MUBTAAHIJ (10-1), with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.engaged to ride for the first time, will be assigned to the rail for trainer Mike de Kock – the eighth-place Derby finisher drew No 1 for Saturday’s Gr1 Belmont Stakes over 2400m at Belmont Park.
Mike de Kock at the Belmont Draw Ceremony.(New York Daily News).
Zayat Stables’ Triple Crown hopeful American Pharoah drew post 5 for the $1.5 million race and was installed as the 3-5 morning-line favourite during a June 3 ceremony at Rockefeller Center in New York.
The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile will be ridden again by Victor Espinoza for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and will face rested Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) opponents Frosted, Materiality, Mubtaahij, Keen Ice, and Frammento—who all sat out the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I)—as well as Preakness runner-up Tale of Verve and Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) victor Madefromlucky.
Charles Fipke’s Tale of Verve drew post 2 with Hall of Famer Gary Stevens aboard for trainer Dallas Stewart and was assigned 15-1 odds on the morning line. Godolphin’s Frosted, fourth in the Derby, will break from post 2 with Joel Rosario in the irons and is second choice on the morning line, at 5-1.
Alto Racing’s Materiality (6-1), a troubled sixth in the Derby, and jockey John Velazquez will stand in post 8 with fellow Todd Pletcher trainee Madefromlucky (12-1) five spots to his left in post 3 with Javier Castellano.
Keen Ice (20-1), a head behind Materiality in the Kentucky Derby, drew post 7 with Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard for trainer Dale Romans.
Frammento (30-1), who finished 11th in the Derby and drew post 4 with jockey Mike Smith, will try to be the third Triple Crown spoiler for trainer Nick Zito.
1 Comment
MUBTAAHIJ can win this race but he must take the race to the americans ,put him closer to the pace nothing will happen to the horse ,this is his chance for greatness.
the americans will hope for a slow pace to try to sprint home ,like in the derby put him in front and take the initiative to set the fractions if he is still in front after 9 furlongs he has won because they will not run him down thereafter