Monzon finishes fast in six-furlong drill
Story by: Jay Privman
Source: DRF.com
Monzon, who comes off a sixth-place finish in the Peter Pan, remained on course for a start in the June 11 Belmont Stakes with a six-furlong workout at Sagamore Farm in Maryland on Tuesday morning.
According to trainer Nacho Correas, Monzon was timed in 1:16 for one lap over the training track at Sagamore, the legendary farm once owned by Alfred Vanderbilt II and now being revitalized by Kevin Plank.
“He’s doing great,” Correas said by telephone. “He worked like a monster.”
Correas said Monzon completed his final quarter mile in 23.80 seconds, and final furlong in 11.60 seconds.
“He will work again next Tuesday, most likely, but this was my key work for him,” Correas said.
Correas said Monzon will ship to Belmont Park on the eve of the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown.
“The night before or very early that morning,” he said. “If you travel during the day, there’s lots of traffic and lots of heat.”
Neil Howard works Prime Cut; still iffy for race, as is Wilkinson
Prime Cut, who finished third in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park in his last start, worked five furlongs in 1:03.60 at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning, but trainer Neil Howard said he was still not sure whether Prime Cut would run in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.
“He worked very nice, but we haven’t moved to making that decision yet,” Howard said by phone. “He’s training as nice as you’d want him to.
“But those top two or three are holding their form pretty good,” Howard said, referring to Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford. “Some people say, ‘Those horses should be tired,’ but I didn’t see that.”
Howard said Prime Cut would work a half-mile early next week at Churchill Downs, then would travel to New York on Tuesday, June 7, if the decision is made to run in the Belmont.
Howard also said that his colt Wilkinson is a possibility for the Belmont. He said he would not have a decision on Wilkinson’s participation until speaking with owner Ed Gaylord, whom Howard said is currently out of the country.
Regardless, Howard said he would not have two entrants in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
“If I run, I’d only run one,” he said.