Call it the “Rodney Dangerfield” Belmont Stakes, because it gets no respect.
With Kentucky Derby hero Fusaichi Pegasus and Preakness champ Red Bullet MIA’s, along with every other Grade 1 winner in a solid crop of 3-year-olds, Aptitude – a colt who’s won one race in
his life – was tabbed the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the field of 11 when post positions were drawn yesterday for Saturday’s so-called “Test of the Champion” (ABC, 4:30-6 p.m.; post time 5:27).
The 9-2 second choice in the 132nd Belmont, Impeachment, also is eligible for a non-winners of one allowance, as are longshots Commendable and Curule. Impeachment, who finished third in the Derby and Preakness, is the only horse from a crop of 32,000 to run in all three Triple Crown races this year.
“It does surprise me that of 19 horses in the Derby, Impeachment is the only one that made all three,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s a durable, rugged kind of individual that can stand up to hard races close together.
“In a period of five weeks, everything has to go according to plan. Time doesn’t allow a margin for error.”
Pegasus gashed his foot last weekend and Bullet’s people decided he needed some rest, making this the first time since 1970 both the Derby and Preakness winners missed the Belmont. That year, Derby winner Dust Commander wasn’t entered after running poorly in the Preakness, and Preakness winner Personality was injured and scratched Belmont eve.
Although Aptitude’s only career victory came against maidens in January, he rates favoritism going 1½ miles around “Big Sandy” after finishing close behind Pegasus and Bullet in his last three starts. The stretch-running son of 1992 Belmont winner A.P. Indy was second in the Gotham, third in the Wood Memorial and second again in the Derby, beaten 1½ lengths.
Aptitude went wide in the Derby while Fusaichi Pegasus saved ground, and after the race his Brooklyn-born trainer, Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel, said that made a difference.
“I didn’t say I should have won the Derby,” Frankel said yesterday. “I said I could have won. We both ran 13/4 (speed ratings) on the sheets. (With a better trip) it would have been a photo finish.
“I always said that if we had a chance to win one of these three races, the Belmont was our best shot because of his pedigree and running style. That’s why we skipped the Preakness.”
Aptitude is bucking history, as are Wheelaway (fifth in the Derby), Curule (seventh) and Commendable (17th). All four are making their first starts since then, and no horse ever has gone straight from the Derby to win the Belmont without a race in between.
The Peter Pan Stakes, run two weekends ago here, has produced many Belmont winners, including Lemon Drop Kid last year at 30-1. This go-round, the first four finishers in the Peter Pan – Postponed, Unshaded, Globalize and Tahkodha Hills – are back.
Postponed will be saddled by Hall of Famer Scotty Schulhofer, who also trains Lemon Drop Kid and won the ’93 Belmont with Colonial Affair after prepping him in the Peter Pan. Both Lemon Drop Kid and Colonial Affair finished third in that race.
“It’s worked for me before,” Schulhofer said. “Carl (Nafzger, trainer of Unshaded) said ‘this time you messed up and won it.’
“Postponed is a nice horse. He has the pedigree and he has the talent. Now, he has to put them together.” Postponed also must carry 13 extra pounds from the Peter Pan to the Belmont.
Unshaded, seeking to join Creme Fraiche as the second gelding to win the Belmont, must be respected, if only because owner James Tafel is risking $100,000 to supplement him because he wasn’t nominated to the Triple Crown. The decision to run wasn’t made until Monday, after Fusaichi Pegasus was scratched and Unshaded worked well.
Globalize is an intriguing longshot. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the leading horseman in northern California, the Summer Squall colt has won three stakes, more than anyone else in the field, and was only beaten 1½ lengths in the Peter Pan making his first start in five weeks.
His jockey, Mike Smith, said he expects Globalize to be in front turning for home. “From there, it’s just a matter of whether he can hold off the closers,” Smith said.
