Belmont '16 Notebook: Gettysburg to run; Asmussen to train

[Kasept]

Belmont pace scenario addressed: Gettysburg to run; Asmussen to train
By Dave Grening

The much-talked about pace scenario in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes was finally addressed by one of the participants in the race. WinStar Farm, owner of the late-running Creator, and holder of the breeding rights to Preakness winner Exaggerator, will run the speedy Gettysburg in the Belmont.

Gettysburg set the pace in the Arkansas Derby but faded to fifth in a race won by Creator.

"I think he complements Creator well and there doesn't look like there's a lot of speed in the race and he runs his best races on the lead," said Elliott Walden, president/CEO and racing manager of WinStar Farm.

Paco Lopez will ride Creator in the Belmont.

Gettysburg made his first seven starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. He will run in the Belmont for trainer Steve Asmussen, who is the trainer of Creator.

Pletcher has two horses in the Belmont -- Stradivari and Destin -- for other clients. Absent Gettysburg, Stradivari and Destin looked like the major pace players in the Belmont.

"When you start talking strategies and a trainer has multiple horses in the race it can get a little confusing sometimes," Walden said. "The fact Steve has Gettysburg and Creator and we're his only owner takes out the conflict of having multiple horses in the race for different owners and Todd was 100 percent behind it."

More later at drf.com