Racing fans were hit by a bombshell five weeks ago when Rich Strike, dismissed at odds of 80-1, stormed home in the stretch to win the Kentucky Derby. Was it a fluke, a product of insanely fast fractions that set up his closing kick, or is the Keen Ice colt just now figuring things out and putting it all together?
We’ll find out Saturday when eight horses load into the starting gate for the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of racing’s Triple Crown. Peter Pan Stakes winner We the People is the 2-1 morning-line favorite, followed by Mo Donegal (5-2) and Rich Strike (7-2).
Rich Strike’s connections opted to skip the Preakness Stakes and prepare for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, known as the Test of Champions. Trainer Eric Reed says his horse has adapted well since arriving at Belmont Park and is ready to go.
“If you break his schedule, he’s not happy, and we had to change it a little bit coming here by going out a little bit later, but he likes that,” Reed told Belmont Park publicity. “He takes a nap every day between 6:30 and 7:30 while we get ready for him to go out to the track and then he’s all business. When he comes back, he’ll eat a little bit and then lay down for another hour and a half.”
We the People was made the Belmont favorite off a 10 1/4-length gate-to-wire victory in the Peter Pan under Flavien Prat at Belmont on May 14. He’ll try to become the ninth horse to win the Belmont after capturing the Peter Pan. Prat stays aboard.
“The way he has been acting is what you want to see,” said trainer Rodolphe Brisset, who will be saddling his first Belmont contender.
“The way he has changed is really good. When you let him breeze and he breezes that good, it’s all a good sign.”
The son of Constitution, who sired 2020 Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law, drilled a half mile in 47.59 on June 4. He’ll bring the field’s highest Beyer Speed Figure of 103 into the race.
Mo Donegal is one of two Todd Pletcher-trained horses in the race. He finished fifth in the Derby. Pletcher, who won the Belmont in 2007 with the filly Rags to Riches, will also saddle Nest, second in the Kentucky Oaks and the only filly in the race.
If Mo Donegal wins Saturday, he’ll become the first horse to win the Wood Memorial and Belmont since Empire Maker in 2003.
“We never take anything for granted, hopefully we work out a good trip,” Pletcher said. “The last time in the Derby, (Mo Donegal) just hopped away from there. Hopefully, he gets away cleanly and hopefully doesn’t compromise his chances with a poor start.”
The Belmont is scheduled to be run at 3:44 p.m. Saturday and will be televised by NBC Sports.
Big test for Flightline
He’s won his three starts by a combined 37 1/2 lengths, including an 11 1/2-length romp in the Grade I Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, but Flightline faces his biggest test to date in Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Met Mile, part of the Belmont Stakes undercard.
The 4-year-old son of Tapit has made only three starts. Since his debut April 24, 2021, at Santa Anita with an eye-opening 13 1/4-length victory, he had a foot abscess that sidelined him between his maiden debut and a 12 3/4-length victory in an allowance optional claimer at Del Mar on Sept. 5.
After winning the Malibu, he was scheduled to go in the San Carlos at Santa Anita on March 5, but those plans were scrapped when he suffered an injury to his right hind leg.
The talented colt has proved he can win – and win big, off a layoff – but in this case he hasn’t raced in almost six months. Add to that the fact this will be his first race outside of Southern California, and sometimes horses don’t ship well. Remember Lava Man and Beholder?
But Terry Finley of co-owner West Point Thoroughbreds discounts the possibility of Flightline losing because he’s shipping for the first time.
“You really do get a feeling that you’re in the presence of something great when you’re around him,” Finley told Belmont publicity. “It just looks like he’s settled in really well. He’s a true professional. He looks confident and settled. It looks like he still has his swagger. Juan (exercise rider and trainer John Sadler assistant Juan Leyva) is just over the moon with the way he handled it. The shipping and the new surroundings will not factor in if he should not get to the winner’s circle. That won’t be a reason.”
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