Tuesday's Trackside Belmont Report

ELMONT, NY – With champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) in transit from trainer Mark Casse's Churchill Downs base, a handful of GI Belmont S. contenders were at it early to beat the impeding rain on a chilly and breezy Tuesday morning beneath cloudy skies on Long Island.

Trainer Todd Pletcher arrived at the clubhouse gap and watched by himself as his one-two punch of Tapwrit (Tapit) and 'TDN Rising Star' Patch (Union Rags)–neither sporting Belmont S. saddle towels–hit the track to gallop shortly after 6 a.m. The gray GII Tampa Bay Derby winner, sixth with trouble in the GI Kentucky Derby, trained with his regular black blinkers on.

His popular one-eyed stablemate, a well-beaten 14th after a rough trip of his own on the First Saturday in May, may own arguably the best pedigree in the likely field of 12 to see out the 1 1/2 miles of the Belmont. By 2012 Belmont winner Union Rags and produced by an A.P. Indy mare, Patch's second dam Unbridled Wind (Unbridled) is a full-sister to champion Banshee Breeze, heroine of the GI CCA Oaks at this distance and also the GI Alabama S. at 10 furlongs.

Pletcher, now a well-documented two-time Kentucky Derby- winning trainer courtesy of Always Dreaming (Bodemeister)'s exploits earlier this spring, has also enjoyed more than his share of success in the third leg of the Triple Crown, led by 2007 heroine Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) and 2013 winner Palace Malice (Curlin). Destin (Giant's Causeway) became Pletcher's fifth runner-up finisher in the Belmont after falling a painful nose short in 2016.

The action shifted to Belmont's nearby training track with Japan's Epicharis (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) breezing an easy five furlongs in 1:06.06 (14/14) at 6:30 a.m. The blaze-faced dark bay looked to be getting over the ground quite well and was reaching out nicely as he picked up the pace considerably down the lane, covering his final three-eighths in a sharp :37. By comparison, the fastest three-furlong move of 11 conducted over the training track Tuesday morning was completed in :37.05, a full second better than the second-fastest move.

Freshened since suffering his first career defeat when beaten just a nose in the G2 UAE Derby Mar. 25, Epicharis was still walking with exercise rider and assistant trainer Masa Aki up about a half hour later outside of the Quarantine Barn as trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara met with a small group of press (with an assist from a translator) for approximately 15 minutes.

Has Hagiwara had a chance to check out any of the sites in New York City yet? “Peter Luger,” he responded with a big smile of his trip to the popular steakhouse since arriving in the Big Apple.

The morning for Epicharis, however, was not quite over yet as he briefly snuck out for another trip to the track–this time he just stood by the main track–after taking a spin through Belmont's scenic paddock while Hagiwara continued to chat with the media. Epicharis, eligible for NYRA's $1-million bonus offered to any Japan-based winner of the Belmont, will be ridden by regular rider Christophe Lemaire Saturday.

Derby runner-up and Preakness fourth Lookin At Lee (Lookin At Lucky) was on his toes nicely during some light exercise at 7:15 a.m. The blinkered bay, trained by Steve Asmussen, breezed four furlongs in :48.33 (8/52) over Big Sandy Sunday. Asmussen shoots for his second straight Belmont fresh off the heels of Creator (Tapit)'s upset victory last year.

Back from his trip to Epsom, trainer Kenny McPeek was on hand to supervise Senior Investment (Discreetly Mine)'s four- furlong breeze in :50.19 (8/13) at daybreak Tuesday morning. The flashy chestnut got rolling late to finish a good third at 31-1 in the Preakness.