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Velazquez To Ride Preakness Winner Rombauer In Belmont Stakes

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride John and Diane Fradkin's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer in the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 5, replacing Flavien Prat, who rode the Twirling Candy colt to victory in the Triple Crown's middle leg but committed to ride G1 Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie in the 1 1/2-mile Test of the Champion at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The news was first reported by Daily Racing Form.

Velazquez rode Medina Spirit to a first-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and finished third aboard the Protonico colt in the Preakness, but Medina Spirit will not run in the Belmont. Following Medina Spirit's defeat in the Preakness and more than a week after the colt's trainer, Bob Baffert, revealed that he was notified of a positive drug test from the Derby, New York Racing Association officials said they would not accept any entries from Baffert or allow his horses to stable at NYRA tracks indefinitely. A stewards' hearing can not be held in Kentucky until results of a split sample test is received by officials there.

Velazquez was also the regular rider of G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat, who was briefly under consideration for a try against colts in the Belmont. However, her connections announced last week she would not contest the Triple Crown's final leg.

If Rombauer contests the Belmont, this will be the 19th consecutive year Velazquez has a mount in the race. He's won twice – with the filly Rags to Riches in 2007 and 2012 with Union Rags – from 24 Belmont Stakes starts dating back to 1995.

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Malathaat Pointing for CCA Oaks

Undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) will make her next start in Saratoga's GI CCA Oaks July 24 instead of the June 5 GI Belmont S., which was initially under consideration following her Apr. 30 GI Kentucky Oaks victory. The long range goal for the regally bred filly is the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar.

“Todd [Pletcher] and I have talked and have elected to bypass the Belmont,” Shadwell's Rick Nichols said. “She is a little light right now because she is still growing into the frame that she has. We want to give her a nice break and hopefully put some weight on her.”

He continued, “We will point her toward the CCA Oaks at Saratoga, which is 12 weeks from the Kentucky Oaks. Then we will aim for the [GI] Alabama [Aug. 21 at Saratoga], which is the main target, four weeks later. Then we will be able to give her a nice 10-week breather and head toward the Breeders' Cup.”

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‘Still Growing’ Malathaat To Bypass Belmont Stakes, Point To CCA Oaks At Saratoga

Shadwell's undefeated multiple Grade 1-winning 3-year-old filly Malathaat, winner of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) on April 30, will skip the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) on June 5 and point toward Saratoga. The ultimate plan for the Stonestreet-bred, Todd Pletcher-trained divisional leader is the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, according to Shadwell Farm's Vice President and General Manager Rick Nichols.

“Todd and I have talked and have elected to bypass the Belmont,” Nichols said. “She is a little light right now because she is still growing into the frame that she has. We want to give her a nice break and hopefully put some weight on her.

“We will point her toward the CCA Oaks at Saratoga, which is 12 weeks from the Kentucky Oaks,” he continued. “Then we will aim for the Alabama, which is the main target, four weeks later. Then we will be able to give her a nice 10-week breather and head toward the Breeders' Cup.”

The $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) is scheduled for July 24 over the same nine furlongs of the Kentucky Oaks, while the $600,000 Alabama (G1) is slated for Aug. 21 over 10 furlongs.

The Breeders' Cup World Championships take place on Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar. A specific race goal, either the $2 million Longines Distaff (G1) over nine furlongs or $6 million Longines Classic (G1) over 10 furlongs, will be determined at a later date.

In five perfect starts, the sophomore star has amassed $1,125,150 in earnings and four stakes wins, including graded scores in the aforementioned Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, G1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland and G2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct. Her '6' on the Ragozin Sheets from the Kentucky Oaks was equal to that of Medina Spirit one day later in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Bred in Kentucky and a daughter of Stonestreet stars Curlin and Dreaming of Julia, the sizable filly was consigned by Denali Stud and purchased for $1,050,000 at Keeneland's September Sale in 2019, one of the final in-person purchases of her late owner, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She is already the third-highest earner for Shadwell's 36-year US-based operation, trailing only Breeders' Cup-winning champions Invasor and Lahudood.

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Malathaat Records First Breeze At Belmont Park Since Winning Kentucky Oaks

Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat recorded her first breeze since capturing the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks with a half-mile move on Thursday morning over the Belmont Park main track for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Under mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60s at the Elmont, N.Y., track, the daughter of Curlin out of Grade 1-winner Dreaming of Julia travelled the four-furlong distance in 49.89 over a fast main track under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez in company with stablemate and fellow Shadwell color bearer Mahaamel.

“She breezed well,” said Pletcher's assistant trainer Byron Hughes. “Johnny worked her and was happy with the way she went. We had her in company with Mahaamel and they both went head-and-head and both looked good. We just wanted her moving well and doing it well within herself and she accomplished all of that.”

Undefeated in five starts, Malathaat gave Velazquez his 2,000th Belmont Park victory in her debut last October before notching stakes wins in the Tempted and Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct. She parlayed her winning form into her sophomore campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland.

Mahaamel, by Into Mischief and out of the graded stakes winning Bustin Stones mare Hot Stones, earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure in her runner-up effort to First Captain in her April 24 debut sprinting seven furlongs on Big Sandy. She was purchased for $700,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

A next start for Malathaat has still yet to be decided.

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