Belmont Stakes Update
The 2008 Belmont Stakes is only a few days away, and excitement over this racing event is growing stronger each day. With horses being confirmed as contenders and new daily events surrounding the 2008 Belmont Stakes changing the outlook of the race with every passing minute, it is not easy to keep up with the latest news. Uncertainty has been hanging over some contenders, worry and injury plaguing others, and all the while punters are trying to make the right choice at the betting agents.
The last few days have been filled with tension in the Big Brown camp. After finding a quarter crack in the Triple Crown hopeful’s hoof, many have been wondering if he would be ready for the Belmont Stakes. After a successful repair of the hoof by Ian McKinlay last Monday, Big Brown was back on the track, taking it easy on Tuesday morning. His recovery has been remarkable, and everyone in the Big Brown team, including trainer Richard Dutrow Jr, feels confident that he will be ready to take on his contenders this weekend.
The complete and confirmed list for the Belmont Stakes will be released on the 4th of June and post positions decided during the course of contender confirmation. It seems that Ready’s Echo trainer, Todd Pletcher, will be entering him into the Belmont Stakes. Ready’s Echo is the son of Menekineko and More Than Ready, and has done well in his previous racing events.
Casino Drive, the Kazuo Fujisawa trained contender, is suggested to be the horse that will be the greatest threat to Big Brown. Trainer, Kazuo Fujisawa, and owner, Hidetoshi Yamamoto, have decided on Edgar Prado to pilot Casino Drive in the Belmont Stakes. Prado, a Hall of Fame jockey, was chosen on his experience and capability, and although many jockeys took an interest in riding Casino Drive in the Belmont Stakes, Yamamoto and Fujisawa feel that they have made the right choice for their horse.
At present, the contenders list for the Belmont Stakes is as follows: Behindatthebar (Trainer: Todd Pletcher; Jockey: David Flores), Anak Nakal (Trainer: Nick Zito; Jockey: Rafael Bejarano), Denis of Cork (Trainer: David Carroll; Jockey: Robby Albarado), Big Brown (Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr; Jockey: Kent Desormeaux), Casino Drive (Trainer: Kazuo Fujisawa; Jockey: Edgar Prado), El Gato Malo (Trainer: Craig Dollase; Jockey: TBA), Tomcito (Trainer: Dante Zanelli Jr.; Jockey: Alan Garcia), Macho Again (Trainer: Dallas Steward; Jockey: Garrett Gomez), Tale of Ekati (Trainer: Barclay Tagg; Jockey: Eibar Coa) and Icabad Crane (Trainer: Graham Motion; Jockey: Jeremy Rose). All attention will be focused on Thursday, when the list is released for the race card on Saturday. And after that, all that is left to do is to wait for the racing event of year – the Belmont Stakes.
