Flay Buys Into Belmont Contender We the People

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay has acquired an interest in recent GIII Peter Pan S. romper and 'TDN Rising Star' We the People (Constitution), who figures to be one of the top betting choices in Saturday's GI Belmont S. on Long Island. The famed restaurateur also bought into Creator (Tapit) ahead of his Belmont victory in 2016. Flay joins an ownership group that consists of WinStar Farm, CMNWLTH and Siena Farm on the Rodolphe Brisset trainee.

“I'm thrilled to join the We the People team,” said Flay. “I have been an admirer of this colt since he started his career at the beginning of this year. I want to thank Lisa and Kenny Troutt of WinStar for giving me this exciting opportunity. Winning the 2016 Belmont with Creator will be a moment that me and my family will never forget.”

WinStar President, CEO, and Racing Manager Elliott Walden, added, “We appreciate Bobby wanting to partner with us again. He is great for the business, and a great partner.”

A 5 3/4-length debut winner going a mile at Oaklawn Feb. 12, We the People earned 'Rising Star' honors with a five-length allowance tally in Hot Springs one month later. He failed to fire when a low-odds seventh in the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 2, but turned it around in a big way in the Peter Pan May 14, leading every step of the nine-furlong trip to score by 10 1/4 lengths.

A $110,000 Keeneland November weanling, We the People was a $220,000 Keeneland September purchase and was knocked down to WinStar for $230,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale.

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Purses Up, Wagering Static In May

American Thoroughbreds raced for purse money in excess of $125 million during the month of May, an improvement of more than 17% over the corresponding figure from 2021, according to figures released Monday by Equibase. During the month, bettors put $1.41 billion through the windows, representing a fractional decrease from last year. Over the course of 399 race days in May–the precise number from 12 months ago–purse money averaged $313,461, up from the $267,712 in 2021.

With five months in the books, gamblers have wagered over $473 billion, a healthy 15% improvement from last year's $411 billion. While daily average wagering declined by 3.7% year-over-year, horse owners were reaping the benefits of average purses per race day of over $315,000, a 10.7% increase over 2021.

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NYS Gaming Commission Outlines Belmont Security Protocols

The New York State Gaming Commission has articulated the security protocols it has established for this weekend's Belmont Stakes Festival.

Horses running in the GI Belmont S. will be subject to continuous, 72-hour 'dedicated watch' by experienced security personnel. One guard will be stationed full-time for every Belmont S. entrant. Horses running in the GI Metropolitan H. will be under 'intensified watch,' by six to eight security personnel conducting mobile surveillance and direct horse checks at least three times a shift from 72 hours up to 30 hours prior to post time. A dedicated watch as detailed above will be in place for the final 30 hours.

Horses in the Belmont and the Met must be on the grounds no later than 72 hours prior to the designated post times for each race. Horses must remain on the grounds until after the running of their races.

The NYSGC will obtain out-of-competition blood and hair samples competing in the two races and will have same tested at the New York Equine Drug Testing and Research Program at Morrisville State College. The NYSGC has coordinated with other jurisdictions to obtain OOC samples from horses not stabled in New York.

Horses entered for either the Belmont or the Met may not be treated within 72 hours of the race unless Commission security personnel are present. All treatments performed by vets will be monitored by NYRA or Commission security. No medication or substance may be administered via dose syringe within 24 hours of the races. All syringes and containers for administered medications will be retained by Commission personnel for possible testing.

Veterinarians are required to submit a 72-hour treatment plan for each Belmont and Met runner prior to June 8 at 12 p.m. ET. Comprehensive records for that 72-hour period shall be submitted to the Commission, which will review and publicly post the records to its website.

All persons–including veterinarians, trainers, assistant trainers, farriers, owners, or other connections–on entering the stall, engaging in contact with the horse, or performing any service for the horse, must have a valid Commission license on their person. Such persons will be logged-in by security personnel, along with the reason for their visit. Routine stall and horse maintenance by identified grooms and staff will be monitored, but are exempt from logging. Entry/exit logs will be maintained by NYRA and Commission security.

All equipment, feed, hay bales, etc. are subject to search and seizure by both NYRA and the Commission, as provided by law.

On race day, no treatments will be permitted for horses entered in any Stakes Race pursuant to NYRA policy, unless it is for an emergency or as approved by the Stewards. All horses participating in the Belmont and the Met must report to the Assembly Barn no less than 45 minutes prior to the designated Post Time. On race day, blood samples for TCO2 analysis will be collected from horses in the Assembly Barn between 45 minutes to one hour before post time. Horses will then be escorted to the paddock.

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Ethereal Road Reportedly Out of Belmont

According to a tweet from New York Racing Association racing publicist Ryan Martin, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Ethereal Road (Quality Road) has a quarter crack and will not ship to New York for Saturday's GI Belmont S.

A maiden winner in his second start around two turns this past January, the $90,000 Keeneland September graduate ran a monster race to be second in the GII Rebel S. before finishing off the board in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. and GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. on consecutive weekends in April. Nevertheless, Ethereal Road was entered for the GI Kentucky Derby and drew gate 20, but his 11th-hour scratching allowed the first of two horses on the also-eligible list, Rich Strike (Keen Ice), to draw into the race. The chestnut would go on to upset the Run for the Roses at 80-1, while Ethereal Road entered the Belmont conversation with a convincing victory in the Sir Barton S. on the GI Preakness S. undercard May 21.

According to the Martin tweet, Ethereal Road will be pointed for the GII Jim Dandy S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. this summer at Saratoga.

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