TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 732-747-8060 $ TDN Home Page Click Here At the Belmont Stakes... PEDIGREE INSIGHTS A N D R E W C A U L F I E L D ...with Steve Sherack B Y @SteveSherackTDN The last couple of weeks have been fairly momentous for Coolmore=s stallion team. At the age of 16, the astonishing Galileo reached the extraordinary landmark of 100 worldwide group/graded winners when his CALM BEFORE THE CHROME daughter Marvellous lived up to her name in the Irish With six potential GI Belmont S. starters taking it G1 1000 Guineas. Then, easy a day after breezing, it was a fairly quiet morning seven days later, six days out from California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit)=s Mastercraftsman became a date with destiny in Elmont, N.Y. Classic sire with his first crop On an absolutely spectacular morning with when his very likeable son temperatures in the The Grey Gatsby dominated 60s and cloudless Sunday=s Prix du Jockey-Club. skies above, the Mastercraftsman had GI Kentucky Derby himself been a very decisive and Preakness S. winner of the 2009 Irish 2000 victor made his way Guineas and he could have a from Barn 26 through The Grey Gatsby further chance of Classic the scenic Belmont Racing Post Photo glory at Epsom later this backstretch with week. His Group 3-winning assistant trainer Alan daughter Amazing Maria is a contender for the Oaks, Sherman--sporting a though she hasn=t raced since her impressive victories Los Alamitos cap--on last August, and his Group 1-winning son Kingston Hill the shank shortly appears to have a good chance of reaching the first Willie Delgado all smiles aboard after 6 a.m. three in the Derby a day later. Mastercraftsman could California Chrome early Monday morning A surprisingly small be said to have another Classic winner to his credit, group of media although not one of the Group 1 variety, as his representatives (there may have been more security daughter Vague Nouvelle won Italy=s version of the 1000 Guineas, the Premio Regina Elena. cont. p6 personnel in pursuit), as well as Ride on Curlin (Curlin)=s trainer Billy Gowan made the walk over to Big Sandy as the sun continued to rise by the clubhouse turn. There were plenty of photographers, however, awaiting California Chrome=s arrival near the gap, and just as he=s done during his previous victorious stops in Louisville and Baltimore, the flashy chestnut paused a couple of times and ate up every second of the attention. After receiving his daily dose of love from exercise rider Willie Delgado, the Coburn and Martin homebred returned to the track for the first time since Saturday=s sharp four-furlong breeze in :47.61, just as impressive GII Peter Pan S. winner Tonalist (Tapit) was completing his routine gallop at around 6:20 a.m. With Sherman watching from the clocker stand alongside current barnmate Kelly Breen--trainer of 2011 Belmont S. upsetter Ruler On Ice (Roman Ruler)-- California Chrome began to jog the wrong way along the outer rail. He quickly disappeared while making his way around the massive 1 1/2-mile oval as conditioner Barclay Tagg chatted with assistant Robin Smullen aboard a pair of stable ponies (has it really been 11 years since Funny Cide=s Triple Crown bid?). cont. p3 ARTIE SCHILLER DROSSELMEYER OVERANALYZE STREET HERO BELLAMY ROAD GEMOLOGIST PAYNTER SUPER SAVER Office: (859) 873-1717 Darren Fox: (859) 684-0067 BODEMEISTER HOLD ME BACK PIONEEROF THE NILE TAKE CHARGE INDY Kyle Wilson: (859) 699-8589 COLONEL JOHN KODIAK KOWBOY SIDNEY’S CANDY TIZNOW* Sean Tugel: (859) 940-0456 CONGRATS MAIMONIDES SPEIGHTSTOWN* U S RANGER www.WinStarFarm.com DISTORTED HUMOR MORE THAN READY SPRING AT LAST *Taylor Made / WinStar Venture standing at WinStar IN THIS ISSUE PEB’s TDN Sketch of the Week CO-PUBLISHERS President: Barry Weisbord [email protected] @barryweisbord Vice President: Sue Finley [email protected] @suefinley BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Director of Business Development: Gary King [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Martini Managing Editor: Alan Carasso Click here to buy a print of this sketch, or the original. Racing Editor: Steve Sherack Currently accepting commissions. Visit www.pebsite.com for details. Racing Analyst/Social Media Director: Brian DiDonato Associate Editor: Justina Severni Assistant Editor: Christie DeBernardis Assistant Editor: Heather Likins Around the Belmont Backstretch Assistant Editor: Michael Illiano ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising: Alycia Borer The field for Saturday’s GI Belmont Art Director: Lia Kusch S. solidifies with the confirmation of the Sr. Ad Coordinator/Dir. of Distribution: Sarah K. Andrew Todd Pletcher-trained Matterhorn (Tapit). Advertising Designer: Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistant: Amanda Foster However, the connections of Rontos Racing’s Social Inclusion (Pioneerof the CUSTOMER SERVICE Nile) are still undecided whether to send the colt to the Classic or the GII Woody [email protected] Director of Customer Service: Vicki Forbes Stephens on the undercard. Social Inclusion INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Adam Coglianese Director of IT: Robert Williams [email protected] Page 4 Database Admin./Programming Specialist: Gregg Casillo [email protected] Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series WORLDWIDE INFORMATION Michael Illiano talks to Peter Rotondo, the Breeders' Cup Vice President of International Editor: Kelsey Riley Media and Entertainment, about the revamped Breeders' Cup Challenge Series [email protected] Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Sean Cronin Page 9 Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 • Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.thoroughbreddailynews.com www.thetdn.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/3/14 • PAGE 3 of 9 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Immediately met on the track by Sherman following his light piece of exercise approximately 10 minutes later, about 15 photographers voyaged back to California Chrome=s current digs (also the home of the aforementioned Preakness runner-up) and lined up behind a white fence to get a shot of the big horse=s bath session while Sherman remained on the shank. Meanwhile, Social Inclusion (Pioneerof the Nile)--still currently under consideration for either the final leg of the Triple Crown or the seven-furlong GII Woody Stephens S. on the undercard--quietly made his way to the track just before 7 a.m. Trainer Manny Azpurua couldn=t have been pleased while watching from the clocker stand as the Preakness third-place finisher was on his worst behavior during a gate schooling session (he=s been asked to return later this week), further casting doubt on his Belmont S. participation. While that may=ve concluded the limited morning activity of Belmont S. contenders yesterday, there was still some serious star power on display during Star Power: Beholder, Richard Mandella & the training hours Gary Stevens to come. Goldencents (Into Mischief), an impressive victor of last term=s GI Breeders= Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita, looked plenty fit during a strong 7:40 a.m. gallop in preparation for what promises to be a loaded renewal of the GI Metropolitan H. The handsome blaze-faced bay has been off since a disappointing seventh as the 3-1 favorite in the GI Cigar Mile H. at the Big A Nov. 30. Gary Stevens, who has experienced both sides with Triple Crowns on the line (think Victory Gallop and Silver Charm), briefly checked in on the action with riding crop in hand from behind the rail at the clubhouse turn gap. The Hall of Fame rider chatted with several in attendance, including trainer Bobby Barbara and Social Inclusion=s owner Ron Sanchez. Currently left without a mount for the big one, Stevens explained to Barbara his disappointment upon learning of the career-ending injury to Intense Holiday (Harlan=s Holiday) via a ATDN Alert@ following a recent workout. After receiving a heads-up that two-time champion and GI Ogden Phipps S.-bound Beholder (Henny Hughes) would be schooling in the paddock and breezing following the break (much- appreciated, Gary), the stage was set for a fantastic preview of things to come this weekend. Close Hatches (First Defence)--a distant second behind Beholder in last November=s GI Breeders= Cup Distaff and unbeaten in a pair of subsequent attempts at four--took care of business first, hammering a bullet four furlongs in :47 1/5 (1/37). cont. p4 TDN ON THE SCENE: BELMONT STAKES WEEK Assistant trainer Alan Sherman gets the dual California Chrome heading back to the barn Classic winner ready for his bath ...out for light exercise California Chrome heads out shortly after 6 a.m. Champion Beholder--with Gary Stevens aboard--cruising through her four-furlong breeze after the break Monday Photo courtesy Sherackatthetrack Goldencents has settled into NY quite nicely TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/3/14 • PAGE 4 of 9 • thoroughbreddailynews.com With Richard Mandella keeping a close eye on Beholder=s every move while she was glued to the pony in the paddock, the Spendthrift colorbearer seemed much more at ease once her Hall of Fame trainer grabbed a hold of the reins as it was time to get down to business and head through the tunnel. For Beholder, it was much more of a maintenance work (four furlongs in an easy :49 3/5) as her major preparation was completed in Southern California prior to her Big Apple arrival. With a slew of Belmont S. contenders scheduled to train and an afternoon luncheon featuring the connections of California Chrome in Manhattan, things promise to be in full swing Tuesday. Click here to share this story FEATURE PRESENTATION • GI BELMONT S. Mile: June 14, $400,000 Shoemaker Mile-GI, SA, 3yo/up, 1m (T), Closes June 5 Turf: July 26, £1,000,000 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes sponsored by QIPCO, Ascot, 3yo/up, 1 1/2m (T), Closes June 10 For additional information, incl.