Forget “The Phantom Menace.” The true new installment of the “Star Wars” saga will play June 5 at Belmont Park when Charismatic, one victory away from becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 22 years, battles superfilly Silverbulletday in the Belmont Stakes.
“Remember when Nick Zito gave the nickname Darth Vader to (Charismatic’s trainer D. Wayne) Lukas?” trainer Bob Baffert said yesterday. “Well, I’m Luke Skywalker, Mike (Pegram, Silverbulletday’s owner) is Han Solo, and we’re coming to the Belmont with Princess Leia.”
All spring Baffert threatened to run last year’s 2-year-old filly champ against the boys, only to skip the Kentucky Derby and scratch her from the Preakness. Now he’s finally giving Silverbulletday, who’s won 11 of 12 starts and earned $2.2 million, the chance to prove his boast she’s “the best 3-year-old in the land.”
If she wins the Belmont, she’ll be the first filly to do so since Tanya in 1905.
Baffert made the decision Tuesday afternoon, hours after Silverbulletday worked seven furlongs in 1:24.2 at Churchill Downs (reported by the clockers as six furlongs in 1:10.4).
“When I took her out of her stall she was just bouncing around,” he said. “Man, it was unbelievable. You’re not supposed to work like that and bounce out of it.
“She’s at a physical-fitness peak right now. I wouldn’t do it if I thought it would tear her guts out. I called Jerry Bailey (who’ll ride her in the Belmont) and asked him ‘am I crazy?’ He said he thought she had a good chance.
“She’s got lungs on her that are unbelievable,” Baffert said. “She’s bred for (the Belmont). You can’t train a horse to go a mile and a half. Either they can do it or can’t.
“She hasn’t had to lay her body down at all (in her previous races). She’ll have to this time, but they all have to.”
The announcement comes a week after Charismatic’s owner Bob Lewis challenged Baffert, who trains some of his top horses, to a $100,000 side bet in the Belmont. Lewis was annoyed at Baffert for saying he didn’t want to spoil Charismatic’s Triple Crown chances by running the filly.
“I’m delighted,” Lewis said when told Silverbulletday was running. “We welcome all comers.”
Lukas echoed the party line. “Our position is simple. We just won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, we’re going for the Triple Crown and we welcome her with open arms.
“Ideally I’d like to have a four-horse field and I get to pick the other three, but that’s not the way racing is. Her addition adds a lot to the Belmont, a lot of speculation and second-guessing.” *In other developments here yesterday, trainer Nick Zito breezed his pair of Belmont hopefuls five furlongs over the main track, with Stephen Got Even going in 1:00.4 and Adonis in 1:02.4.
Illinois Derby winner Vision and Verse went seven furlongs in 1:30, breezing, for trainer Bill Mott.
Menifee arrived from Kentucky and Patience Game, who could set the pace in the Belmont, walked the shed row after working four furlongs in :46.2 Tuesday.