Although Animal Kingdom’s half length loss in the Preakness would have made for a more compelling Belmont Stakes, being that there would have been the prospect of a Triple Crown, that we will see the Derby winner and the Preakness winner Shackleford in a rematch makes for an exciting storyline.
Shackleford’s trainer Dale Romans has confirmed him for the Belmont on Saturday June 11th.
A review of the Preakness suggests that Animal Kingdom should have no problem in running down Shackleford in the Belmont, but perhaps things are not as crystal clear as one might think. Shackleford had to withstand a blazing early first quarter of a mile of 22.69, well above the average pace for the Preakness. In the Belmont, he will likely be allowed to run at a more moderate pace early on, perhaps a first quarter of 24 to 25 seconds. If that happens and he can maintain a moderate pace down the backstretch, he just might have a chance to hold on.
And yet, as big a heart as this chestnut colt with the big white stripe down his nose has, something tells me that 1 ½ miles might be just a tad out of his range.
There is cause for concern about Animal Kingdom’s ability to get the distance as well. In the Kentucky Derby he made one quick burst on the far turn and into the stretch and then seemed to coast to the wire. Some horses have a big burst of speed during the latter part of a race and they really can’t go much further. Is Animal Kingdom one of these types of horses? He is definitely a 1 ¼ mile horse but is he ideally a 1 ½ mile horse? Or is it possible in the Derby that having made the lead, the horse got lazy not having a target to aim at and simply cruised toward the wire, but actually had tons more in the tank.
Nehro may have the same problem as well. In the Derby he made a quick move for the lead around the far turn and passed the slower footed Mucho Macho Man and got a good couple lengths on that one, but near the end Mucho Macho Man kept coming and almost ran down Nehro at the wire for the second place spot.
In any case, there are no monsters in the Belmont Stakes, and somebody has to win, and sometimes when the competition is solid but not unusually strong, a horse does not have to be ideally bred to go the full 1-½ miles.
This will be the 22nd time in the history of the Triple Crown that a Derby and Preakness winner have met for a re-match in the Belmont.
Shackleford hopes to become the first horse since Afleet Alex in 2005 to complete the Preakness – Belmont double. Animal Kingdom is trying to become the first horse since Thunder Gulch in 1995 to take both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.
