Jungle Runner | Horse Racing Free Tips

The Haiku Handicapper Presented By BC2A Equine Sports Performance: 2020 Belmont Stakes

Time to analyze the 2020 Belmont Stakes field, in post position order, in the form of Haiku; a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

To read previous editions of The Haiku Handicapper, click here.

#1 – Tap It to Win
Did some growing up
From erratic rookie year
Could see redemption

#2 – Sole Volante
Would have liked him more
At a mile and a half
More room to uncoil

#3 – Max Player
Four months on the bench
Bred to get better with age
Wide range of outcomes

#4 – Modernist
Steady and proven
Doesn't enthrall, but trust goes
To Mott in New York

#5 – Farmington Road
Mid-to-deep closer
Has a graded stakes ceiling
Should get a small check

#6 – Fore Left
Last-minute entry
Found his mojo in Dubai
Too much still unknown

#7 – Jungle Runner
Calumet horses
Tend to blow up trifectas
But this one's helpless

#8 – Tiz the Law
The enduring force
In a crumbling division
It all goes through him

#9 – Dr Post
Can't knock his progress
This is his boldest jump yet
He's live in this group

#10 – Pneumatic
Two good ones beat him
Last time out in the Matt Winn
That's his selling point

Prediction
The scales of justice
Tip to the Cide of the Law
Three and four follow

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Triple Crown News Minute Presented By Kentucky Equine Research: Kicking Off The Upside Down Triple Crown

The most unusual Triple Crown in American racing history begins on Saturday, with the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Normally run at a mile and a half in early June after the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, this year's Belmont will be contested around one turn at the abbreviated distance of nine furlongs in front of an empty grandstand because of the restrictions necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Tiz the Law, a New York-bred colt by Constitution, is the 6-5 morning line favorite for Sackatoga Stable and Barclay Tagg, the same owner-trainer combination that won the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness with another New York-bred, Funny Cide. Empire Maker upstaged Funny Cide's quest for a Triple Crown, winning the Belmont on a day when more than 100,000 braved the cold and rainy weather.

Clear skies are forecast for Saturday.

While Tiz the Law is the clear favorite, based off Grade 1 victories in the 2019 Champagne at Belmont and the 2020 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, there are some late bloomers who could offer a serious challenge, including Tap It to Win for trainer Mark Casse. In 2019, Casse took the final two legs of the Triple Crown with War of Will in the Preakness and Sir Winston in the Belmont.

In this edition of the Triple Crown News Minute, Ray Paulick and news editor Chelsea Hackbarth go through the field of 10 3-year-olds, assessing their chances and making their selections for this first American classic of 2020.

Watch today's Triple Crown News Minute below:

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Jungle Runner Taking ‘A Big Step Up’ In Saturday’s Belmont Stakes

Calumet Farm's Jungle Runner posted a half-mile breeze in 50.50 seconds Tuesday morning on the Belmont Park dirt training track in preparation for Saturday's 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, this morning's blowout was the third local breeze for Jungle Runner, who worked five-eighths in 1:01.44 last Tuesday on Big Sandy.

“It was a nice easy half in 50 and change,” said assistant trainer Toby Sheets. “He galloped out in a minute. Not a big gallop out but we're very happy with it. He's doing well.”

Jungle Runner will provide 23-year-old Reylu Gutierrez, a native of Rochester, New York, with his first Belmont Stakes mount. A finalist for the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice in 2018, Gutierrez earned his first graded stakes win in 2019 and has become a regular on the NYRA circuit.

“He's excited and we're excited for him,” said Sheets. “He worked our horses here over the winter and he's a good rider and very enthusiastic. Hopefully, we get a little piece of the action.”

Jungle Runner, a 3-year-old Candy Ride colt, captured the seven-furlong Clever Trevor at Remington Park in November while making his stakes debut. He followed that effort with a distant fourth in the Springboard Mile in December also at Remington Park.

Following a trio of off-the-board efforts in stakes company, including a last-out eighth in the first division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in May at Oaklawn Park, Jungle Runner will look to make his New York debut a winning one.

Sheets said Jungle Runner is training well into the Belmont Stakes, which this year will be contested around one turn at 1 1/8-miles as the first leg of the Triple Crown for the first time in history.

“He's had some decent works on the main track and then just a nice, easy blowout here this morning” said Sheets. “He's done everything the way we wanted. It's a big step up, but we'll give it a try.”

Asmussen, who saddled Creator to a 16-1 upset victory in the 2016 Belmont Stakes, will also be represented in this year's edition by Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pneumatic.

The dark bay Uncle Mo colt has won two-of-three starts including an April 11 score in an optional-claiming mile at Oaklawn Park when 2 ½-lengths the better of Captain Bombastic, who exited that effort to win Sunday's Mike Lee at Belmont.

Last out, Pneumatic was a prominent third in the Grade 3 Matt Winn on May 23 at Churchill Downs. Pneumatic is scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park on Tuesday night and will be piloted on Saturday by Ricardo Santana, Jr.

“He has good form and I think he has a good shot in there,” said Sheets.

The probable field for the Belmont Stakes currently stands at eight horses, including Dr Post (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz, Jr.), Farmington Road (Pletcher, Javier Castellano), Jungle Runner (Steve Asmussen, Reylu Gutierrez), Max Player (Linda Rice, Joel Rosario), Pneumatic (Asmussen, Ricardo Santana, Jr.), Sole Volante (Patrick Biancone, Luca Panici), Tap It to Win (Mark Casse, John Velazquez) and Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg, Manny Franco).

Modernist, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, is also expected to enter with Junior Alvarado to ride.

The post position draw for the Belmont Stakes is slated for Wednesday at 12 p.m. Eastern at Belmont Park and will be streamed live on NYRA's YouTube channel. Click this link to watch live.

As the exclusive broadcast partner of the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown, NBC Sports will present live coverage from Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 2:45 p.m. Eastern.

Belmont Stakes Day June 20 will feature six graded races including four Grade 1 events led by the historic Belmont Stakes, which will offer 150-60-30-15 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Rounding out the Grade 1 entertainment on Belmont Stakes Day are the $300,000 Longines Acorn for 3-year-old fillies going one mile; the $250,000 Woody Stephens presented by Claiborne Farm, a seven-furlong sprint over Big Sandy for 3-year-olds; and the $250,000 Jaipur presented by America's Best Racing, for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on turf, which offers a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

A pair of one-mile turf races for sophomores, previously contested at nine furlongs, completes a stakes-laden card with the Grade 2, $150,000 Pennine Ridge and the Grade 3, $150,000 Wonder Again for fillies.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering site for the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes, and the best way to bet the 2020 Belmont Park spring/summer meet. Available to customers across the United States, NYRA Bets allows horseplayers to watch and wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

For more information, please visit www.BelmontStakes.com.

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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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