Some workout notes below from Haskin..Saw it on Bloodhorse.com. Also just checked the forecast for this weekend, it looks like no rain Friday or Saturday so we should be fast and firm.
Charitable Man has a smooth, efficient way of moving, and was striding out beautifully through the stretch. Dunkirk worked in company outside Monba with John Velazquez aboard, and pretty much toyed with his workmate, while appearing to be almost in a high gallop. What I've always liked about this horse is the way he covers ground so effortlessly. Like his broodmare sire, A.P. Indy, he doesn't seem to be moving fast, but before you know it he's on top of you. He's not your typical Todd Pletcher type of horse, being more of the long, lean type. Getting off subject for a second, one Pletcher horse who looked spectacular grazing Monday afternoon was Cowboy Cal. His coat is resplendent, even for a Pletcher horse, and he's muscled out beautifully.
Chocolate Candy, who has always carried his right leg high and wide, had a very short run to the half-mile pole, which accounted for his slow opening eighth in :13, which was by design. In the stretch, exercise rider Lindsey Molina, already riding high in the saddle, took another hold of the horse, rising even higher. The last thing she wanted to do was let the colt work fast. The best part of Chocolate Candy's work was his gallop-out, as he continued past the wire with good energy, clicking off another eighth in about :12 3/5.
Another horse who has not run since the Derby is Summer Bird, and going by appearance, especially compared to the way he looked at Churchill Downs, you have to love the way this son of Birdstone has blossomed and filled out. It was kind of funny seeing him out on the track this morning still wearing his Kentucky Derby saddlecloth. After he was given his bath and was taken out to graze, you could get a really good look at him, and you had to be impressed with the way he looked and acted. He appears to be sharp and happy, and was stuffing grass in his mouth, occasionally taking time out to swallow. According to trainer Tim Ice, he\'s been more focused with blinkers, which he\'ll wear for the first time in the Belmont.
D. Wayne Lukas' pair of Flying Private and Luv Gov, arrived by van from Louisville at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday following a 15-hour trip. Both colts looked none the worse for wear and made excellent appearances this morning when they went out for their jogs.
I like to read Haskin\'s stuff, but one problem with trying to use it for handicapping purposes is that he\'ll make 90% of the field sound like they\'re about to run the race of their life.
Good stuff LC. Thanks.
In today\'s column, Haskin tells us how Flying Private and Luv Guv are thriving and neither can be thrown out.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51058/haskins-belmont-report-the-d-wayne-reign
His entire reason for not throwing them out is because of the Lukas\' resume.
That being said, I do think Summer Bird is the one that will throw down the gauntlet to challenge Charitable Man. SB is the one with the pattern that has Birdstone, Sarava, Da\'Tara written all over it.
IMO, it\'s going to be a very slow pace. Does CM benefit the most if they go the half in about :50? Will there be 10 horses across turning for home? How best to handicap that scenario?
Absolutely.
CM is lone speed.
CM ran a :46, 1:09.2 and still had as much left, if not more, for the last 2f as anyone else in the Peter Pan.
If he gets a :48, 1:12, he\'s going to wire these guys, much less a :50, 1:14.
The only one with the all-out top sprint speed to run him down from behind at those kind of fractions is Mine That Bird and he\'s not fresh at all.
The only other one that I can figure on making any kind of serious development to challenge CM here is Summer Bird.
I forgot about Miners Escape when I said CM was lone speed.
Not that I expect him to hurt CM\'s chances in any way. Might even help him.