Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, looking fit and frisky despite his sixth-place finish in last Saturday’s Preakness, arrived at Belmont Park about 4 p.m. yesterday after vanning up from Pimlico.
Accompanied by stablemate Hero’s Tribute, who runs in Saturday’s Peter Pan Stakes, and pet pony Mouse, Monarchos bedded down in barn 3 – once the headquarters of trainer Woody Stephens when he sent out five straight winners of the Belmont Stakes.
Monarchos hopes to continue that tradition when he runs in the June 9 “Test of the Champion.” Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Derby winner is definite for the third jewel of the Triple Crown.
After resting Sunday and Monday, Monarchos went out for a jog Tuesday, then galloped a mile and a half yesterday morning before leaving Baltimore.
“No complaints so far,” said trainer John Ward’s assistant, Yvonne Azeff, who rode with Monarchos on the van. “We had to send him out to the track after two days. He was tearing down the barn. He corded up huge after the Preakness, but I told John I hadn’t seen him recover this quickly before.”
“He was bucking, playing, cutting up,” exercise rider Bryan Beccia said. “I think he might be a little mad about losing that race.”
It’s not known yet whether Preakness winner Point Given, beaten favorite in the Derby, will go in the Belmont.
“I sure hope he does,” Azeff said.
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After missing the Derby and Preakness, Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron will enter the fray in the Belmont, riding Balto Star for trainer Todd Pletcher.
McCarron, who won the Belmont aboard Danzig Connection in 1986 and Touch Gold in ’97, passed up several opportunities earlier this year to ride some top 3-year-olds in the classics, including Dollar Bill, Millennium Wind and A P Valentine.
Instead, McCarron stayed in California, winning the San Juan Capistrano on the standout turf horse Bienamado and the Railbird Stakes on the classy 3-year-old filly Golden Ballet.
“Golden Ballet, she was 1-9, and Bienamado was the favorite, too,” McCarron’s agent, Scotty McClellan, said. “Sometimes you’ve got to go for lesser money and ride for your good customers.
“This year, the timing just didn’t work out for us for the Derby and Preakness. But we don’t have any big mounts in California on Belmont Day. Hopefully now we’ll get back as a Triple Crown threat.”
