BENSALEM, Pa. – Smarty Jones will work seven furlongs early Friday morning at Philadelphia Park with jockey Stewart Elliott in the saddle, then ship to Belmont Park the following Wednesday when post positions are drawn for the 136th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 5, trainer John Servis said yesterday.
Although each of the 11 Triple Crown winners “Smarty” hopes to join already had a race over the track before taking the Belmont, the strategy of shipping in late has worked well in the last decade. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won three straight Belmonts from 1994-96 with Tabasco Cat, Thunder Gulch and Editor’s Note flying in from Churchill Downs just days before the race. Bob Baffert kept his four Preakness winners – Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Point Given, War Emblem – at Churchill until mid-week of the Belmont and came away with a win and two close seconds.
“This horse doesn’t need to take his racetrack with him,” Servis said.
Yesterday, Smarty Jones stretched his daily gallop to 1 3/4 miles from 1 ½ miles the previous several days, and Servis planned to send him two miles this morning.
“He’s telling me he wants to do more in his training,” Servis said. “I don’t want him too sharp for the work, probably a slow seven furlongs. I don’t want him working in :58 and then trying to run off in the first part of the race [which is what happened last year with Funny Cide].
“Right now, the big thing is trying to take a bit of the edge off and trying to keep him happy. He didn’t kick any feed tubs off the wall this morning, so he’s not as full of himself.”
Following the Flyers elimination from the NHL playoffs, a local reporter noted that a Philadelphia team hasn’t won a championship since 1983. He asked Servis if a horse can finally get the city over that hump.
“Quite frankly, I think we already did,” said Servis. “When we won the Kentucky Derby, to me that’s the championship. The Triple Crown is icing on the cake.”
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Two of Smarty Jones’ challengers worked yesterday at Belmont Park. Eddington, third in the Preakness, sizzled four furlongs in :46.2 with retired Hall-of-Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. aboard.
“It was a little quicker than we wanted, but we did want something quick,” trainer Mark Hennig said. “I wanted to make sure he didn’t get too relaxed. He was really focused. We’ve got to make up 13 lengths on Smarty Jones, but it’s a little easier making it up going a mile-and-a-half than it is going a mile-and-three-sixteenths.”
Royal Assault, winner of the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard, breezed six furlongs in 1:16 for trainer Nick Zito.
Preakness runner-up Rock Hard Ten was scheduled to work this morning at Belmont, going either five or six furlongs, trainer Jason Orman said.
Todd Pletcher and Kiaran McLaughlin, trainers of Purge and Mustanfar, respectively, said yesterday their colts are unlikely to start in the Belmont.
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Ed Fountaine’s probable Belmont field
Horse Jockey Trainer Odds
Smarty Jones Stewart Elliott John Servis 2-5
Rock Hard Ten Undecided Jason Orman 6-1
Eddington Jerry Bailey Mark Hennig 12-1
Tapit Ramon Dominguez Michael Dickinson 15-1
The Cliff’s Edge Shane Sellers Nick Zito 20-1
Royal Assault Pat Day Nick Zito 25-1
Birdstone Edgar Prado Nick Zito 30-1
Tap Dancer Undecided Ed Allard 50-1