2007 Belmont Stakes – Wednesday Update

Wednesday’s update with the current list of probables for the 139th running of the Belmont:

• Following the loss in the Preakness Stakes by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, Carl Nafzger announced that he would not run in the Belmont. Instead he would focus on the Travers Stakes in August and the Breeders cup in October.

• Breezing in a half-mile, Slew’s Tizzy had his final workout before the Belmont Stakes last Saturday at the Thoroughbred training center last Saturday. “It couldn’t have gone better” said trainer Greg Fox. “The breeze basically was the last half-mile of a two-mile gallop. It was perfect. He did it well within himself.”

• Time Squared, who finished sixth in the Blue Grass Stakes, will run in the Belmont this weekend. With a small field expected, trainer Patrick Biancone said, “Why not take a shot?”

• Steve Asmussen kept Curlin at Churchill Downs a little longer than he originally intended because of all the rain up at the Belmont track. Curlin finished his workout with an easy half-mile in 50.60. “He went nice and smooth,” Asmussen said. “For a horse who’s going to be going a mile and a half, we want to keep him relaxed and fluid, and that’s what he’s showing us.”

• It seems that even though Hard Spun has finished second in the Derby and third in the Preakness, he gets no respect from the fans. According to trainer Larry Jones, everyone is giving him unsolicited advice. When he told a fan that he was going to run him in the Belmont; “I thought he was going to say good luck or whatever and he said, ‘Well, I’ll have you know, that horse can’t go over a mile, I don’t know why you all are trying to run him over a mile.” From another woman he explained, “She explained she watched this horse from his first race on and she had been a big supporter of him in the Derby and the Preakness but, in all good faith, she just could not support him in the Belmont.” Jones replied, “The only thing I can do is laugh about it because I got the horse and they don’t!”

• There’s a lady in the house! Todd Pletcher has decided to run the nations number one 3-year-old filly, Rags to Riches, in the 139th running of the Belmont Stakes. It will be interesting to see who will be following who!

• Nick Zito entered CP West in to the Belmont on Tuesday.

The entire field:

Curlin
Hard Spun
Rags to Riches
Tiago
Imawildandcrazyguy
Slew’s Tizzy
Digger
Time Squared
CP West