"At this stage I think he's a better horse than Sarava," said McPeek. "We are going to spend the next week deciding, but it's possible. Sarava ran twice in an 'a other than' (non-winners of a race other than maiden claiming or starter allowance) in Kentucky and couldn't win," said McPeek. This horse cantered yesterday, so I think he has a huge future."
The Randals are from Fallbrook, Cal. and own Fallbrook Farm in Versailles, Ky., where Wild and Wicked was bred. McPeek said they are "very, very excited" about the prospect of running their colt in the Belmont. If Wild and Wicked does run in the Belmont, McPeek said Sellers would ride the Wild Again colt and he would need to find another jockey for Best Minister.
Best Minister galloped over a "muddy" track under exercise rider Hanne Jorgensen on Monday at Churchill Downs. The son of Deputy Minister is scheduled to gallop again on Tuesday and ship to New York that same afternoon. McPeek said it is possible that Wild and Wicked could accompany that colt to Belmont Park.
In other Belmont news, Delta Jackpot winner Outta Here worked five furlongs in :58 4/5 at Hollywood Park this morning with jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard. The seventh-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, who is a possible Belmont Stakes starter, galloped out six furlongs in 1:10 4/5.
"I feel like I'm seven feet tall after that work," trainer Bill Currin said. "He did it with no urging. Not only was the time very impressive, but also the ease with how he did it."
Currin said he expects to make a decision regarding the Belmont Stakes by the end of the week. "My long-term goal for this horse is to make him a stallion," Currin said. "He's a son of Dehere out of a Forty Niner mare and with Dehere and Forty Niner in Japan, he could be a good replacement for Dehere. I want to manage him properly. I don't think winning the Belmont at a mile and a half adds much value to him as a stallion. If I won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, I'd be at Belmont already."Outta Here has traveled the world in his young career. He was sent to Vinton, Louisiana, where he won the Delta Jackpot then was shipped to Dubai for a fourth-place run in the UAE Derby.
"He thinks he's going to a party every time he gets on a plane," Currin said. "He liked Dubai, Louisiana and Kentucky. Nothing seems to bother this horse."B. Wayne Hughes and Biscuit Stable's Atswhatimtalknbout, a fast-closing fourth in the Kentucky Derby, tested his bruised right foot in a Monday gallop over a "sloppy" training surface at Churchill Downs. It was the first gallop for Atswhatimtalknbout since he suffered a bruised right front foot during a six furlong workout last Tuesday. He had missed two days of training because of the injury and had jogged on each of the last two days.
"I thought he looked perfect," said trainer Ron Ellis. "We're not out of the woods, but at least I'm training him."Ellis plans to work Atswhatimtalknbout on Wednesday, but plans some added work on the injured foot before that one-mile move. An abscess on the bulb of the inside of the injured foot popped on Friday and allowed the injured area to be drained and treated. The colt had bar shoes been placed on his front feet a day earlier. Ellis now plans to place a fiberglass patch on the injured foot before Wednesday's work.
"We're going to patch that quarter and try and strengthen it, because it's probably undermined in the back," said Ellis. "But he uses that right lead perfect."
Ellis will remain in Kentucky through Wednesday's work to keep a close watch on the progress of the injured foot. Infection would be the greatest danger, but Ellis has so far managed to avoid any problems with that.
William S. Farish's Midway Road, runner-up in the Preakness (GI), galloped on Monday under exercise rider Hank Hefner. Trainer Neil Howard said the Jade Hunter colt would breeze a half-mile on Tuesday. "I was going to breeze him today, but we had some rain yesterday," said Howard. "I thought it was best to give him an extra day."
Howard said he would see how Midway Road works Tuesday, and then discuss his status with Farish before making a decision on the Belmont.
Trainer Scott Schwartz said No decision has been made regarding Go Rockin' Robin in the Belmont Stakes. Since he was not nominated to the Triple Crown, owner Herbert Schwartz would have to pay $100,000 to supplement the colt, $10,000 to pass the entry box and $10,000 to start. That money is not added to the $1 million purse of the Belmont.
"If they put that money into the purse, we'd consider it a lot more," Schwartz said. "He'd have to run second for us to make money in the Belmont and if he can run second in the Belmont, he could probably win a big race somewhere else. We haven't made up our minds yet."Illinois Derby winner Ten Most Wanted is scheduled to breeze seven furlongs at Hollywood Park Tuesday morning, according to trainer Wally Dollase. He has not run since finishing ninth in the Kentucky Derby.
"He galloped a mile and breezed through the stretch this morning," Dollase said. "I'll take him out at about 7:25 (Pacific) tomorrow morning."
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide jogged once around the sloppy main track the wrong way early this morning, according to NYRA clockers. Trainer Barclay Tagg and assistant Robin Smullen will resume their daily press briefings on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., following Funny Cide's scheduled work on the main track. Tagg and Smullen will not meet with the media on Tuesday.Robert and Beverly Lewis' Scrimshaw, the third-place finisher in the Preakness, galloped under exercise rider Stacy Maker. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas plans to work the Gulch colt on Tuesday.