 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||
|
Belmont Stakes Capsules Posted: Thursday June 05, 2003 7:18 PM(listed in order of post position) 1. EMPIRE MAKER
Jockey: Jerry Bailey
Empire Maker has had plenty of rest since finishing second in the Kentucky Derby as the favorite. The son of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled defeated Funny Cide in the Wood Memorial on April 12 before falling short in the Derby, setting up Saturday's grudge match. A bruised foot may have bothered the horse in the Derby. The horse has done no worse than third in six career starts. Frankel has won the last three Eclipse Awards as top trainer but has entered 11 horses in Triple Crown races and has yet to win. The smallish field could help Empire Maker's stalking style. Bailey will make his 18th career start with his lone win coming aboard Hansel in 1991. 2. SUPERVISOR
Jockey: John Velazquez
One of the more seasoned starters in the field with 15 career starts, but he has just two wins and two seconds in that span. Owner Rodney Lundock realizes the horse is out of his league, yet one of his goals was to have a Belmont starter. But remember, Sarava won the Belmont last year at 70-1. Will try to become the first Florida-bred horse to win the Belmont since Conquistador Cielo in 1982. Rice will saddle a Belmont Stakes horse for the first time. 3. SCRIMSHAW
Jockey: Gary Stevens
Joins Funny Cide as the only horses to run in all three legs of the Triple Crown. Was a non-threatening 11th in the Kentucky Derby after being bumped at the start and was a distant third in the Preakness. Lukas has won the Belmont four times and hopes to steal a fifth with a horse that won the Lexington Stakes in April at a slow pace. Stevens took over in the Preakness for Derby rider Cornelio Velasquez. Stevens has won the Belmont three times, most recently with Point Given in 2001. 4. FUNNY CIDE
Jockey: Jose Santos
Horse racing's latest superstar can become the first gelding and first New York-bred horse to win the Triple Crown. The horse had a blistering workout on Tuesday, raising concerns that he may have used up too much energy, but Tagg and Santos did not appear concerned. The pressure should not be a factor for Santos, who endured a dubious investigation for his ride in the Derby. Santos will ride in his 12th Derby and won in 1999 aboard long shot Lemon Drop Kid. Tagg calls the horse a "Gift from God," and why not? A victory on Saturday will bring a $5 million bonus and boost Funny Cide's earnings to $7,489,385, making him the winningest gelding in history. Tagg will saddle a Belmont Stakes starter for the first time. 5. DYNEVER
Jockey: Edgar Prado
The wild card in the field is Dynever, the lighly raced colt who has won his last three starts, including the Lone Star Derby and and Aventura Stakes. He was most impressive in the Lone Star, where he overcame notable traffic in the last quarter. With all the rain in New York, Clement has been working his horse in a "spider shoe" to protect a small bruise on the left front foot. Prado won last year's Belmont aboard longshot Sarava and will be competing in the race for a fourth time. 6. TEN MOST WANTED
Jockey: Pat Day
Ten Most Wanted was a disappointing ninth in the Kentucky Derby, but some of the blame could go to a back problem that has since been fixed by a visit to a chiropractor. The winner of the Illinois Derby has a 2-1-1 record in six lifetime starts. Dollase will saddle a horse in the Belmont for the first time. Day rides in his 16th Belmont and has won three times, most recently with Commendable in 2000. © 2003 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||
