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Classic Empire taken out of Belmont due to injury; Irish War Cry now the favorite in field of 12


By Liane Crossley
NKyTribune correspondent

Irish War Cry, 10th in the Kentucky Derby as the second choice, is the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $1.5-million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on the outskirts of New York City.

The race is now even more wide open after likely favorite Classic Empire, the gallant runner-up in the Preakness Stakes after a hard-luck fourth in the Kentucky Derby, was not entered. He was taken out of consideration because of a hoof abscess that flared up early Wednesday morning.

Classic Empire is not expected to suffer any residual effects and should be competing again next month.

Also noticeably missing from the line-up are Derby hero Always Dreaming and Preakness champ Cloud Computer who will stay in their barns to await opportunities later this year.

Irish War Cry, 10th in the Kentucky Derby as the second choice, is the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $1.5-million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park (Coady Photography)

yquist (Derby), Exaggerator (Preakness) and Creator. The previous year American Pharoah famously swept the Triple Crown.

This year’s field features several starters from the Derby and Preakness and some newcomers to the Triple Crown scene. Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee has the distinction of being the only horse to compete in all three races this year.

Post time for the Belmont Stakes is 6:32 p.m. ET. Race-day television coverage begins at 5 p.m. on NBC. Pre-race broadcast is available on NBC Sports Network on Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.

Following is the list of entries in post-position order followed by each horse’s birthplace in parentheses.

1. Twisted Tom (N.Y.)
The newbie to elite races has won his last three starts in New York and Maryland. His trainer Chad Brown is looking for his first Belmont Stakes win after scoring his first Preakness Stakes victory last month with Cloud Computing.

A triumph would make Twisted Tom the fourth New York-born horse to win the state’s signature race and the first since Forester in 1882. He also would join Crème Fraiche (1985) and Ruler on Ice (2011) as the only geldings to win the race. Maternal grandsire Thunder Gulch won 1995 Belmont.

Kentucky connection: Twisted Tom was offered at auction at Fasig-Tipton’s 2015 October yearling sale but failed to reach his owner’s minimum price on a final bid of $22,000.

2. Tapwrit (Ky.)
The most expensive horse in the field with a price tag of $1.2-million at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Tapwrit also is one of the most attractive with his blackish gray coat and white-trimmed tail. He experienced interference in the Kentucky Derby but still managed to finish sixth as a longshot. His three career victories include the Tampa Bay Derby in March. He is trained by Todd Pletcher who won the 2007 Belmont with Rags to Riches.

Kentucky connection: Tapwrit finished fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8.

3. Gormley (Ky.)
After finishing ninth in the Kentucky Derby, Gormely returns for the final leg of the Triple Crown. He solidified his place as an over achiever by scoring a half length victory in the Santa Anita Derby on April 8. The Belmont’s daunting 1 ½ mile distance is in his genes—his paternal grandsire A,P Indy won the 1992 edition.

Kentucky connection: Gormely was offered at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale but failed to reach his owners’ minimum on a final bid of $150,000.

4. J Boys Echo (Ky.)
J Boys Echo bypassed the Preakness following his 15th place finish in the Derby. He stamped himself as an upper level contender by winning the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 4 before finishing fourth in Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes on April 8. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who bought into Creator just days before he won last year’s Belmont, recently purchased an interest in J Boys Echo.
A paternal grandson of 1992 Belmont winner A.P. Indy, J Boys Echo is named for co-owner Jason Loutsch, who often is called “J Boy.” The second part of the moniker is a nod to the colt’s dam, Letgomyecho.

Kentucky connection: He was sold at 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale for $485,000.

5. Hollywood Handsome (Ky.)
This newcomer to the Triple Crown is trained by Dallas Stewart, who has been known to hit the board with longshots in big races. Hollywood Handsome was a winner at Churchill Downs on May 14 but has not been among the top three finishers in two tries in the upper echelons.

Kentucky connection: He was purchased for $200,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s 2015 October sale in Lexington.

6. Lookin At Lee (Ky.)
The Kentucky Derby runner-up checked in fourth in the Preakness Stakes. Prior to that, Lookin At Lee was third in the Arkansas Derby. His named is derived from sire Lookin At Lucky and co-owner Lee Levinson.

Kentucky connection: He was sold at 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale for $70,000.

7. Irish War Cry (N.J)
Morning-line favorite Irish War Cry is back in action after finishing 10th in the Kentucky Derby as the second choice. He established himself as an upper level performer when he won a major Derby prep race—the Wood Memorial Stakes at New York’s Aqueduct in April. A victory would make him the eighth New Jersey-born racer to win the Belmont and the first since 1913. He sire Curlin was narrowly beaten as the favorite in the 2007 Belmont.

Kentucky connection: His sire Curlin resides at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Lexington.

8. Senior Investment (Ky.)
Senior Investment added his name to the list of top three-year-olds by charging from off the pace to win the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 15. He bypassed the Derby in favor of the Preakness where he finished third. Trainer Ken McPeek won the 2002 Belmont with longshot Sarava.

Kentucky connection: He was purchased for $95,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale. McPeek grew up in Lexington and graduated from Tates Creek High School and the University of Kentucky.

9. Meantime (Ky.)
Meantime has not been worse than third in four career starts that include his first career win in April at Keeneland. He tuned up for the Belmont by finishing second in key prep race at Belmont Park on May 13.

Kentucky connection: He was purchased at the 2015 Keeneland yearling sale for $230,000.

10. Multiplier (Ky.)
Prior to his sixth-place finish in the Preakness, Multiplier made a name for himself by winning the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Racecourse on April 22. His other three starts came at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans where he was third and then second before gaining his first career victory. His name reflects his sire The Factor.

Kentucky connection: Multiplier was sold as a weanling for $62,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale.

11. Epicharis (Japan)
A victory would make Epicharis the first horse born in Japan to win the Belmont. Unraced since finishing second in the United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai in late March, Epicharis arrived at Belmont Park from his native country on June 1. He won his other four career starts in Japan. His paternal grandsire Sunday Silence was second in the 1989 Belmont after winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

Kentucky connection: His paternal grandsire Sunday Silence won the 1989 Kentucky Derby.

12. Patch (Ky.)
The one-eyed horse with the folksy name is back in the spotlight after finishing 14th in the Kentucky Derby. He was christened in reference to his sire Union Rags—winner of the 2012 Belmont—but inadvertently lived up to his name when his ailing left eye was removed leaving a skin-covered socket. Undeterred by his special challenge, he won his second career start in February and was runner-up in the Louisiana Derby on April 1. Trainer Todd Pletcher won the 2007 Belmont with Rags to Riches.

Kentucky connection: Patch campaigns for the famed Calumet Farm in Lexington now owned by Brad Kelley whose racing colors are black and gold. During their glory days under different ownership, Calumet Farm won the Belmont and swept the Triple Crown with Whirlaway and Citation in their legendary red and blue silks.

Liane Crossley is a Lexington-based freelance writer


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