NEW YORK – The winner of the Kentucky Derby Rich Strike is the third choice for morning betting for Belmont Stakes, and rookie Triple Crown We the People has become a favorite.
Rich Strike opened with a factor of 7-2 and finished fourth in the field with eight horses for the third part of the 1 1/2 mile triple crown. “We the People,” decided to score 2-1, and the score of 6 Mo Donegal, coached by Todd Pletcher, was 5-2.
A month after Rich Strike played 80-1 to win the Derby and bypassed Prekness for extra rest, coach Eric Reed believes the foal trains at Belmont Park as well as at Churchill Downs.
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“He did very well since he was here,” Reed said Tuesday during the draw. “I see that the energy level is a little higher now and he seems a little more confident.”
We humans are winning Peter Pan’s 3rd grade at Belmont Park on May 15th. Another wet track is possible on Saturday. French-born coach Rudolph Brissett said he would “not be upset” if rain is forecast.
As for We the People opening as a favorite, Brisset said: “Everyone knows we like the horse this winter. I don’t look at the odds, but it makes sense.
Pletcher has two horses: Mo Donegal, who finished fifth in the Derby, and Philly Nest, who finished second in the Kentucky Oaks the day before. He has already won Belmont once with a mare – Rags to Riches in 2004 – and is ready to take this chance with Nest, who drew in third place and opens with a score of 8-1.
“Everything went perfectly out of the Oaks,” Pletcher said. “She is a mare who is really well behaved for this race. I think she has the right character for that and she has given us all the signs that she is doing very well. “
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Along with Rich Strike and Mo Donegal, Barber Road is the only other Derby horse involved in the Belmont races. Barber Road, who was sixth in the Derby, played a draw on the outer eighth pole with a 10-1 odds.
This year, there are no horses to take part in all three stages of the Triple Crown, after Epicenter, which finished second in Derby and Preakness, got a rest to prepare for the races this summer. The Creative Minister, who finished third after Early Voting and Epicenter three weeks ago in Preakness, is the only horse to take part in all three Triple Crown days after winning the minor competition on May 7 in Churchill.
“This horse has a real chance,” coach Kenny McPeak said of the 5th Minister of Creativity, who opened 6-1. “He coped with (Preakness) very well and he needs to take a step forward again.”
Skipong stockings, who finished fifth in Preakness, finished second. He and number 7 Golden Glider are the longest throws on the board with a score of 20-1.
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