2017 Belmont Stakes Contenders

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CLOUD COMPUTING - 2017 Preakness Stakes Winner

Preakness winner Cloud Computing won't run in the Belmont Stakes, leaving the final leg of the Triple Crown without the winners of the first two races. Kentucky Derby winner ALWAYS DREAMING also won't run in the 1½-mile Belmont on June 10 in New York.

**2017 Belmont Stakes - Updated Wednesday, June 5 after Post Position Draw**

TWISTED TOM (Odds 20/1) - PP1

CONFIRMED - New York-bred Twisted Tom faced statebreds in his first four starts, graduating into stakes company in the March 18 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park. He returned April 22 to win the 1 1/8-mile Tesio at Laurel Park on a sloppy and sealed track.

Twisted Tom, a Creative Cause gelding, worked five furlongs Sunday under exercise rider Peter Roman on the main track at Belmont Park in company with 4-year-old stakes winner Economic Model. The pair went together in 1:01.16, with the last quarter-mile going in :23 3/5, and galloped out to six furlongs in 1:13 4/5, according to NYRA clockers.

"Twisted Tom worked great," Brown said. "This horse has continued to improve all year, and more of the same today. It was a nice, strong work from him. [The Belmont is a] huge class test for this horse, but I love the way he's developed. I do think he can stay a mile and a half, I think the longer the better for him, so I'm anxious to get him out to that distance, but it'll be a tough field, a large field."

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

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TAPWRIT (Odds 6/1) - PP2

CONFIRMED -has three wins and a second place finish in six career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. He debuted with a tenth and was good in his next four starts - a maiden score at Gulfstream Park West October 6 was followed by a nice win in his stakes debut- the $75,000 Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park December 10, a quality second behind McCracken at 9-1 odds in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay February 11 and a terrific win over McCraken in the Tampa Bay Derby March 11.

Tapwrit took a slight step back in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 8 where he finished eighth. He had been on a serious upward trajectory this past winter and now searches for a bounce back performance with Jose Ortiz guiding him from gate 16.

In the 2017 Kentucky Derby, the Tampa Bay Derby winner threw in a solid performance by finishing sixth, and should be well rested after skipping the Preakness Stakes.

Running style: Stalker

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GORMLEY (Odds 8/1) - PP3

CONFIRMED - On June 5, John Shirreffs confirmed that his Santa Anita Derby winner would ship to New York for the Belmont, following a good workout at Santa Anita Park on June 3 where Gormley wore blinkers for the first time. Gormley will likely be part of the front pack of contenders in the Belmont Stakes, as he won the Santa Anita Derby after stalking a trio of pacesetting horses. He was put in a similar position by Victor Espinoza in the Kentucky Derby, only to come up empty when asked for his best at the top of the homestretch.

He's alternated good and bad performances since last fall, and thus is due for a better effort in the Belmont. Giacomo, who won the 2005 Kentucky Derby for Jerry and Ann Moss and John Shirreffs, finished seventh to Afleet Alex in the Belmont, and Tiago finished third behind Rags to Riches and Curlin in 2007 for the same connections.

Victor Espinoza, who will be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in August, has ridden in five Belmonts, three of them with a Triple Crown on the line: War Emblem (eighth after stumbling badly at the start in 2002); California Chrome (dead-heat for fourth in an agonizing loss for many in 2014); and American Pharoah (a history-making Triple Crown win in 2015 after a 37-year wait).

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

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J BOYS ECHO (Odds 15/1) - PP4

CONFIRMED - J Boys Echo entered the Triple Crown Trail after a win in the Gotham Stakes (G3).

Third in the Withers Stakes (G3) and first in the Gotham (G3), the Mineshaft colt has surprised Iowa based Albaugh Family Stable this year. His impressive win at Aqueduct in the Gotham with Robby Albarado solidified the decision to send him into the field of 20 for the Kentucky Derby. After a loss in the derby, the colt's connections decided against a run in the Preakness. This gave him the time to get back into form and begin preparations for the Belmont Stakes.

Running style: Closer

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HOLLYWOOD HANDSOME (Odds 30/1) - PP5

CONFIRMED - Grandson of Tapit, Hollywood Handsome shares some lineage with last year's Belmont Stakes winner, and son of Tapit, Creator. Hollywood Handsome, an upcoming 3 year old colt, has started in 9 races to date. Coming off a win at Churchill in May, Hollywood Handsome comes to Belmont Park for the first time to take on the mile and a half Belmont Stakes.

There were high expectations for Mark Stanley's Hollywood Handsome when he finished a late-running fourth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in his first stakes appearance. The camp flirted with the idea of trying to sneak into the Kentucky Derby with 10 qualifying points, far from enough to get in, but instead went to the Illinois Derby, finishing fifth.

Running style: Stalker/closer

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LOOKIN AT LEE (Odds 5/1) - PP6

CONFIRMED - Named in honor of one of his owners, Looking At Lee got an ideal rail-skimming trip in the Kentucky Derby, saving ground while far back in the early stages before finding room around the far turn and surging past tiring horses to finish second at odds of 33-1, five lengths ahead of Battle of Midway.

Lookin At Lee, a son two-time champion and 2010 Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky, has been fed a steady diet of stakes since breaking his maiden last July at Ellis Park. He won the Ellis Park Juvenile, was second in the Iroquois (G3) and Breeders' Futurity (G1), and closed to be fourth behind Breeders' Futurity winner Classic Empire in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Based at Oaklawn Park over the winter to open his sophomore season, Lookin At Lee finished third in the Southwest (G3) and sixth in the Rebel (G2) before launching a late rally for third behind Classic Empire in the Arkansas Derby (G1), a move that would look familiar three weeks later.

Looking At Lee began his career at the famed El Primero Training Center in Laredo, Texas, founded by Keith and Marilyn Asmussen, the parents of his Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Looking At Lee has not won in his last eight starts, but surprised in the Kentucky Derby by taking second.

Running style: Closer

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IRISH WAR CRY (Odds 7/2) - PP7

CONFIRMED -After Irish War Cry finished a dull 10th in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Graham Motion had said the next goal for his horse was the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 30. But after watching the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown on May 20, Motion started thinking differently.

The top two finishers in the Preakness - Cloud Computing and Classic Empire - were horses that Irish War Cry beat earlier in the year.

Earlier in the year, Irish War Cry had a terrific bounce back win in the G2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct April 8 which followed his only career blemish - an almost unfathomable seventh as even-money favorite in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 4.

Before that he won the G2 Holy Bull Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths with a 102 Beyer Speed Figure in upset fashion over the terrific Classic Empire and Gunnevera at Gulfstream February 4 and posted wins in the restricted Marylander Stakes December 31 and a maiden score by 4 1/2 lengths at first asking November 11 - both at Laurel Park.

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

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SENIOR INVESTMENT (Odds 12/1) - PP8

CONFIRMED -Senior Investment has been under the watchful eye of trainer Ken McPeek since he purchased the chestnut Discreetly Mine colt for $95,000 on behalf of Paul Fireman's Fern Circle Stables at Keeneland's September 2015 yearling sale.

Not debuting until the summer of 2016, Senior Investment needed four tries to break his maiden, graduating with a 2 ½-length victory going a mile and 70 yards at Fair Grounds Dec. 26 in his final start as a 2-year-old.

Seventh in his first try against winners four weeks later, also at Fair Grounds, Senior Investment was shipped to Oaklawn Park where he dispatched an optional claiming allowance field by three lengths Feb. 18 at 1 1/16 miles. A date against stakes company was next, but he was never in contention finishing sixth behind Kentucky Derby runners Girvin and Patch in the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Just 14 days later, Senior Investment found himself at Keeneland for the 1 1/16-mile Lexington (G3). The late-running sort came with his customary closing kick after trailing all but one horse for six furlongs, rallying after being fanned seven wide at the top of the stretch to win by a head at odds of 11-1.

In the 2017 Kentucky Derby, Senior Investment charged home late and went from seventh to third in the final 100 yards.

Running style: Stalker/closer

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MEANTIME (Odds 15/1) - PP9

CONFIRMED - Starting his career in February of 2017, Meantime entered the Belmont Stakes trail late.

Finishing in the money in his first 3 starts, the colt showed promise stretching out over a mile and one eighths. Meantime looked to the G3 Peter Pan as a step up and towards the Belmont Stakes. Talking an early start in the race over a sloppy track, Meantime lead the field into the final turn but could not hold onto the lead and fell into second place.

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

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MULTIPLIER (Odds 15/1) - PP10

CONFIRMED - Facing winners for the first time in his fledgling career, Multiplier was as game as he was fast to beat favored Hedge Fund and win the Illinois Derby (G3) April 22 at Hawthorne Race Course near Chicago.

It marked just the fourth lifetime start for the bay son of multiple Grade 1 winner The Factor, coming 4 ½ weeks after breaking his maiden going a mile and 70 yards on the dirt at Fair Grounds as the favorite in a field of nine.

Multiplier did not race as a 2-year-old but went off as the top choice of 11 horses in his debut Jan. 21 at Fair Grounds, where he got off to a slow start and rallied on the outside after trailing early to get up for third, a nose away from second.

In his second start, Multiplier overcame an early bump from the gate to save ground along the rail in mid-pack before being swung outside for a stretch run that came up a neck shy of the favored winner Souper Tapit.

Multiplier ran the Illinois Derby in a swift 1:47.98 for 1 1/8 miles over a fast main track, the second-fastest time in the race's 59-year history, coming with a determined run down the stretch to win by a head in his stakes debut. It was nearly five lengths back to third-place finisher It's Your Nickel.

Multiplier had a sixth-place finish in the 2017 Preakness. Having said that, the son of The Factor was running well at the end of the Preakness, and was only a photo out of fourth.

Running style: Closer

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EEPICHARIS (Odds 4/1) - PP11

CONFIRMED - Multiple stakes winner Epicharis, one of the top 3-year-olds in Japan earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby with a three-quarter-length victory in the Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse and a strong runner-up effort to Derby-bound Thunder Snow in the UAE Derby.The syndicate elected to bypass to Kentucky Derby for an opportunity to run in the Belmont Stakes to allow the colt ample time to recover from the travel and racing demands of the UAE Derby.

The Japanese-bred colt by Gold Allure, a son of the legendary 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Sunday Silence, was undefeated as a 2-year-old in his homeland, winning his first three starts in Japan by a combined 25 lengths. As a 3-year-old, Epicharis stamped himself a legitimate Triple Crown contender with a three-quarter-length victory in the Hyacinth at Tokyo in February and suffered the only loss of his budding career with a hard-fought second to Thunder Snow in the March 25 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse.

Hagiwara trains the colt for U. Carrot Farm, a large Japan-based syndicate that made history in 2005 when Cesario won the American Oaks at Hollywood Park to become the first Japanese Grade 1 winner in the United States. Christophe Lemaire has been aboard for all five of Epicharis' starts and is expected to retain the mount for the 1 ½-mile "Test of the Champion."

Epicharis is poised to join Koji Maeda's Lani as the first back-to-back Japanese competitors in the Belmont's storied history. Lani generated international interest as he competed in all three legs of last year's Triple Crown and turned in his best showing with a late-closing third to Creator in the Belmont.

A start in the Belmont Stakes will make Epicharis eligible for NYRA's $1 million bonus offered to any Japan-based winner of New York's most prestigious race.

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

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PATCH (Odds 12/1) - PP12

CONFIRMED - Trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed that Grade 2 Louisiana Derby runner-up Patch will join stablemate Tapwrit in the Grade 1 Belmont, after the pair worked five-eighths in company Friday morning at Belmont Park.

Patch, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard, worked on the main track inside of Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby winner Tapwrit, ridden by his regular jockey Jose Ortiz, on even terms throughout, hitting the wire together in 1:01.45. NYRA clockers caught the pair in 37 for the first three-eighths. They galloped out seven-eighths in 1:14 3/5.

Exiting a 14th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, the famously one-eyed colt by Union Rags, an ocular distinction that marked him as the sentimental favorite in this year's "Run for the Roses," will be ridden by Velazquez in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.

"The Derby was a tough assignment for him, a lightly raced horse and draws the far outside post," said Pletcher. "He got a decent trip out of it, I don't think he relished the sloppy track. He's by Union Rags, a Belmont winner, out of an A.P. Indy mare, there's a lot of pedigree there to suggest that he's bred to get the mile and a half, and I think his style should fit the race well."

Running style: Press

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CLASSIC EMPIRE (Classic Empire to miss Belmont Stakes due to hoof abscess)

SCRATCHED - Classic Empire, who was expected to be favored in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, will miss the race because of an abscess in his right front hoof, trainer Mark Casse said Wednesday morning.

Heading into 2017, Classic Empire was tabbed as an early Kentucky Derby favorite, but a distant third-place finish behind Irish War Cry and Gunnevera in the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) on Feb. 4 put a damper on those high hopes. A post-Holy Bull foot abscess was the main culprit for the disappointing finish.

The abscess took its time to heal, and coupled with back issues and disrupted training sessions, Classic Empire's recovery took longer than expected. The wait was worth it though, as he came back with a fury in the Arkansas Derby - where Classic Empire made a return to the winner's circle and secured a starting gate spot in the 143rd annual Kentucky Derby.

Bred by Steven and Brandi Nicholson, Classic Empire was a $475,000 buy at the 2015 Keeneland Yearling Sale for owner John C. Oxley. He usually races close to the speed. His racing style suggests the 1-1/4 miles Derby trip could be a challenge, but his sire Pioneerof the Nile has produced Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and there is some stamina in his female line.

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

TRUE TIMBER (SCRATCHED DUE TO FEVER)

Calumet Farm's True Timber is expected to run in the Belmont Stakes, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Saturday morning. He has finished in every spot from second through fifth in four consecutive graded stakes starts in New York.

True Timber will be running on a NYRA track for the first time since a fourth-place effort in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The son of Mineshaft's best graded-stakes finish was a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Withers on February 4 at the Big A. McLaughlin said he won't put the Kentucky bred through a vigorous work before the Belmont.

True Timber will return to graded stakes company after finishing third in the May 20 LARC Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. True Timber was also being considered for the Easy Goer before being pointed towards the 1 1/2-mile classic.