The front-running horses in the Kentucky Derby last month completed the first quarter-mile in under 23 seconds and a half-mile in under 47 seconds.
That blistering pace paved the way for Golden Tempo’s last-to-first charge from the back of the pack to win by a neck. Five weeks later, the Cherie DeVaux-trained colt is among the top contenders in the 158th rendition of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, even if there does not appear to be as much early speed in the field.
That could mean jockey Jose Ortiz has to ride a much different race to close out the Triple Crown than the masterful way he did to start it, especially considering the stiff competition from morning line favorite and Derby runner-up Renegade, as well as others returning to the track who ran in that race at Churchill Downs on May 2.
“We just have to hope that a pace materializes with his running style,” DeVaux said. “If that does not happen, Jose is going to have to come up with plan B to where he just doesn’t give himself so much to do in the later stages of the race.”
Ortiz and Golden Tempo blew by brother Irad and Renegade just before the finish line at the Derby, needing every bit of the 1 1/4 miles. With this being the third and final time the Belmont takes place at Saratoga in upstate New York, it is also 1 1/4 miles before reverting to 1 1/2 next year.
That suits Renegade just fine following his strong run in Kentucky.
“Overall, he came out of the race well,” said Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who also has Powershift in the field of nine in the Belmont. “Like a lot of horses who run in the Derby, he was a little bit tired immediately after the race. But we gave him a few days to recover.”
The fast fractions in the Derby set the stage for closer-style horses such as Golden Tempo and Renegade. Not so much for Commandment, who went off as the third choice in wagering at 6-1 that day.
Trainer Brad Cox likes what he has seen out of Commandment working out and galloping since and chalks up the last race to trying to keep up with the leaders too much.
“If you were in the first half of the pack in the first quarter-mile, it just didn’t work out real well for most of those horses,” Cox said. “I do think if you zero in on him and watch his race in the Derby, I thought he actually ran pretty well, just obviously wasn’t the result we were looking for.”
Commandment opened at 6-1 for the Belmont, longer odds than Renegade at 2-1, Bill Mott-trained Chief Wallabee at 3-1 and Golden Tempo at 9-1, and the same as Emerging Market.
“I think he’s a little bit forgotten,” Cox said. “I do think horse racing is made up of what have you done lately. … A lot of it comes down to what you did in your last race. And obviously, that was not the performance we were looking for in the Derby, but I thought it was a good run.”
All eyes are on Golden Tempo, who did not run in the Preakness after DeVaux and owners opted for extra rest. It’s the same thing Mott did a year ago with Sovereignty following his Kentucky Derby victory, and the end result was winning the Belmont.
DeVaux expects Golden Tempo to run his normal race and is counting on the horse and Ortiz aboard to navigate the conditions the Belmont presents.
“It’s kind of just how the race unfolds in front of them and what Jose decides to do, and as well as Golden Tempo,” DeVaux said. “If there’s not a contentious pace, he should be closer, in theory. Jose can either get him closer earlier, or he needs to start his run earlier. … That’s going to have to be a game time decision that’s left up to him.”
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