It can certainly be said that $200,000 Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park is a microcosm of the battle for the championship title of the age 3 boys.
In a year with three separate Triple Crown winners and a 2-year-old champion who finished second in his lone classics start, the season’s tenuous difference is like a battle between the winners. . Fort Bragg And Arabian crown in July 1 mile bet.
After Fort Bragg, the favorite 3-5 for coach Bob Baffert, drew with Saudi Crown in the 5/16 column, the two opponents remained locked together in a duel. fierce couple. Midway through, Fort Bragg seemed poised to take the lead but in the final round of 16, the Saudi Crown found a new piece of gear and put it ahead at the finish line with Fort Bragg narrowly taking the lead. in the field of six 3 years-old.
“People don’t realize how competitive these horses are. It’s a failure,” Baffert said. “They’re two good horses and they’re doing it. It’s fun to have only six. It’s a horror movie.”
The son of faucet came to Dwyer after a series of exciting events. He finished second in the May 6 game Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill DownsDrop a tense duel with General Jim with a neck. Bred by SF Bloodstock and Henry Field Bloodstock, he was sent to New York to join Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) on June 1 but developed a fever and scratches. That leads to a sound and Dwyer, which leads to his initial stake win.
“He’s improving physically and mentally. He’s getting better,” Baffert said. “It’s impressive to have only completed two such works (after failure).”
Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan, product of Shanghai Bobby mare Newspapers in March won the second time after eight starts and increased his earnings to $321,300. Purchased for $700,000 from a Bedouin Bloodstock consignment at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, he was the first of three ponies from his mother. She also has a Quality Sugar longing pony and a year 2023 honor AP dirty.
FMQ Stables’ Saudi Crown, second pick 8-5, break from post 2 and set early pace along the tracks under Javier Castellano. Undefeated after the first two games, son of Always dreaming trained by Brad Cox lead with lengths through fractions of :22.47 and :44.63 during the launch of his bet and the first time started to exceed 6 1/2 stretch . Coming in second after half a mile, Fort Bragg and John Velazquez began to match the lead in the middle of the turn, igniting a fireworks display on the stretch.
“When he arrived (Saudi Crown), my horse became aggressive, so once he was aggressive, I didn’t want to control him too much. I just followed Javier,” Velazquez said. “We’re rolling at a good pace and Javier is keeping his horse in front. I think in the quarter-finals I’ll win pretty easily. I’m half the length ahead of him and the other horse continued to fight. I was kind enough to hang a little, but the other horse kept running. I said, ‘Hey! Don’t let it come back to you. Pay attention!'”
Cared for and saddled by John and Tonja Terranova at Belmont, Fort Bragg ($3.40) was in the spotlight when it mattered most and finished the distance in 1:35.37 for the first time since he first made it. He won by score 2.
Castellano, who won the Triple Crown in the Kentucky Derby (G1) with magician and Belmont Stakes (G1) with Arcangelo pleased with the determination that Saudi Crown showed in the third start of his career.
“What an unbelievable race,” he said. “It was a great race. Never disappointed at all. That’s how we intended to run. I think I was beaten for the pole. It will be different from the outside pole. He’s back. and fight hard for the rope.”
Twin Creek Racecourse’ Harrodsburg One Structure gelding coached by Rob Atras, coming in third with 11 races.
Baffert said he will likely send Fort Bragg to his California base before deciding on his next start.
“Maybe I’ll send him home and see how he does and then send him back to New York,” the Hall of Fame coach said. “I love having them with me. I need a week to see how he handles it. He’s been running really hard.”
Videotapes: Dwyer S. (G3)
Three techniques prevail in John A. Nerud
Coach Jason Cook has the option to run three techniques in $250,000 John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on Saturday or $275,000 Hanshin Stakes at Ellis . Park July 2.
He picked Nerud once instead of Hanshin 1 1/2 turns and as it turned out, he made the right call.
6 year old son of Mr. speaker rose from sixth in field seven and won by 3 3/4 against 20-1 synthetic in Nerod.
“It was a bit of an accelerated match (at Ellis Park) and it was a turn and a half and I always said he was a one-turn horse. I just wanted to give him a one-turn run. I kind of wanted to. to win Hanshin because last year, we (finished behind) Cody’s Wish and ran what I would say was the best race of his career. Perhaps today could have been just as good or better,” Cook said.
synthesis, one First Samurai gelding, owned and coached by David Jacobson, is second with a 9-5 margin over second pick rocket man candy the son of candy ride owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and coached by Bill Mott.
Weyburn favorite 8-5, is final.
Option claimant’s winner on May 27 in his final start, Three Technique ($13.60) improved his record to 2-2-2 on six occasions Start at Belmont Park. Owned by David Miller, Eric Grindley and John Werner, he’s 6-6-7 in 31 career starts with earnings of $808,237.
Get out Harlan’s Holiday mare Evening in Rome , it was bred by Omega Farm and Bally Breeders in Kentucky. Three Techniques, half-brothers with bet winners Stan man was the first ranked winner of his mother’s nine ponies to race.
Videotapes: John A. Nerud S. (G2)
