obviously a few entrants are using the ill-conceived logic of ‘my horse says he wants to go 1 1/2 mi’

[WhiteCamry]

@Glimmerglass;6356740

Curious fact regarding the TC:
I’ll Have Another has never in his entire career gone off as the post time favorite.

OTOH, Chief’s Crown was the favorite in all three 1985 TC races - but didn’t win any of them.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=WhiteCamry;6361317]
OTOH, Chief’s Crown was the favorite in all three 1985 TC races - but didn’t win any of them.[/QUOTE]

And was trained by Roger Laurin - Lucien’s son At least CC won the Traver’s Stakes in 1982 after the TC flop.

[danceronice]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6361292]
The best quip from Richard ‘The Mig’ Migliore this morning: “any horse can go a mile and half … if you give the horse time”. Obviously a few entrants are using the ill-conceived logic of ‘my horse says he wants to go 1 1/2 mi’[/QUOTE]

So we can expect the nightcap race on the card (is there one?) to be pushed back an hour or two so Guyana Star Dweej has time to finish?

[dressagetraks]

[QUOTE=danceronice;6361589]
So we can expect the nightcap race on the card (is there one?) to be pushed back an hour or two so Guyana Star Dweej has time to finish?[/QUOTE]

Wasn’t there a story once a long time ago about a trainer who gave his jockey a sandwich and a flashlight in the paddock before a race? :lol: Seems like I remember reading that somewhere.

[Xctrygirl]

OK folks, you’re all a bunch of (actual or self appointed [this is a joke btw…]) racing experts here…

Can you notice whats “interesting” about the last 3 gallop’s of IHA’s that you can see online?

Let me help:

June 6th: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rek-mINSTv8&list=UUxRmRUB3kX-X-_9YsNFhq3g&index=4&feature=plcp

June 4th: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi6Z4Aof5K0&list=UUxRmRUB3kX-X-_9YsNFhq3g&index=6&feature=plcp

June 3rd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCsMU78HAek&list=UUxRmRUB3kX-X-_9YsNFhq3g&index=3&feature=plcp

Lets just say that based off of these, even if I am wrong, I am lowering my amount bet.

~Emily