Small Field for Belmont Stakes Prep

Nova Rags | Sarah Andrew

With 7-5 morning-line favorite Risk Taking (Medaglia d'Oro) expected to scratch in favor of the GI Preakness S. per a report in Daily Racing Form, only five will remain for Saturday's GIII Peter Pan S., the local prep for the GI Belmont S.

Nova Rags (Union Rags), winner of Tampa's seven-furlong Pasco S. Jan. 16, followed a good runner-up finish in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 6 with a fourth-place finish in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 27. The chestnut's resume also includes a debut win sprinting over this track last fall.

Newly minted Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a pair-last out GIII Withers S. Feb. 6 runner-up and impeccably bred $1-million KEESEP yearling Overtook (Curlin) and Promise Keeper (Constitution). The latter sandwiched a puzzling 12th in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 6 with a maiden win at Gulfstream Feb. 6 and a powerful optional claiming tally going 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland Apr. 8.

Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) makes his first start since posting a sharp debut maiden win-good for an 84 Beyer–over subsequent GIII Gotham S. upsetter Weyburn (Pioneerof the Nile) at Aqueduct Nov. 14.

Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.

Copy Article Link

Liked this article? Read more like this.

  1. Friday's Racing Insights: Pletcher Stablemates Unveil Their Own Eras Tour At Gulfstream
  2. How I Got Hooked On Racing: Richard Migliore, Sol Kumin
  3. Hamm, Langley Launch Top Tier Thoroughbred Management
  4. Journalism's Late-Breaking News In Maiden The Story At Del Mar
  5. 'Everybody is Still Here': Pope Buys Adoptable for $600k to Top Keeneland November Book 3 Opener
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.