USA TODAY International Edition
Classic Empire may run in Belmont
BALTIMORE In the immediate disappointment of Classic Empire’s tough loss in the Preakness Stakes, Mark Casse was skeptical about moving on to the Belmont Stakes. But the sun came up Sunday, and the trainer changed his tune a bit.
Cloud Computing rallied down the stretch to beat Classic Empire by a head in front of a Preaknessrecord crowd of 140,327 Saturday.
After the race, Casse said he was inclined to take a break and point toward the Haskell Invitational on July 30 at Monmouth Park. Sunday, Casse said Classic Empire likely would run in the Belmont unless a reason develops not to go in the June 10 Triple Crown finale.
“Two things in my opinion: One, I read where someone said the two weeks ( between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness) got him beat. Baloney,” Casse said. “And he was a better horse ( Saturday) than he was two weeks ago for the Kentucky Derby.”
Classic Empire is among seven of the 10 horses who ran in the Preakness being considered for the Belmont.
Cloud Computing trainer Chad Brown said Saturday that he wasn’t sure his horse was suited to go the Belmont’s 11⁄ 2- mile distance but didn’t rule out making the trip.
“We’re just going to evaluate the horse this week, and probably by next weekend we may have a decision,” Brown said.
Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, who finished eighth in the Preakness, was vanned back to trainer Todd Pletcher’s base at Belmont Park in New York on Sunday.
Pletcher said he was waiting to decide on whether to run Always Dreaming in the Belmont.
“We all decided that we wouldn’t make any decisions until we got him home and evaluated how he’s doing,” Pletcher said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to make those types of decisions right after a race. We’ll process it for a little while. … He looks good, bright, alert, sound, healthy, happy. We’ll head to Belmont and regroup.”
Trainer Kenny McPeek said Senior Investment ( third in Preakness) would head to the Belmont, as would fourth- place Lookin At Lee, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.
Trainers Brendan Walsh of Multiplier ( sixth) and Miguel Hernandez of Conquest Mo Money ( seventh) said they were considering the Belmont for their horses.
Asmussen sees the Belmont as wide open. “I watched the ( Preakness) replay repeatedly last night,” Asmussen said. “You loved the position the winner was in the way things played. Classic Empire ran a solid race again. He’ll probably be the favorite going forward, and he’s got a second and a fourth in two Triple Crown races — just like Lookin At Lee has.”
Gunnevera ( fifth in the Preakness), Hence ( ninth) and Term of Art ( 10th) will not be pointed toward the Belmont, according to their trainers.