SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – By the time 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief Wallabee (Constitution) got to the races, Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes, already had three starts on his resume.
When the Chief won that first career start back on Jan. 10, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott thought he had a nice little horse he could have some fun with. Mott was thinking he had a horse that could do some good at a mile, maybe win the GI Woody Stephens at seven furlongs later in the year.
Chief Wallabee was having none of that. His second career start saw him just miss by a neck to the highly regarded Commandment (Into Mischief) in the GII Fountain of Youth. Forget about the sprints; here was a Classic horse in the making.
“I wasn't thinking about the Kentucky Derby or the Belmont or the Florida Derby,” Mott said after the draw for the GI Belmont Stakes was held Monday night. “I thought we were too far behind.”
Again, the Chief said no; he was ready to rock and roll with the heavyweights of the 3-year-old division. And that is just what he has done. A third in the GI Florida Derby followed the Fountain of Youth and then a solid fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby despite having traffic problems in the stretch.
And now, here he is. He'll make start No. 5 in the Belmont, and he is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. Chief Wallabee has been knocking on the door; maybe he kicks it in on Saturday.
“He is a young horse and to watch him grow before your eyes is a remarkable thing,” Mott said. “A lot of horses wither up after going through the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. I have had other horse that we've run in some of these big races, and you start putting that pressure on them and they shrink on you. He has not done that.”
In the Kentucky Derby, Chief Wallabee encountered trouble in midstretch when he was squeezed by horses to his outside and then bumped, which knocked him off stride for a precious few seconds. He recovered, kept on running and finished a solid fourth.
He was only three lengths from a Derby victory, two lengths away from third, which was owned by Ocelli (Connect), who was involved in the roughhousing in the stretch.
There was no inquiry.
“I don't know,” Mott said when asked if the incident cost Chief Wallabee. “I've wondered that, but I'm not sure. I am not going to sit here and say it cost me a placing. But it cost me something.”
Chief Wallabee shipped to Saratoga shortly after the Derby and has worked three times on the Oklahoma. Mott has also taken the colt, owned by Michael and Katherine Ball, to the main track for some of his gallops.
His final Belmont work came Saturday when he went five furlongs in 1:01.40 (2/4).
Englishman with Enrique Miranda up and Cherie DeVaux aboard Bully | Sarah Andrew
DeVaux's Englishman Could Make Noise on Belmont Day
'Rising Star' Golden Tempo (Curlin) isn't the only marquee horse that trainer Cherie DeVaux has running on Saturday's blockbuster GI Belmont Stakes card at Saratoga Race Course.
While Golden Tempo, the GI Kentucky Derby winner gets the bulk of the attention – and deservedly so – keep a close eye on fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Englishman (Maxfield), who is running in the seven-furlong GI, $500,000 Woody Stephens, just a little more than two hours before the Belmont.
Englishman will get a rematch with the Bob Baffert-trained 'Rising Star' Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), who put on a show the first time the two 3-year-olds met. That was in the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day and Crude Velocity powered home in stakes record time (1:33.87).
Englishman and jockey Jose Ortiz set the pace, like they had in two prior gate-to-wire victories. This time, they could not hold off Crude Velocity and Florent Geroux, losing by 3 3/4 lengths.
“In retrospect, the mile is probably a touch too far for him,” DeVaux said. “We're getting him back to a distance he has won at.”
Englishman, owned by C R K Stable LLC, broke his maiden at seven furlongs in his first career start, at Churchill Downs, last September. He won by 7 1/4 lengths.
More of the same came at Fair Grounds in a six-furlong allowance on March 19. Englishman blazed to a 7 1/2-length victory in a swift 1:08.76.
That brought him to the Pat Day Mile and Englishman had the rail while Crude Velocity tracked from post six.
“It was not ideal being on an inside post,” DeVaux said. “Now he is more outside (seven post) so any speed is to his inside and he can let them go and not be pressed the whole way. He is a fast horse and gets into his stride quickly.”
Crude Velocity, who has won all three of his starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, starts next door in post six. Crude Velocity is the 9-5 morning-line favorite; Englishman is the 3-1 second choice.
“I'm looking forward to it,” DeVaux said. “They are two exciting horses. Derby type and Classic horses are always exciting but those two are exceptional horses and are going to match up a few times this year.”
Always a Runner at Saratoga Tuesday | Sarah Andrew
Ky Oaks Champ Always a Runner Big Threat in Acorn
The name is appropriate. From the first time he saw her, trainer Chad Brown thought that 'Rising Star' Always a Runner (Gun Runner) would always be a runner. And, despite some rocky patches early on, the classy filly has sling-shotted her way to the top of the 3-year-old distaff division.
She won the GI Kentucky Oaks in just her third start and will look to stay undefeated Friday in the GI Acorn Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
“She shipped into Saratoga shortly after the (Oaks) and she is doing great,” Brown said, standing outside Always a Runner's stall at his barn on the Oklahoma Training Track.
Owned by breeder Three Chimneys Farm and Douglas Scharbauer, Always a Runner overcame a nasty case of pneumonia last fall that delayed her debut until February 6th at Tampa Bay Downs.
A dominating 6 1/2-length maiden win impressed Brown enough that he put Always a Runner on the Kentucky Oaks trail.
She won the GIII Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct on April 4th by 1 1/4 lengths and Brown was confident enough to send her to Louisville despite only two starts.
“Certainly, the horses don't run as much, they benefit with more spacing,” Brown said. “That said, I would rather not go into the Oaks or (Kentucky) Derby with a third career start. It's not my 'A' plan.”
It worked out well in the Oaks, not so much in the GI Kentucky Derby where Brown's 'Rising Star' Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}) – who also had two starts – finished 10th. Always a Runner won the Oaks by 1 1/4 lengths for jockey Jose Ortiz.
“It is hard to do,” Brown said about the two starts, “but (Always a Runner) is a super talented filly and she is right up there with the most talented we have had. I am excited for everyone to see her live.”
Only four others will challenge Always a Runner, the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Acorn. Three of them last ran in the Kentucky Oaks: Meaning (Gun Runner), who was second, Counting Stars (Honor A. P.), who was third and fifth-place finisher 'Rising Star' Prom Queen (Quality Road).
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