Belmont Stakes: Two defections leave field at eight

ELMONT, N.Y. – The combination of an apparently thriving American Pharoah and few challengers willing to take him on has resulted in an expected field of eight for the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, when American Pharoah will be heavily favored to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first in 37 years.

American Pharoah turned in a brilliant work Monday at Churchill Downs in advance of his scheduled flight Tuesday to New York. Within a few hours of that work, two of his potential challengers – Carpe Diem and The Truth Or Else – were pulled out of the race. If the field of eight holds, it would be the smallest Belmont field since 2007, when seven ran and the filly Rags to Riches beat Curlin. And if American Pharoah does prevail against seven rivals, he will have defeated 31 challengers in the three races, second only among Triple Crown sweeps to War Admiral, who beat 32 horses in 1937. By comparison, Affirmed beat 20 runners in his Triple Crown sweep in 1978, Seattle Slew faced 29 rivals in 1977, and Secretariat 21 in 1973. Count Fleet faced the fewest, 14 rivals total in the three races in 1943.

First, though, American Pharoah has to win the race, for which entries will be taken, and posts drawn, Wednesday. In the years since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown, 14 horses – including American Pharoah – have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Of the previous 13, 12 made it to the Belmont. All, of course, lost. But American Pharoah is giving off every indication that he is coming into this race in excellent condition. He has worked twice at Churchill Downs between the Preakness and Belmont, the final work coming Monday, when – per Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch – he went five furlongs in 1:00.08 and galloped out a mile in 1:39.59.

Jockey Martin Garcia, his regular work rider, was aboard, though Victor Espinoza has the mount, per usual, in the Belmont. “Everything went really well this morning,” trainer Bob Baffert said at Churchill Downs. “The track was in perfect shape. It went just as we thought it would – he just kept clicking right along. Now, we just play the waiting game.” American Pharoah was scheduled to leave Churchill Downs at 10 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday for the short ride to Louisville International Airport, with departure on a Tex Sutton equine air charter to Long Island MacArthur Airport scheduled for 11:30. After the van ride from MacArthur, he was scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park sometime between 2 and 3 p.m. Baffert said he and his staff are braced for the media onslaught that awaits in New York. “We’re sort of used to running in these big races,” he said. “As long as we’re prepared for the race – that’s the main thing. We know what to do. But yeah, we know what we’re walking into. We’re not going to be overwhelmed by it.”

This will be the fourth attempt for Baffert at sweeping the Triple Crown after missing with Silver Charm (second in 1997), Real Quiet (second in 1998), and War Emblem (eighth in 2002). The likely field was reduced by two Monday with the withdrawals of Carpe Diem and The Truth Or Else.

Todd Pletcher, trainer of Carpe Diem, had been leaning against running and made the official announcement after consulting with the co-owners of Carpe Diem, the WinStar Farm of Kenny Troutt and the Stonestreet Stables of Barbara Banke. Pletcher said he was not fully satisfied with the way Carpe Diem had been training in recent days and believed Carpe Diem was better off bypassing the Belmont and pointing to races like the Haskell at Monmouth or the Jim Dandy at Saratoga later this summer. Carpe Diem was 10th in the Derby in his last start. Pletcher still has two runners in the race, Materiality and Madefromlucky. He had been holding both jockeys Javier Castellano and John Velazquez to ride his horses, so with the withdrawal of Carpe Diem he was able to finalize riding assignments. Velazquez will be on Materiality, while Castellano rides Madefromlucky. Velazquez had ridden Materiality to wins in his first three starts, including the Florida Derby, but he also had been the regular rider for Carpe Diem, the Blue Grass winner, and rode Carpe Diem in the Derby. Castellano rode Materiality in the Derby, in which they finished sixth.

Now, Velazquez is reunited with Materiality. Castellano rode Madefromlucky to victory in the Peter Pan here May 9 when aboard him for the first time. The Truth Or Else, who would have been one of the longest shots in this Belmont, had filling in an ankle, necessitating his withdrawal, according to his trainer, Ken McPeek, who pulled off a Belmont upset with Sarava in 2002. In addition to Madefromlucky and Materiality, those scheduled to face American Pharoah include Frammento, Frosted, Keen Ice, and Mubtaahij – all of whom ran in the Derby and bypassed the Preakness – and Tale of Verve, who missed the Derby but was second in the Preakness.

It rained at Belmont for much of Monday, and there was a 90 percent chance of rain Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. After clearing Wednesday, afternoon showers were forecast for Thursday. There is a slight chance of rain Friday, and for Belmont Day on Saturday the forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of showers in the morning and a high temperature of 77 degrees.