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Pletcher to send Stradivari in Belmont Stakes
- Updated: June 3, 2016
5:24 PM ET
ELMONT, N.Y. — Stradivari was the wild card entering the Preakness Stakes. Brilliant in his first two starts this year, Stradivari was sent off as a solid third choice in the wagering for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown behind Kentucky Derby one-two finishers Nyquist and Exaggerator.
While he didn’t win the Preakness, Stradivari ran well enough in trainer Todd Pletcher’s eyes to prove he belonged competing at this level. Almost immediately after the Preakness, Pletcher wanted to run Stradivari back in the Belmont Stakes. He just needed cooperation from the horse and the blessing of his owners.
Pletcher got what he was looking for Friday, and after Stradivari put in a satisfactory workout over the Belmont Park training track, Pletcher confirmed him as a runner for next Saturday’s 148th Belmont Stakes.
“Everybody’s on board,” said Pletcher, who trains Stradivari for John Gunther, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor. “Everybody was happy to proceed with the idea if we liked what we saw this morning — which I did — and assuming he comes out of it well, the plan is to run in the Belmont.”
Potential Belmont Stakes StartersHorseLast RaceBrody’s CauseKy. Derby (7th)Cherry WinePreakness (2nd)CreatorKy. Derby (13th)DestinKy. Derby (5th)ExaggeratorPreakness (1st)Forever d’OroMaiden (1st)Governor MalibuPeter Pan (2nd)LaniPreakness (5th)Seeking The SoulMaiden (1st)StradivariPreakness (4th)SuddenbreakingnewsKy. Derby (5th)Wild About DebPeter Pan (3rd)
Stradivari worked a half-mile in 50.51 seconds, according to Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch. But the key to the workout, which was done in company with the stakes winner Decorated Soldier, was how well Stradivari galloped out under John Velazquez. Though a head shy of Decorated Soldier on the wire, he pulled away from his workmate while going five furlongs in 1:03.28, six furlongs in 1:15.46, and seven-eighths in 1:29.69.
“He was well in hand throughout, seemed to be moving well, galloped out strongly,” Pletcher said.
The key to Stradivari’s success in the Belmont will be Velazquez’s ability to get him to relax. In the Preakness, Stradivari got too aggressive from …
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