Winchell Thoroughbreds' Kentucky homebred Red Route One posted a half-mile breeze in :50.85 over the Belmont Park main track Monday in preparation for the $1.5-million Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 10.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the chestnut Gun Runner colt worked solo under sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. NYRA clockers caught him galloping out five furlongs in 1:04.
Toby Sheets, Asmussen's Belmont-based assistant, said the work went well.
“It was good,” said Sheets. “He seems like he got something out of it.”
Red Route One, who will vie to provide Asmussen his second Belmont Stakes win after he saddled Creator to victory in 2016, most recently finished a closing fourth in the Preakness (G1) on May 20 at Pimlico. He stalked moderate fractions in the Preakness and made a mild bid down the lane under Joel Rosario to come up 4 3/4 lengths shy of the victorious National Treasure, who is expected to breeze Tuesday at Belmont in preparation for the third jewel of the Triple Crown.
Red Route One has finished on-the-board in three graded events when second in the Rebel (G2) and Southwest (G3) this year at Oaklawn Park, and third in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland as a juvenile.
Red Route One's most recent trip to the winner's circle came two starts back when posting a determined head triumph over possible returning Belmont Stakes rival Tapit Shoes in the nine-furlong Bath House Row on April 22 at Oaklawn.
At Keeneland, Andrew and Rania Warren's Raise Cain breezed five furlongs in 1:05 flat for trainer Ben Colebrook.
The Violence colt, winner of the Gotham (G3) March 4 at Aqueduct, was a troubled eighth last time out in the Kentucky Derby (G1), finishing 10 lengths back of the victorious Mage. He had his first work back on May 22 at Keeneland, covering a half-mile in :50.80.
Pedigree could be on Raise Cain's side in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont being sired by a son of Medaglia d'Oro, runner-up in the 2002 Belmont Stakes. His dam, Lemon Belle, is by Lemon Drop Kid, who won the 1999 Belmont.
Early Look At Belmont Stakes Probables
HORSE / JOCKEY / TRAINER / OWNER
Angel of Empire / Flavien Prat / Brad Cox / Albaugh Family Stables
Arcangelo / Javier Castellano / Jena Antonucci / Blue Rose Farm
Forte / Irad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd Pletcher / Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable
Hit Show / Manny Franco / Brad Cox / Gary and Mary West
Il Miracolo / Marcos Meneses / Antonio Sano / Alexandres
National Treasure / John Velazquez / Bob Baffert / SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan
Raise Cain / Junior Alvarado / Ben Colebrook / Andrew Warren & Rania Warren
Red Route One / Joel Rosario / Steve Asmussen / Winchell Thoroughbreds
Tapit Trice / Luis Saez / Todd Pletcher / Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable
Possible: Prove Worthy (Pletcher), Tapit Shoes (Cox)
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