Belmont Stakes Notes - May 7
Story by: NYRA Press Office
Source: NYRA.com
- -Belmont Stakes hopeful Uptowncharlybrown joins McLaughlin barn
- -Drosselmeyer connections hope Dwyer a steppingstone to Belmont
- -Stay Put eyes Belmont Stakes
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The newest member of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s barn is Belmont Stakes hopeful Uptowncharlybrown, most recently third in the Grade 2 Lexington at Keeneland on April 17.
“He’s a really nice horse and we are happy to have him,” said McLaughlin. “We’ll work him tomorrow, and hopefully every Saturday up to the Belmont Stakes. We think he has a big chance in the Belmont.”
A son of Limehouse, Uptowncharlybrown won his first two races by a combined margin of 15 lengths at Tampa Bay Downs, and then finished third to Rule in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis and fifth behind Odysseus, Schoolyard Dreams and eventual Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 13.
“I’ve watched him ever since he broke his maiden, so we are lucky to have him,” said McLaughlin. “He’s by Limehouse, and with his come-from-behind running style distance doesn’t seem to be a problem.”
Owned by Fantasy Lane Stable, Uptowncharlybrown will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh in the 142nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 5, said McLaughlin.
One who is definitely using Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer as a possible springboard to the 142nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, June 5, is WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer.
“The plan is, going into it, if he runs well to run in the Belmont,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott of Drosselmeyer, most recently a close-up third in the Louisiana Derby. “He displayed in his other races that his running style will suit the Belmont, and he seems to have good stamina.”
After two starts on turf and one on synthetic, the Distorted Humor colt came from just off the pace to score a six-length victory in an off-the-turf maiden race at Churchill Downs last fall, then took a 1 1/8th mile allowance at Gulfstream Park in January in similar fashion. In the Grade 2 Risen Star at 1 1/16th miles, Drosselmeyer rallied along the inside and finished fourth; his rally from seventh in the Louisiana Derby left him a length behind Mission Impazible and a neck behind A Little Warm.
Trainer Steve Margolis is eyeing the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 5 as a possible next start for Stay Put, who rallied to win an optional claimer on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs last Saturday.
“There’s a race here [at Churchill Downs, the Grade 3 Northern Dancer on June 12], but we’re also thinking about the Belmont Stakes,” said Margolis. “He went back to the track [on Wednesday], but won’t we make a decision until after the Preakness.”
Prior to his victory on Saturday, Stay Put had won a pair of races at the Fair Grounds over the winter, then was fifth in both the Grade 2 Risen Star and the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby later in the meet.
Margolis believes Stay Put, a stretch runner, could be closer to the pace in the Belmont Stakes, should he compete in the third leg of the Triple Crown.
“If you watch his race from Saturday, he was only four lengths off the lead,” Margolis said of Stay Put’s triumph at Churchill Downs. “He can be more tactical, and [regular rider] Jamie Theriot can place him where he needs to be.”