 Incognito banks on his pedigree in Belmont Stakes
Updated - 6/7/2013
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NEW YORK --
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is banking on an impeccable pedigree being the equalizer for Incognito in the Belmont Stakes.
On past form, Incognito lacks the credentials to be a major player Saturday in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, the longest race in the Triple Crown.
The gray colt is 2 for 6, having won a pair of minor races at Aqueduct in the March and April. He was a distant fifth in the Peter Pan at Belmont, his only stakes appearance.
Accordingly, Incognito is 20-1 on the morning line.
Easily dismissed, except for his parentage.
A.P. Indy, the sire, won the 1992 Belmont on his way to Horse of the Year honors. Both Octave, the dam, and her sire, Unbridled's Song were both multiple Grade 1 winners.
If the bloodlines show, Incognito might surprise.
"That's why we're here," McLaughlin said. "He's battle tested. We hope for the best, and hope is pedigree kicks in."
McLaughlin also has a Belmont Stakes pedigree, having won with Jazil in 2006.
Incognito is owned by Godolphin Racing, the international stable of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai.
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Kiaran McLaughlin chases Belmont success for Godolphin
Updated - 6/7/2013
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Saddles Incognito in final leg of the American Triple Crown series on Saturday
- By Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer
- Published: 13:21 June 7, 2013
Dubai: Former UAE champion trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has been tasked with supplying Godolphin with their first success in the Belmont Stakes (G1), the third and final leg of the US Triple Crown, which takes place at Belmont Park, USA, on Saturday.
McLaughlin, who picked up three trainers’ championships when previously based in Dubai, saddles 30-1 chance Incognito in the 2,400m contest, the longest race in the Triple Crown series following the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1).
Although Incognito goes into Saturday’s race as a rank outsider behind the favourite and Kentucky Derby scorer Orb, McLaughlin is drawing inspiration from history.
Incognito is by A.P. Indy, who won the Belmont in 1992 en route to bagging the Horse of the Year title, while McLaughlin himself has tasted success in the race, which is referred to as ‘The Test of the Champion’ because of it’s distance.
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Belmont Park: New and improved Irsaal tries Easy Goer
Updated - 6/7/2013
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By Jay Privman
ELMONT, N.Y. – Irsaal was an easy winner of the second start of his career last October, but was pummeled in four subsequent starts through this February. His trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, believed he was a far better prospect than that, so he had Irsaal gelded, and began using Lasix.
Whether it was one of those factors, or both, Irsaal is finally headed in the right direction. He was second in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park on April 5, then was an impressive winner of a first-level allowance at Belmont Park on May 8 while earning the best Beyer Speed Figure of his career.
On Saturday at Belmont Park, the new-look Irsaal will try to take another step forward when he competes in the $150,000 Easy Goer, a listed stakes race that drew eight other 3-year-olds, including at least three – Always in a Tiz, Micromanage, and Power Broker – who at some point in recent weeks were under consideration for the Belmont Stakes.
[BELMONT STAKES: Live updates and video from Belmont Park]
The Easy Goer is at 1 1/16 miles. Irsaal’s May 8 win also was at 1 1/16 miles, and it was run on a muddy track, a situation he could encounter again Saturday.
“He did it very well. The horse who ran second,” McLaughlin said, referring to Midnight Taboo, “is running in the Belmont. He’s really come on from the gelding and Lasix.”
Micromanage returned from a layoff of more than five months to win a first-level allowance on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park on May 11.
“Second time back, we’re hoping he steps forward off that,” said his trainer, Todd Pletcher.
Pletcher also will send out Doherty, who has finished third in his last two starts, both allowance races in which Irsaal finished in front of him.
“We’re going to do something a little different this go-round, get him into the race a little more early,” Pletcher said.
Always in a Tiz is dropping into a softer spot after finishing ninth of 10 in the Wood Memorial. That was his first start with blinkers. They are being removed for the Easy Goer.
Power Broker, winner of the Grade 1 FrontRunner last fall at Santa Anita, is working his way back to graded stakes company. He was ambitiously placed in his first start this year, when he competed in the Santa Anita Derby following a five-month layoff, but he then dipped into a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs on May 10 and easily won.
Wabbajack also looks dangerous if he runs back to his stylish maiden win over this track last time out April 28.
Eton Blue, New Line, and Puget Sound complete the line-up.
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The Belmont Stakes: The Forgotten Race
Updated - 6/7/2013
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The first time that Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Shug McGaughey went to Belmont Park, he had a question we've asked, too: "I thought, 'Why wouldn't people come here every day?'"
Well, truth be told, most of New York's non-railbird population needs a decent reason to go to the track on any day, let alone every day.
The reasons increase this time of year: The 145th Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, will be run Saturday (5 p.m., NBC). But for the fifth straight year, there is no Triple Crown on the line.
Even so, that doesn't mean there is no reason to spend Saturday at Belmont. There are plenty of reasons—and as many as 60,000 people are expected to make their way to Elmont, N.Y. This is mainly because they share a sentiment with Preakness Stakes-winning jockey Gary Stevens, who, when asked if the race had lost some luster, said incredulously: "It's the Belmont Stakes, man!"
THE MYSTERY ORB
What is compelling about this year's Belmont is exactly what was compelling about the Preakness: Orb. Right now, he's a mystery.
After winning the Kentucky Derby handily over a sloppy track, he looked like a champion in the making. But at the Preakness, he drew the worst post position, got stuck in the middle of the pack and came in a disappointing fourth behind the winner, Oxbow. "We stubbed our toe," said McGaughey.
The question looms: Is he the rightful Triple Crown winner—albeit one who got unlucky in the second leg of this series?
THE REMATCH
Not only does Orb need to prove he can win on his home track, he needs to prove himself against a returning rival: He'll face Oxbow again on Saturday. "It could be a race for the ages," said Stevens, who rode Oxbow to a win in the Preakness. "I'm hoping that the real Orb shows up, and the Oxbow I rode on Preakness day shows up."
The rubber match between the colts will be only the 10th time since 1980 that the winners of the Derby and Preakness have met in the Belmont. History suggests that Orb is up against it. In those 10 races, the Preakness winner has come back to win the Belmont five times, while Swale in 1984 was the only Derby winner to win in New York.
Pulling off a Derby-Belmont double has proved to be nearly as elusive as winning the Triple Crown itself. There have been only 11 Triple Crown winners, and 11 horses to have won just the Run for the Roses and the white carnations of the Belmont.
LOCAL PRIDE
If sports fans thought about horse racing as they do team sports, they would unquestionably be looking for New York horses to back, as well as one of America's greatest horse races—poised on the edge of the greatest city in the world.
Why do we let Louisville—conveniently located in a flyover state—and Baltimore, best known for being the setting of "The Wire," get all of the glory of the two first legs of the Triple Crown?
Queens native and multimillionaire Mike Repole has been going to Aqueduct Racetrack and Belmont since he was 13. He wants a Belmont win so bad he has flooded the zone with three horses: Overanalyze (at 12-1, his best chance), Unlimited Budget (the lone filly, at 8-1) and Midnight Taboo (a long shot, 30-1). "I'm happy to be in the Kentucky Derby. I'm happy to go to the Breeders' Cup. This is the race I want to win," he said.
The only New York-bred horse in the race is Giant Finish, sired by Frost Giant, who stands at Keane Stud in Amenia, N.Y. A win by Giant Finish would mean an enormous amount to the breeding industry in this state, which is gradually making a comeback through an incentive program. Though his morning-line odds are 30-1, his steady running style could be suited for the Belmont distance.
Then there is Freedom Child, who wasn't bred in state but is owned by Saratoga-based West Point Thoroughbreds. Founder Terry Finley went to West Point, hence the name. And at 8-1, there is some value in betting on the black and gold.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The "O" horses headline the race, but there are 12 others, making for the largest Belmont field since 1996. This is good news for bettors, as bigger fields result in bigger payouts.
Favorites have gone 61 for 144 (42%) in the Belmont, but have won only twice since 1996. As a result, the average odds of the Belmont winner during that span have been 16-1. With that in mind, another long shot to consider in the race is Incognito (20-1).
Incognito—who was sired by 1992 Belmont winner A.P. Indy—is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. "He's battle-tested," said McLaughlin, whose strategy going into the Belmont is: "Hope for the best and hope his pedigree kicks in."
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Horse Racing - Incognito set to race at Belmont
Updated - 6/5/2013
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Incognito should take part in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr instead of Mike Luzzi.
Incognito's trainer Kiaran McLaughlin - a winner of the race in New York on his first attempt in 2006 with Jazil - has judged his horse fit enough to run after Sunday's final gallop.
“He worked with a nice horse, Irsaal," McLaughlin said. "He basically hasn’t missed any days of training all year.
Luzzi has been ruled out of contention for the race through injury, leaving 20-year-old Ortiz Jr to take up the reins.
“We won the Belmont with a 19-year-old jockey," McLaughlin said, referring to Fernando Jara who rode Jazil seven years ago. "We’re hoping we can win with a 20-year-old jockey.”
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Royal Delta Half-Sis a Rising Star
Updated - 6/1/2013
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| 2nd at BEL |
Msw ($75k) [1 1/16m] |
Winner: Carnival Court, f, 3 by Street Sense |
2nd-BEL, $73,500, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:42 4/5, ft.
CARNIVAL COURT, f, 3, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Delta Princess (MGSW, $740,918), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Lyphard’s Delta, by Lyphard
3rd Dam: Proud Delta, by Delta Judge
Carninval Court, a half-sister to fellow TDN Rising Stars Royal Delta (Empire Maker), Ch. 3yo Filly, Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $3,763,851; and Empire Way (Empire Maker), GSP, $119,170, took apart this scratch-depleted field to stamp herself as one to watch over the summer months. The $650,000 KEESEP yearling acquisition took plenty of debut play at 4-1 at Gulfstream Apr. 5, but caught a sloppy and sealed main track and never did much running, finishing a distant sixth of nine. She was hammered into 4-5 favoritism with a dry strip and a stretch out in distance and made no mistakes. Racing without Lasix, Carnival Court bounced away from the stalls and led them along through lively fractions. Irad Ortiz Jr. was a mere passenger, and a look underneath his right armpit leaving the five-sixteenths pole left no doubt as to who would win. The only question was by how many, and, despite being totally shut down in the final half-furlong, the final margin was an imposing 12 3/4 lengths. Miss Emilia (War Front) was closest in her U.S. debut. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $45,462. Click for the brisnet.com chart or VIDEO. Click for the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Darley Stable. B-Palides Investments N V Inc (KY). T-Kiaran P McLaughlin.
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Belmont Stakes: Incognito joins lineup
Updated - 6/1/2013
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By David Grening
ELMONT, N.Y. - Incognito, the fifth-place finisher in the Peter Pan Stakes on May 11, has been confirmed as a starter for the Belmont, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Thursday. He will be transferred from Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stable to his Godolphin Racing operation and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.
McLaughlin said a key to the decision to run is Incognito’s pedigree suggests he wants the 1 1/2 miles of the Belmont. Incognito is a son of 1992 Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy out of Octave, a two-time Grade 1 winner at Belmont including the 10-furlong Coaching Club American Oaks.
“The key is he wants the distance,” said McLaughlin, who won the 2006 Belmont with Jazil. “It’s a big step up, but he’s doing very well.”
Incognito overcame tons of trouble when he won a first-level allowance race at Aqueduct on April 13. While Incognito finished fifth in the Peter Pan, run over a sloppy track, he was only beaten a nose and a neck for third behind runaway winner Freedom Child. Despite breaking from post 8, Incognito found himself down along the inside for a good part of the trip.
“We feel like he’s not faced kickback before and he took a lot of kickback until about the three-eighths pole,” McLaughlin said. “He did come running up the fence and he galloped out real strong.”
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