Stradivari and Destin turn in good works for Pletcher at Belmont

Stradivari and Destin gallop out strong in Belmont works

Todd Pletcher confirmed Stradivari for the Belmont Stakes after a half mile work in :50.55 Friday morning. Jockey John Velasquez was on board as Stradivari galloped in company with Decorated Soldier over the Belmont Park training track. The New York Racing Association reports the splits were :12.80 for one furlong and :25.20 two furlongs, with gallop out times of 1:02.80 five furlongs, 1:15.20 six furlongs and 1:29.40 seven furlongs.

Stradivari, fourth in the Preakness Stakes, and Decorated Soldier, fifth in the Peter Pan Stakes, finished evenly; Stradivari was stronger on the gallop out around the turn.

Owned by Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and John Gunther and trained by Pletcher, Stradivari is by Medaglia d’Oro out of Gunther’s multiple graded stakes winning mare, Bending Strings. Stradivari was a September 2014 Keeneland $335,000 RNA and has two wins with earning of $154,200.

Destin, Pletcher’s second entry in the Belmont, also worked out this morning. With Javier Castellano in the irons Destin, wearing his customary blinkers, galloped alongside Awesome Gent to finish his breeze in :49.56. Pletcher timed the early splits at :13.20 and :25.00, with gallop-out times of 1:02.40, 1:15.20 and 1:28.50.

Destin is by Giant’s Causeway out of the multiple graded stakes winner Dream of Summer. A $400,000 September Keeneland yearling purchase, Destin has earned $390,700 for his owners, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

NYRA confirms Pletcher was satisfied with Stradivari’s work and “assuming he comes out of it well, he will run.” Overall Pletcher was looking for a relaxed breeze with “good, steady gallop-outs. The jockeys for the works, Velazquez on Stradivari and Castellano on Destin, will be the same for the Belmont.

Tomorrow, post-breeze, it’s expected the horses will jog, then walk the shedrow on Sunday. Pletcher told NYRA he may gallop Stradivari and Destin “a time or two” on the main track pending favorable condition. Both of the horses are likely to school in the paddock on Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Future breezes.

Breezes for other Belmont likelies are tentatively scheduled at Belmont unless otherwise noted:
June 4
8:45 Cherry Wine and Brody’s Cause
Trojan Nation at Santa Anita
June 6
Creator
June 7
Exaggerator
June 8
Lani

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