The second time The path of purity has been disqualified from the Triple Crown race, only this time the grand slam is five days away.
After a scratch from the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) the day before the Triple Crown first leg, coach D. Wayne Lukas announced on June 6 that his son Quality Sugar will be inactive on the 11th June Belmont Shares presented by NYRA Bets (G1) due to a one-quarter error.
Owned by Aaron Sones, Ethereal Road has been shown to the Triple Crown’s final leg at Belmont Park of Lukas after winning May 21 Sir Barton Shares sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry to benefit the Post-Purebred Care Alliance at Pimlico racetrack.
Lukas said: “He showed a quarter of the crack. We’ll soak it to get him stronger and look for another crack. “I’d really like to bring him in (Belmont), I think that’s who he’s really suited for. But the horse has the final say, so we’ll have to ignore it.”
Although he won’t race at any of the three races, Ethereal Road has had a profound impact on the series. When he was dropped from the Kentucky Derby, it allowed Rich Strike to shortlist the May 7 classics off the qualifying list and post his inevitable 80-1 defeat.
Lukas mentioned the June 25 Ohio (G3) Derby as a possibility for Ethereal Road, along with the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) matches on July 30 and the August 27 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) both at Saratoga Racecourse.
“We’ll be looking at the Ohio Derby, for sure Jim Dandy and Travers will be on our radar,” Lukas said. “We’ll take him to Saratoga, so we’ll look into that.”
With trauma to Ethereal Road and determined by the connections of Howl time skip Belmont, the eight-man school shaping up for the 1/2 mile classic track. The starters are likely to be Kentucky Derby winners Rich Strike , Mo Donegal , We who , Nest , Creative Minister , Haircut line , Skippylongstocking and Golden roller coaster .
Post placement draw set for June 7 at 11 a.m. ET
