Wealthy Strike Heads to the Belmont Stakes Trying to Earn Extra Respect

Eric Reed says he feels the strain. Not for himself, however the coach feels it for his Kentucky Derby champion, Wealthy Strike.

Kentucky Derby winner Wealthy Strike runs on the backstretch of Churchill Downs Monday in one among his ultimate exercises earlier than the June 11 Belmont Stakes. Coach Eric Reed mentioned the colt will depart Louisville for New York Tuesday morning. (Picture: On line casino.org)

Three weeks after their monumental upset to win the Run for the Roses, they’re preparing now for the June 11 Belmont Stakes in New York. Reed and Rick Dawson, Wealthy Strike’s proprietor, determined to bypass the Preakness Stakes and forego an opportunity at a Triple Crown with a view to hold their colt on his regular coaching schedule.

Odds are, Wealthy Strike received’t go off within the Belmont wherever close to the 80-1 odds he had on the pari-mutuel tote board as a last-minute insertion into the Derby. However Reed candidly admits there’ll nonetheless be loads of doubters coming ahead over the subsequent couple of weeks.

In any case, this can be a horse that completed fourth and third in his two Kentucky Derby prep races. And whereas Reed is a longtime coach, his horses race at smaller tracks. The Derby win was additionally simply his second graded stakes victory.

My entire factor is, I would like him to proceed to get respect, and you need to earn respect,” Reed mentioned Monday after Wealthy Strike labored out between races at Churchill Downs in Louisville. “So, I don’t anticipate these guys to only after one race… bow all the way down to him. He’s going to need to hold operating effectively, and like I mentioned, his operating fashion is one the place he may not win each race. However so long as he makes his presence felt in every race that’s all we will ask. From there, no matter occurs, occurs.”

Reed and Wealthy Strike will depart from Louisville for Belmont Park in New York Tuesday for the June 11 race.

Belmont Poses Different Issues

The publish place draw for the Belmont continues to be per week away. The sector for the ultimate leg of the Triple Crown received’t be set till then.

Epicenter, who completed second within the Derby and Preakness, isn’t anticipated to run. Neither is Preakness winner Early Voting. However a number of others are anticipated to enter. That features Wooden Memorial winner Mo Donegal, who completed fifth within the Kentucky Derby. Inventive Minister, who ran a really respectable third within the Could 21 Preakness for his graded stakes debut, is one other possible starter.

With a smaller discipline than the 20-horse Derby, Wealthy Strike received’t need to chase down as many horses as he did coming from effectively off the tempo – he was 18th and 17 lengths again on the half-mile pole – to win.

However the Belmont offers its personal distinctive set of challenges. At 1-1/2 miles, it’s the longest of the Triple Crown races and a full quarter-mile longer than the Derby. But, regardless of that, historical past reveals that closers don’t fare all that effectively.

Nonetheless, Reed mentioned he hasn’t altered something in prepping Wealthy Strike for the Belmont. He added the horse had loads of power left as he completed the Derby three weeks in the past.

“The principle factor is simply getting his thoughts proper in order that he makes use of himself correctly the primary mile and 1 / 4 within the Belmont, after which when he turns for residence, hopefully, he’s able the place he can take it from there,” the coach mentioned.

Wealthy Strike Leaves Churchill on Sturdy Notice

As Wealthy Strike returned to the Louisville monitor on Monday afternoon, he drew applause from the group throughout his mid-afternoon exercise between races. The ambiance at Churchill Downs on Memorial Day wasn’t fairly the identical because it was three weeks in the past. Nonetheless, Reed mentioned he was extra nervous about Monday’s exercise than he was for the Derby.

He breezed 5 furlongs in :59. That shaved six-tenths off the exercise on the similar distance he had 10 days earlier than the Derby.

“Individuals received’t consider it (was extra nerve-racking). It was,” he mentioned. “A giant aid when he pulled up, got here residence and all the things was good. It was the final step to get us to the Belmont.”