Under the late spring sun at Churchill Downs, RED T-R Racing's Rich Strike put in his final work May 30 before shipping out to Belmont Park for the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).
Cheers from fans resonated across the Churchill grandstand as the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner drilled five furlongs in :59 with splits of :11 4/5, :23 1/5, and :34 4/5, and galloped out to six furlongs in 1:12 over a fast main track in between races 5 and 6.
"(We were) surprised when we saw the final time and how quick he actually went and galloped out," trainer Eric Reed said. "This was a lot more (nerve-wracking) than the Derby, I'll tell you that. People don't believe it, but it was a big relief when he pulled up and came home and everything was good."
Rich Strike will ship up to New York early Tuesday morning so that the colt can become acclimatized with Big Sandy ahead of the June 11 Belmont Stakes. Reed noted that Rich Strike will not breeze at Belmont prior to the 1 1/2-mile race.
"I'd like to get him out Wednesday and just do a light jog or something because (with) two days off, he's real tough," Reed said. "That's why we're trying to leave early enough to get there tomorrow night. If we get there on time and he takes the trip well then sometime Wednesday morning we'll go out and just give one easy lap to loosen him up so the next day we can do regular training again."
Looking back, Reed says that he stands by his decision to bypass the Preakness Stakes (G1) and feels that it has better prepared Rich Strike to run well in the third leg of the Triple Crown.
"No matter the outcome of the Belmont, this was the right thing for him. Mentally, it takes him time. Physically and energy-wise he's ready, but if his mind isn't right, he's not going to perform," Reed said. "He's so much more confident since the Derby in everything he does. This three and a half weeks has got him where he's just starting to come back to earth and that's why he's like a five-week horse. It just takes him that long mentally to do things the proper way."
Regular rider Sonny Leon will be aboard son of Keen Ice in the Belmont. Leon, who recorded his first ever graded stakes victory in the Derby, has little experience riding over the Belmont oval but is working overtime to prepare.
"(Leon) studies the films every night. A number of jocks have talked to him and come to his aid to try to help him along with things," Reed said. "He's got a lot of people helping him right now but hopefully we can get him on a few horses a day or two before the Belmont."
Reed said he feels more confident heading into the Belmont with Rich Strike than he did before the Kentucky Derby.
"That was a big deal with the Derby; we wanted to show that we fit in," Reed said. "He needed to prove it to us and he obviously did that. Now we're going into the Belmont with a lot of confidence and so is he. He's getting better, there's no doubt. I still don't think we've seen the best of him."
