2020 belmont stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Owner Conversation’ To Determine Status Of Modernist After ‘Nice And Smooth’ Breeze

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sent out Pam and Martin Wygod's graded stakes-winner Modernist to the Belmont Park main track in Elmont, N.Y., for a five-furlong breeze on Sunday morning.

Under mostly sunny skies, the graded stakes-winning son of Uncle Mo, piloted by regular rider Junior Alvarado, worked in tandem with two-time graded stakes winner Tacitus, who was piloted by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, recording a 24.40 opening quarter before finishing off their breeze in 59.20 seconds and galloped out in 1:11.40 over a main track rated “fast.” The moves were the fastest of 16 recorded works at the distance.

“He broke off in a nice rhythm and turning for home I was one length behind Tacitus,” Alvarado said. “As soon as we turned in, we got together and galloped out. I thought the work was extremely good.”

Following a third out maiden victory going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct, Modernist won his graded stakes debut in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds en route to a third-place effort in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at the New Orleans oval.

Alvarado praised his horse's versatility.

“He's a late [developing] horse. He's learning and learning. Last time we tried to sit a little bit off the pace to see what he was capable of…when we won at Fair Grounds we went wire to wire, so he's a versatile horse,” Alvarado said. “We can do anything we want in the race depending on how he breaks out of there. He always will be there to put me in the spot that I want.”

Mott did not confirm Modernist for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 20, but said that a start in the American classic remains a possibility. The Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby, slated for June 27, also is in play for Modernist.

“We're going to have an owner conversation before too long,” Mott said. “The work looked good, nice and smooth. Modernist and Tacitus both worked together and looked great. They finished up well, galloped out nice and strong.”

Modernist is currently sixth on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a total of 70 qualifying points toward the 'Run for the Roses'. In the Louisiana Derby, Modernist fell victim to a wide trip during the 1 3/16-mile journey, but still managed to come up a strong third finishing 4 ¼ lengths in arrears of Wells Bayou.

“He had kind of a wide trip in the Louisiana Derby but he's been off a while,” said Mott. “We don't know whether we'll go. We'll see how he comes out of it and we're going to talk with the owners.”

Should Modernist enter the Belmont Stakes, he will attempt to give Mott his second win in the American Classic. He saddled Drosselmeyer to victory in the 2010 edition.

Juddmonte Farms' Tacitus, last year's Belmont Stakes runner-up, is a likely contestant for the 1 ¼-mile Grade 2, $200,000 Suburban on July 4 at Belmont Park. A last out fourth in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2, the gray son of Tapit won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby and Grade 2 Wood Memorial last year en route to a third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

“We're looking at the Suburban,” said Mott, who won the Suburban with Wekiva Springs (1996) and Flat Out (2013).

A Kentucky homebred, Tacitus is out of 2014 Champion Older Filly Close Hatches and boasts career earnings of over $2 million.

Juddmonte Farms homebred Hidden Scroll, who unseated Hall of Famer John Velazquez in his turf debut on June 3 at Belmont Park, worked a bullet half-mile in 47.88 Sunday on the Belmont green.

Hidden Scroll flashed his potential with a 14-length win on debut in January 2019 in a one-mile maiden contested on a sloppy track. The eye-catching effort earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure. He followed up with a fourth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and was sixth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

The talented bay was again spectacular in his seasonal debut with a 12 1/2-length score in a six-furlong optional-claiming sprint at Gulfstream that garnered a 102 Beyer, but was off-the-board in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap in April at Oaklawn.

Alvarado was aboard the two-time winner for Sunday morning's return to the turf.

“He's a horse that's been very unlucky but he works like a freight [train],” said Alvarado. “He worked very fast today even though the way he was going it seemed like he was just enjoying the ride around there.”

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‘I’m Kind Of Speechless’: Reylu Gutierrez Tabbed By Asmussen For First Classic Ride

Jockey Reylu Gutierrez has maintained an even keel despite the natural fluctuations in a young rider's career. That tenacity has paid off in a big way.

Gutierrez was a finalist for the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice in 2018, earned his first graded stakes win in 2019 and has become a regular on the New York Racing Asssociation circuit, garnering a place in one of the world's most competitive jockey colonies.

Now, another milestone has come for Gutierrez: his first mount in an American Classic, as Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen tabbed the 23-year-old to ride Jungle Runner in the 152nd Belmont Stakes on June 20 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“I'm kind of speechless. I was working the horse for the Belmont Stakes, but I was assuming I was working him just to get him ready,” said Gutierrez, whose surprise was palpable when informed of the news. “It's an incredible opportunity. I've had a good start to the spring meet and I wasn't expecting it. I'm super excited.”

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Gutierrez took a non-traditional path to his career, first attending Cortland State University, where he graduated with a degree in exercise physiology. The son of trainer Luis Gutierrez and the nephew of jockey Jose Gutierrez, Reylu started riding in 2017, winning just once in 61 starts.

But in 2018, Gutierrez made 843 starts and won 109 races, earning more than $3.3 million. His wins and earnings ranked second among all apprentices in 2018. In 2019, he won his first graded stakes aboard Do Share in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap.

“I've really had to put in the time and get better,” Gutierrez said. “Last year, I rode a lot in Florida. I got more experience, but my long-term goal was to ride here in New York. I came back this winter a much better rider. I work with my agent, Rudy Rodriguez, Jr., and it's been great for my career.

“With the pandemic, we wanted to stay here and build our business and help the horsemen here. It's a great opportunity now, and we'll embrace it with open arms and do our best.”

Gutierrez said he has some experience in a big race in the Empire State, finishing second aboard Not That Brady to Bankit in the New York Derby last July at his local track at Finger Lakes. The million-dollar Belmont Stakes – the oldest of the Triple Crown races – is one of the sport's biggest stakes and for the first time in history will be run as the first leg of the Triple Crown to properly account for the schedule adjustments and overall calendar for 3-year-olds in training.

“I've been preparing for this my whole life,” Gutierrez said. “Last year, I rode in the New York Derby up in Finger Lakes, and that's the biggest race at Finger Lakes. I lost that race; it was a heartbreaker since a lot of people from home were cheering me on and came up to see me. But the Belmont is the biggest race in New York, so I'm very excited. I haven't had a lot of these moments, but I'll be prepared.”

Jungle Runner has two wins in eight career starts. With the Belmont Stakes moved to 1 1/8 miles as the first leg of the Triple Crown this year, the Candy Ride colt will be competing at that distance for a second consecutive start after running eighth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 20 at Oaklawn Park.

Jungle Runner won his stakes debut in the Clever Trevor on November 1 at Remington Park and has finished out of the money in four subsequent starts. As one of the expected long shots, Gutierrez said he will approach the Belmont the same as he did a maiden claimer at Finger Lakes or Aqueduct.

“I approach it like any other race,” Gutierrez said. “I have a job to do out there. You have to prepare, get there early and get my jog in before the races. I'm just really happy to be out there. I'll take a moment before the race and have it sink in. But once we're on to the post parade, it's time to focus.”

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‘Cherry On Top Of The Sundae’; Winchell’s Pneumatic A ‘Go’ For Belmont

Solid training in addition to changes made to the list of probable entrants for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes has given the connections of graded stakes-placed Pneumatic enough confidence to send the sophomore son of Uncle Mo to the Empire State for the American Classic run June 20 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who saddled Creator to a 16-1 upset victory in the 2016 Belmont Stakes, Pneumatic was recently third in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs, where he was forwardly placed along the rail, battled down the stretch with Ny Traffic but was passed up by Maxfield, who won under a hand ride.

Pneumatic last appeared on the work tab on Monday, June 8, where he drilled through five furlongs in 59.80 over the Churchill Downs main track.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' racing and bloodstock manager David Fiske said Pneumatic had also been under consideration for the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, slated for June 27,

“A couple of things went into the decision. In addition to the fact that he's been training really well and worked well last week, the changes that have been made in terms of defections and horses going to other races also are reasons why we're going,” said Fiske. “It was either this or Ohio and the Belmont is an American classic. To have some Grade 1 black type in a Triple Crown race would be highly beneficial.”

A Kentucky homebred, Pneumatic is out of the stakes-placed Tapit broodmare Teardrop and comes from the same family as multiple-graded stakes winning millionaire Pyro and is a direct descendant of Carol's Christmas, who has been a foundation mare for Winchell's racing operations having produced Grade 1-winners Olympio and Cuvee as well as graded stakes-winner Call Now.

“It would be the cherry on top of the sundae,” Fiske said of a Belmont victory with the Winchell homebred. “He's a direct descendant of Carol's Christmas who might be the best $25,000 claim ever made.”

Pneumatic will be Winchell's second starter in the Belmont Stakes. In 2018, Tenfold represented Winchell when running fifth to Triple Crown-winner Justify.

Prior to his graded stakes debut in the Matt Winn, the lightly-raced Pneumatic broke his maiden at first asking over the Oaklawn Park main track defeating next-out winners Skol Factor and Liam's Pride en route to a victory against winners over the Hot Springs oval defeating stakes-winner Captain Bombastic by 2 ½ lengths.

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. will have the mount aboard Pneumatic for the Belmont Stakes.

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Quality Road Colts Farmington Road, Dr Post In Belmont Tune-Ups For Pletcher

The Todd Pletcher-trained pair of Farmington Road and Dr Post worked a half-mile in company in 48.87 seconds on the Belmont Park main track Saturday in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 20 in Elmont, N.Y.

Under mostly sunny skies and over a fast main track, stakes-placed Farmington Road and stakes-winner Dr Post worked in tandem following the renovation break, with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano and Irad Ortiz, Jr aboard, respectively. The duo reached the wire together and galloped out strongly.

Both Belmont Stakes aspirants also worked together last week at Palm Beach Downs in Florida.

Pletcher said all went well with their final preparation for the Belmont Stakes, slated as the opening leg of the Triple Crown for the first time ever.

“I was very pleased with the work. I was a little concerned going in, working the two horses together but I felt like that was the best matchup for each horse,” Pletcher said. “They worked in company together last week at Palm Beach Downs and it seemed to go well.

“I thought both horses relaxed nicely in the early part of their work, finished up strongly and galloped out very, very nice. All in all, it went well.”

Both Farmington Road and Dr Post are sired by last year's leading Grade 1-producer Quality Road, who coincidentally also was conditioned by Pletcher during his racing years.

“You can see similarities in both of them to their sire,” Pletcher said. “I would say that Dr Post looks more like Quality Road because he's a bit of a bigger horse, but you can definitely see a similarity in both of them.”

Dr Post, owned by Vincent Viola's St Elias Stable, has done no wrong in his pair of starts this year. He emerged off a nearly nine-month layoff with a second-out graduation at Gulfstream Park on March 29 going seven furlongs before stretching out to two turns in winning his stakes debut in the Unbridled at the South Florida oval.

“Dr Post is doing great. The longer we have him, the more he reminds us of his sire Quality Road,” Pletcher said. “He looks a lot like him, he showed some versatility already breaking his maiden at seven furlongs and coming back in a stake in his second start of the year going a mile and a sixteenth, encountered a lot of traffic that day and was still able to win. He seems to have moved forward in his training since then.”

Dr Post faced a small but seasoned field in the Unbridled, which included graded-stakes placed Attachment Rate as well as stakes winners Soros and Relentless Dancer.

“The thing we really liked about the Unbridled was, especially leading into a race like the Belmont, it was only his second start of the year and third career start, but he got so much out of that race and so much education it was almost like an extra start,” Pletcher said. “I'm hoping that will pay dividends because he's giving up some seasoning and experience to some really nice horses, but we felt like we got a lot out of the Unbridled.”

A $400,000 purchase from the Hunter Valley Farm consignment barn at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Dr Post is out of the graded stakes winning Hennessy broodmare Mary Delaney.

Owned by Aron Wellman's Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert LaPenta and Chrysalis Stables, Farmington Road, currently 24th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 15 points, will be attempting a first stakes victory. Following a third-out 1 ¾-length maiden victory at Tampa Bay Downs, Farmington Road was fourth in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds on February 15 and in a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2, earning a respective five and ten points. He was also a close second in the Oaklawn Stakes on April 11.

Traditionally contested at 1 1/2-miles and held as the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes will be run at a distance of 1 1/8-miles to properly account for the schedule adjustments to the Triple Crown series and overall calendar for 3-year-olds in training.

“We felt like he could be the horse that would really enjoy the mile-and-a-half,” Pletcher said. “But since that's not an option we're hoping that the mile-and-an-eighth, if he gets a good honest pace to run at, he would certainly benefit from that. He's got a patented style; he's going to drop back and make one run. We just need a good solid pace to come back to him a little bit.”

Pletcher said he was satisfied with Farmington Road's last out run in the Arkansas Derby, where he was last early off a moderate pace, began making up ground approaching the far turn, ending up fourth.

“Solid effort in the Arkansas Derby and I think it was a tough track to make up a lot of ground,” Pletcher said. “He's got a good three-eighths mile run and we have to time it just right. The main thing is getting a track that suits that style and an honest pace. That's what he really needs.”

Bred in Kentucky by co-owner Chrysalis Stables, Farmington Road is out of the Langfuhr broodmare Silver La Belle, who is a half-sister to multiple turf graded stakes winner Silverfoot.

Some notable Pletcher alumnae are being represented by their offspring in this year's Belmont Stakes including last year's leading first crop stallion Constitution, who sires likely favorite Tiz the Law.

“He's making Constitution proud,” Pletcher said. “Tiz the Law has been very impressive in all of his races, especially in the Florida Derby.”

In other news out of the Pletcher barn, Repole Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti emerged from his triumph in Thursday's Flat Out in good order and remains a likely candidate for the Grade 2, $200,000 Suburban on July 4 at Belmont Park.

“Moretti came back great. He relished the mile and three eighths, looked like he could've gone around there again,” Pletcher said. “We're just hoping to have more options like that. We're still waiting on some stake schedules so we don't know all the options we'll have, but a race like the Suburban at a mile and a quarter is on the radar and hopefully by then we'll know what the rest of the campaign can look like.”

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