The news that Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Sovereignty would skip the Preakness Stakes (G1) sent a jolt through the Triple Crown.
Trainer Bill Mott said Sovereignty would next point to the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 7 at Saratoga. Mott felt the added time between the Derby and Belmont would benefit Sovereignty in the long run.
As usual, Hall of Famer Mott is right.
It also frames the Belmont in a different light. A rested Sovereignty will be a handful at his home base.
Who will be intrepid enough to challenge him in the final jewel of this diminished Triple Crown? We will get some clues Saturday in the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.
Peter Pan is New York’s traditional stepping stone to the Belmont for horses who did not contest the Derby. Usually, two or three Peter Pan runners step up to take the bigger swing in the Belmont.
The New York Racing Association makes that an even more appealing option by waiving all entry and starting fees (excluding supplemental fees for horses not nominated to the Triple Crown) for the first three Peter Pan finishers.
So, who is up for the challenge?
The most logical contender is Captain Cook, a tiring fourth in the Wood Memorial (G2) as the 9-5 favorite after chasing the pace set by eventual winner Rodriguez.
“We thought that he ran as good as he could,” trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. said. “He had everything go his way in the race and it seemed to me that he just kind of got outrun, and that is OK. He has bounced back in his training, and he is doing good. We are very happy with him.”
Captain Cook already owns a stakes victory over the track, the Withers back on Feb. 1. He’s the 2-1 favorite in a field of 10.
Hill Road (5-2) has been unable to build on his impressive U.S. debut in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), where he rallied from last to get third.
He was an uninspired third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), his season debut, and he missed the Wood Memorial when he spiked a fever.
“He's fully recovered from the temperature and looks good. I'm pleased with him,” trainer Chad Brown said. "It's a really strong crop, so if he's able to get to the Belmont, it will be a real challenging race, but we'll take it one race at a time."
It will be a challenge with Sovereignty and possibly Derby runner-up Journalism in the Belmont lineup. As Brown says, it’s one race at a time, so for those who bet on horse racing, let’s go here with …
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
