Bourbon Lane Stable and Lake Star Stable's Bourbon War (Tapit) has joined the cast for next Saturday's GI Belmont S. Last seen finishing eighth in the GI Preakness S. May 18, the well-bred son of GISW My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller) breezed four panels Friday at Big Sandy. He was clocked in :48.74 (3/7) without the blinkers he added for the Preakness. “I was happy with him. I thought he did well, looked sharp and galloped out strong,” trainer Mark Hennig said. The GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth runner-up will be ridden for the first time in the Belmont by three-time race winner and Hall of Famer Mike Smith.
Also working for the Belmont Friday was Tracy Farmer homebred Sir Winston (Awesome Again), who was clocked in :50.16 (5/7) over the same track and distance as Bourbon War. “He worked an easy half-mile with a good gallop out,” said Jamie Begg, assistant to conditioner Mark Casse. “He did it the way he likes to do it and he did it the right way. [Rider] Joel [Rosario, who will be aboard in the Belmont,] was very happy with the breeze.”
Sir Winston most recently rallied to be second in the GIII Peter Pan S. in Elmont May 11. Casse's more fancied Belmont runner, Preakness hero War of Will (War Front), is scheduled to arrive in New York Monday.
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