The Arkansas Derby winner and runner-up are pointing to separate races on the June 10 Belmont Park program.
While Classic Empire prepares for the Grade 1 $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, Conquest Mo Money is shortening up for the Grade 2 $500,000 Woody Stephens.
Classic Empire, last year's male juvenile champion, enters the mile-and-a-half Belmont after finishing a close second in the Preakness May 20 and fourth in the Kentucky Derby May 6.
Conquest Mo Money finished seventh in the Preakness after seconds to Classic Empire in the April 15 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Oaklawn Park winner Hence in the March 26 Grade 3 Sunland Derby. The Woody Stephens is for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.
"We looked at both spots and we're just doing what we think is best for the horse right now," said Tom McKenna, Conquest Mo Money's owner. "I don't think (he'll sprint) for the rest of the year, though. He's got a wide variety of races he can run in. We just figured at this time, (the Woody Stephens) is the best race for him."
The former Riva Ridge Stakes in 2006 was renamed in memory of Stephens, the Hall of Fame trainer with a record five consecutive Belmont Stakes victories from 1982-1986. Bayern, beaten favorite in the 2014 Arkansas Derby, won the Woody Stephens and later upset Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
In other Belmont news, trainer Brenden Walsh says Grade 3 Illinois Derby winner Multiplier is on track for the Belmont after a sixth-place Preakness finish at 19-1 odds. Joel Rosario keeps the mount on the son of The Factor, Oaklawn's 2011 Rebel winner. Multiplier was purchased privately after the Illinois Derby.
Of the Preakness, Walsh said, "I thought he ran well. He was sixth but beaten three-quarters of a length for third and we didn't have a very good trip. ... I think there were a couple of horses unlucky not to be third in the race."
The Belmont, Walsh said, "might be his race. Even going to the Preakness, I was hoping he'd run a race good enough to justify going to the Belmont. Even though he's not really bred to go that far, he's got plenty of stamina in his back family. Who knows? I think the track will suit him, that he's cut out for that."
Multiplier's presence brings the number of confirmed runners to nine for the 149th Belmont. Others are Epicharis, J Boys Echo, Lookin At Lee, Meantime, Senior Investment, Tapwrit, True Timber and Twisted Tom. On the fence are Gormley, Irish War Cry and Patch, all three Kentucky Derby starters who skipped the Preakness.
Although Derby winner Always Dreaming and Preakness hero Cloud Computing are not running in the Belmont, the respective trainers are represented, Todd Pletcher with Tapwrit and Chad Brown with Twisted Tom.
* Churchill Downs stakes winner Benner Island, owned by John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, is a probable starter in the Grade 1 $700,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies June 10 at Belmont. Benner Island, trained by Brad Cox, comes off a May 5 victory in the Grade 2 Eight Belles. Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, heads the probable field for the one-mile Acorn.
Sports on 06/02/2017