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

[Kasept]

Nyquist "collects" company during final Preakness gallop
By Dave Grening

It was not a run-of-the-mill Preakness training session Thursday at Pimlico.

In what was to be his final gallop before Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist was joined for part of the way by Collected, the Bob Baffert-trained winner of the Lexington Stakes who is also running in the Preakness.

Trainer Doug O’Neill alternates days of jogging and galloping with Nyquist. On the days he gallops, he goes at a two-minute clip, meaning fractions around 15 seconds for each eighth. Typically, Nyquist likes to start at the six-furlong pole and gallop a strong mile. As Nyquist, under exercise rider Jonny Garcia, was preparing to do just that, Collected, under exercise rider Jorge Alvarez, came up to Nyquist’s inside.

Collected, who was toward the end of his gallop, got in front of Nyquist and Nyquist got a little eager. Alvarez attempted to ease Collected back and guided Collected to the outside of Nyquist.

When Collected first came up inside Nyquist, Garcia "gave me a dirty look," Alvarez told my colleague Jay Privman."He asked me to back off. I've been in that situation before. We're rivals, but you have to be a gentleman. I helped him out. I backed off, and he went on."

Alvarez told Privman he thought Nyquist got aggressive when Collected was in front of him but that Nyquist got better when he let him go.

Garcia declined comment.

Coming to the top of the stretch, Garcia was seen looking behind him a couple of times to locate Collected, who was basically finishing up his gallop by the time Nyquist came into the stretch. From the quarter pole to wire, Nyquist went in 28.91 seconds and then went another eighth of a mile in 13.80 seconds. So, he went those three-eighths in 42.71 seconds.

O’Neill, who along with owners Paul and Zilla Reddam, watched the training session from the porch on the press-box level. When O’Neill was asked about Alvarez keeping Collected in close proximity, he said. “That’s okay he can gig at him all he wants,” O’Neill said. “We’ll be okay.”

A horse got loose on the track just moments after Nyquist came on following the renovation break. The loose horse never got near Nyquist, who stood at the quarter pole alongside with a stable pony, before being apprehended by the outrider. Nyquist then continued on his way, backing up to the seven-furlong pole.

Also on track following the renovation break was Cherry Wine, who visited the starting gate and then found himself galloping alongside Collected before those two caught up with Nyquist at the end of the clubhouse turn. Cherry Wine had completed his exercise before Nyquist and Collected got into their game.

[OldDog]

Collected gets my attention when and if the track ends up sloppy, I don't want to leave him off any exotics.

[FATPIANO]

does anyone know how undefeated Kentucky Derby winners fared in The Preakness, I know Big Brown won both and Barbaro suffered an injury, But what of the rest?

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by FATPIANO

does anyone know how undefeated Kentucky Derby winners fared in The Preakness, I know Big Brown won both and Barbaro suffered an injury, But what of the rest?

Here are the undefeated Kentucky Derby winners:

Big Brown (2008), Barbaro (2006), Smarty Jones (2004), Seattle Slew (1977), Majestic Prince (1969), Morvich (1922) and the filly Regret (1915).

So, other than Barbaro, every undefeated KD winner who ran in the Preakness won it (neither Morvich nor Regret ran in it, though fun trivia: in 1922 the KD and Preakness were run on the same day and in 1915, while Regret didn't run in the Preakness, a different filly did and won, making it the only year fillies won the majority of the TC races).

[FATPIANO]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Here are the undefeated Kentucky Derby winners:

Big Brown (2008), Barbaro (2006), Smarty Jones (2004), Seattle Slew (1977), Majestic Prince (1969), Morvich (1922) and the filly Regret (1915).

So, other than Barbaro, every undefeated KD winner who ran in the Preakness won it (neither Morvich nor Regret ran in it, though fun trivia: in 1922 the KD and Preakness were run on the same day and in 1915, while Regret didn't run in the Preakness, a different filly did and won, making it the only year fillies won the majority of the TC races).

thank you

[richard burch]

...and CONGRATS !!!! to Exaggerator.... but the 2 and 4 helped him out significantly.

http://www.equibase.com/premium/char...6&cy=USA&rn=13

and Cherry Wine won in the slop at gulfsteam.

[cakes44]

Originally Posted by richard burch

...and CONGRATS !!!! to Exaggerator.... but the 2 and 4 helped him out significantly.

http://www.equibase.com/premium/char...6&cy=USA&rn=13

and Cherry Wine won in the slop at gulfsteam.

I thought Mario Gutierrez helped him quite a bit too with a very questionable/awkward ride that started as soon as the gates opened.

[Kasept]

6/11 (BEL): BELMONT STAKES

Exaggerator (Desormeaux)
Cherry Wine (Romans)
Lani (Matsunaga)
Creator (Asmussen)
Destin (Pletcher)
Suddenbreakingnews (Von Hemel)
Brody's Cause (Romans)
Governor Malibu (Clement)

Stradivari (Pletcher)
Mo Tom (Amoss)

[Pants II]

I give Nyquist a .2% chance of running.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Pants II

I give Nyquist a .2% chance of running.

And now confirmed with elevated white blood cell count..

[Kasept]

Nyquist out of Belmont with high white cell count
By David Grening

Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist will miss the Belmont Stakes on June 11 due to an illness, trainer Doug O’Neill told Daily Racing Form Tuesday morning.

O’Neill said that Nyquist has an elevated white blood-cell count and that his temperature, after returning to normal Monday afternoon, was up to 101.2 degrees mid-morning Tuesday. His normal temperature is 100.3, O’Neill said.

O’Neill said that Nyquist would be put on stronger antibiotics to treat the illness and that he would return to California when he’s healthy.

“We’re going to put him on stronger antibiotics, get him right, get him back to California and let him relax and recover from the trip,” O’Neill said by phone.

The defection of Nyquist means there will not be a rubber match with Preakness winner Exaggerator in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes. Nyquist, the undefeated 2-year-old champion of 2015, beat Exaggerator by 1 1/4 lengths in the Kentucky Derby on May 7. Exaggerator turned the tables on Nyquist in the Preakness, winning by 3 1/2 lengths while Nyquist was nosed out for second by Cherry Wine.

O’Neill said Sunday he wanted to run Nyquist in the Belmont and had planned to ship the colt to New York from Baltimore on Monday. But Monday morning, Nyquist was diagnosed with a “102-and-change” temperature. Though he was treated and the temperature returned to normal, blood work taken Monday revealed a high white-blood cell count.

“It is a bummer,” O’Neill said. “It’s like a family member being sick. We’re going to focus on getting him better and we look forward to a summer campaign.”

O’Neill said he is not sure where or when Nyquist would return, but he did say he hoped the horse could run this summer at Saratoga, in either the Jim Dandy on July 30 or the Travers on Aug. 27.

[FATPIANO]

no reason for Nyquist to run in The Belmont, it would be the only time he has to run a t 1 1/2. nothing to gain by him. he will be back and stay undefeated the rest of the year...............

[Port Conway Lane]

Originally Posted by FATPIANO

no reason for Nyquist to run in The Belmont, it would be the only time he has to run a t 1 1/2. nothing to gain by him. he will be back and stay undefeated the rest of the year...............

except that it would have made the race more interesting for everyone, to say the least.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Kasept

6/11 (BEL): BELMONT STAKES

Exaggerator (Desormeaux)
Cherry Wine (Romans)
Lani (Matsunaga)
Destin (Pletcher)
Suddenbreakingnews (Von Hemel)
Brody's Cause (Romans)
Governor Malibu (Clement)

Nyquist (O'Neill)
Stradivari (Pletcher)
Creator (Asmussen)
Mo Tom (Amoss)

someone is going to steal this race on the lead.

[Pants II]

Originally Posted by Kasept

And now confirmed with elevated white blood cell count..

Not surprising. The horse was giving it his all down the stretch. Keyed up the whole race really.

Just want him back for the summer/fall campaign.

(hoping Exaggerator is scratched, tbh)

[Kasept]

Belmont Stakes: Creator is good to go
By Marcus Hersh

Trainer Steve Asmussen on Thursday confirmed Arkansas Derby winner Creator as a definite starter for the Belmont Stakes on June 11. Creator finished a troubled 13th in the Kentucky Derby after coming rapidly to hand this winter and spring in Arkansas and winning the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park by 1 1/4 lengths over Suddenbreakingnews, another likely Belmont runner.

Creator worked back nine days after the Derby, going an easy half, and worked five furlongs Monday in 1:02. Asmussen, who trains Creator for WinStar Farm, said Creator will work Monday at his Churchill Downs base and ship to New York on Tuesday. The work will be with company, Asmussen said, but not especially demanding.

“We’re there already. He has a great fitness level, and I like the rhythm he’s in,” Asmussen said.

Creator is a one-run closer and was only starting to make his move around the far turn in the Derby when he got into trouble, losing his momentum.

“He came back with a couple superficial cuts but nothing serious, and he’s rebounded nicely,” said Asmussen. “It’s the Derby. You wish you’d have had a little cleaner trip is all.”

Asmussen said he’ll ship Holy Boss for the True North and Counterforce for the Woody Stephens on the Belmont undercard along with Creator next week.

Exaggerator, who will be heavily favored to win the Belmont on the strength of his second in the Derby and win in the Preakness, remains at Pimlico Race Course and was scheduled to have a walk day Thursday before returning to the track for exercise on Friday. Exaggerator is scheduled to ship Sunday from Pimlico to Belmont.

Trainer Tom Amoss said a decision on Mo Tom’s status for the Belmont will be announced Monday. Todd Pletcher said that Destin and Stradivari, his two Belmont possibles, are “both doing well.” Destin, who was sixth in the Derby, is an intended Belmont runner, but Pletcher said he wants to wait to decide whether Stradivari, fourth in the Preakness while making his stakes debut, will run in the race.

[richard burch]

Originally Posted by cakes44

I thought Mario Gutierrez helped him quite a bit too with a very questionable/awkward ride that started as soon as the gates opened.

Agreed. The 4 was the problem more than the 2 . Nyquist could have stalked the 2 around the track but not with a horse pressing on the outside. Seen it many times.

[Alabama Stakes]

Creator is the. Best bet of the year to win the Belmont

[FATPIANO]

Originally Posted by Alabama Stakes

Creator is the. Best bet of the year to win the Belmont

DITTO

[casp0555]

Revenge of Curlin!!