Bio for Charitable Man
Profile by Michael Hammersly
Earnings: $307,200
Strengths: This isn't some upstart who suddenly came on the scene. Yes, he missed the first two Triple Crown races, but that's because he got a late start this year after being sidelined by injury. Remember, though, he was on his way to a big 2-year-old season as he won his first two starts. including the Grade 2 Futurity on this track. He appears to be fully coming into his own now as he impressively won the Grade 2 Peter Pan (again over this track). He comes here a fresh horse, having missed the first two legs of the Triple Crown. His only poor outing came off the long layoff, in his only synthetic track try.
His sire, Lemon Drop Kid, ran third in the 1999 Peter Pan before going on to win this very race.
Weaknesses: He doesn't seem to have any weaknesses, except possibly that he's giving away some seasoning, having run just four times and just twice this year.
Strategy: He chased a sizzling pace in the Peter Pan and still ran on smartly. That speed, in a field here seemingly devoid of it, should translate to his being prominent from the start, maybe even being the pacesetter. If that doesn't happen, however, note his Futurity win came from off the pace, so he's got versatility.
Value: The bandwagon is already crowded. With a number of the Derby runners and of course Rachel Alexandra not going here, he figures to attract considerable money. In fact, it wouldn't be a shock at all to see him favored, going off in the 2-1 range.
MR. and MRS. WILLIAM K. WARREN JR.
Mr. Warren, of Tulsa, OK, serves as Chairman, President and CEO of Warren American Oil Company; his wife, Suzanne, is the company’s Executive Vice President. Warren became interested in Thoroughbred racing after his father took him to Del Mar and his friend encouraged him to buy his first racehorse in 1983. Among the horses he has campaigned are Saint Liam, 2005 Horse of the Year, and multiple graded-stakes winner Carolyn’s Cat. The Warrens finished second in the 2008 Belmont Stakes with Denis of Cork.
KIARAN McLAUGHLIN
McLaughlin is looking for his second Belmont Stakes victory, having saddled Jazil to win the race in 2006, a year in which he also campaigned Horse of the Year Invasor. In 2008, McLaughlin won his first New York training title with 22 winners at Saratoga Race Course, edging close friend Todd Pletcher. He trained Lahudood to the Eclipse Award as top Turf Female in 2007. A former assistant to D. Wayne Lukas, he supervised the careers of several new York-based Eclipse winners and was on hand when Commendable won the 2000 Belmont Stakes for the Hall of Famer. McLaughlin, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998, is being honored by the Belmont Child Care Association for his continuing support of Anna House, the child-care center located at Belmont Park.
ALAN GARCIA
Born on October 2, 1985 in Peru, Garcia won the Belmont Stakes on his first try with 38-1 shot Da’ Tara in 2008. He was the leading rider in New York last year with 220 winners, including victories in the Grade 1 Shadwell Metropolitan Handicap with Divine Park, the Grade 1 Sword Dancer and Joe Hirsh Turf Classic with Grand Couturier, and the Three Chimneys Hopeful with Vineyard Haven. This year, Garcia won the Peter Pan with Charitable Man and repeated in the Met Mile aboard Bribon. The son and grandson of jockeys, he rode his first winner in Peru in 2002 aboard Start the Fire.