WinStar Farm, CMNWLTH, and Siena Farm's We the People made amends for a troubled seventh-place effort in the Arkansas Derby (G1) when commanding through every point of call in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.
The bay son of Constitution, trained bt Rodolphe Brisset, earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure for the 10 1/4-length romp in the one-turn, 1 1/8-mile test for sophomores, which equaled the best number registered by a 3-year-old this season. The astonishing effort has Brisset thinking an engagement in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 11 will be in the works for We the People's next start.
“Everything went pretty smooth; he had a clean break,” Brisset said. “We didn't know if we were going to be on the lead or not, but we were hoping to be in the clear. It looked like they let us cruise on the lead.
“Obviously it's flattering for the horse. But now, I think we have to put everything back in context,” Brisset added. “He got an easy lead and everything went his way. At the same time, it's a good race and a good effort from where we feel like he got his confidence back from the Arkansas Derby.”
Brisset noted that We the People raced wide into the turn of the nine-furlong Arkansas Derby in April and was out of position throughout after showing tactical speed when stalking the pace in his respective maiden and allowance wins over the winter at Oaklawn Park.
“With those kinds and how good they are, they can do pretty much anything. He has the tactical speed, he has the high cruising speed, and he can just do pretty much anything you ask him to do,” Brisset said.
Brisset also saddled Peter Pan fourth-place finisher Western River, who is still not out of the question for the Belmont Stakes. Both We the People and Western River will remain at Belmont for the time being.
“We decided to leave the horse at Belmont. He doesn't have to go back to Keeneland,” Brisset said. “The horse showed enough good signs over the week before the race, and we feel he likes it at Belmont. I'll fly back down to Kentucky this afternoon and check on my horses at Keeneland and Churchill and then drive back up to New York on Tuesday.”
September Farm, Union Park Thoroughbreds, Black Fern, Michael Motley, and Tammy Motley's Western River, a full brother to 2016 Belmont Stakes winner Creator, arrived at the Peter Pan off a fifth-out maiden victory going two turns at Oaklawn Park.
“He just missed second, it was a head and a neck,” Brisset said. “The setup of the race was not the best for him and the pace wasn't fast enough. But the horse looked good this morning, so we'll keep him around too. I have to see how he trains and moves. It's going to be a decision made between the ownership. We have no pressure. If we want to go to an allowance we can, if we want to run in the big race, we can. We'll see what the horse shows us.”
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