Following his win the in GI Preakness S. Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert said that National Treasure (Quality Road) and Sir Barton S. winner Arabian Lion (Justify) would stay at Pimlico for a few more days this week and may go on to New York for races on the Belmont S. program June 10. Though he did not rule out Arabian Lion, he said National Treasure was a more likely candidate for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont S. Baffert said he did not want to send the colts back to his base at California and then ship back to New York.
“They went so slow early, he had so much horse that he couldn't pull him up at the end he told me,” Baffert said. “Arabian Lion, I'm not sure if he's up for the mile and a half, but he did run a big race yesterday. It could change. I have until tomorrow to make these calls. I could change my mind and send them back home on Tuesday. So long as they are eating well, which they are, and they came out of it well, I think I'll be keeping them here relaxed for a little bit and I don't have to ship them.”
Next up for GI Preakness S. third-place finisher Mage (Good Magic) is some time off. The colt, owned by OGMA Investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH, will head to The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Ky.
“He was there from May of last year to October,” Restrepo said after checking on Mage at the Pimlico Stakes Barn Sunday morning. “We will get him turned out and do some training. Everything is great. The colt is fantastic, bright-eyed and his head is up. We could not be any happier with him after trying as hard as did in the Preakness. The kid is an iron horse.”
The next goal for Mage, who won the GI Kentucky Derby in his fourth start, will be the GI Travers S. at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 26.
“We will give him a little vacation and he will power up and we will figure out the best way to get to the Travers,” Restrepo said. “He has not missed a day and has been on the engine since January.”
Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) finished a head behind National Treasure in the second leg of the Triple Crown Saturday.
“We thought he ran exceptionally well,” said John Capek. “It's tough to be a little bit short on the winning side of things, but we are pleased with his progress.”
Blazing Sevens shipped back to New York early Sunday morning. Trainer Chad Brown has not said what the colt's next race will be.
“We will talk to Chad and see what is best for the horse for his next race,” said Capek.
Trainer Steve Asmussen saw enough in Red Route One's (Gun Runner) fourth-place finish that after the race he said the GI Belmont S. is the obvious target.
“You're not guaranteed to get pace in the Belmont. You win races because of pace, and you benefit from it periodically. And then other times you don't. This would have been the latter for him,” he added. “He is nearing $700,000 in earnings. He's kept very good company his whole career and was probably beaten [4 3/4] lengths in the Preakness in a race I don't think set up ideally for him. Does he beat them under different circumstances? Who knows? But I do like the opportunity to run him a mile and a half.”
While he did not contest the Preakness as the runner-up at the Kentucky Derby, Two Phil's (Hard Spun) is possible to return to Churchill Downs in June for the GIII Matt Winn S. according to trainer Larry Rivelli.
Rivelli stated Two Phil's could run in either the Matt Winn June 11 or the GIII Ohio Derby June 24 at Thistledown. Either would be used as a prep for the GI Haskell S. at Monmouth Park July 22 and the GI Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 26.
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