Arkansas Derby (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Renegade may have some familiar company in the starting gate for the June 6 Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in stablemate and frequent workout partner Powershift.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher told New York Racing Association publicity that Powershift could step up in class and compete in the 1 1/4-mile, $2 million Belmont, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, which was established as a target for Renegade after his neck defeat behind the Cherie DeVaux-trained Golden Tempo in the Derby.
The two Pletcher trainees worked together May 21 over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga, both timed in :49.80. Powershift, a 2 3/4-length maiden winner in his third career start May 2 during the Kentucky Derby undercard, finished ahead of Renegade in Thursday's breeze, the first for each since they raced at Churchill Downs.
G1 Arkansas Derby winner RENEGADE breezed this morning outside last-out maiden winner POWERSHIFT in 49 and 4/5. HOF trainer Todd Pletcher said “we’ve always thought a lot of Powershift” and that the colt is now also possible for the @BelmontStakes. More later in @TheNYRA notes. pic.twitter.com/2yKi7ivHlR
— Mary Eddy🏇🏼 (@singmysongbird) May 21, 2026
"I thought it was very good work for Renegade," said Pletcher, a four-time Belmont winner. "He's a steady work horse, and he recovered really quickly and didn't seem to be fatigued at all from it, so I'm happy with it. Powershift is a good work horse, and they've been (work) companions quite a bit. They make good mates, and I thought they both went well."
The two horses have common ownership. Powershift races for Mike Repole's Repole Stable, while Renegade is owned by Repole Stable and the colt's breeders, Robert and Lawana Low.
"I've got to talk to Mike, but we are considering the Belmont," Pletcher said. "We've always thought a lot of him and I think they compliment each other's racing styles. It's in play."
Powershift, a son of Constitution , ran a close second on debut in February at Tampa Bay Downs behind eventual Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Emerging Market, a Belmont Stakes candidate. Powershift then ran sixth the next month in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) before graduating at Churchill Downs with a pace-pressing trip, running the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.86.
The more seasoned Renegade rallied in the Kentucky Derby after being bumped in the early stages from the inside post position. That was his first loss in three starts this year. Besides winning the Arkansas Derby, he won the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs over the winter. The Into Mischief colt is 2-3-1 in six starts with earnings of more than $2 million and is among the early Belmont Stakes headliners along with Golden Tempo.
Pletcher intends to run multiple horses in the supporting stakes events during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, including Centennial Farms' grade 1 winner Antiquarian in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), a race commonly referred to as the Met Mile. He also plans to start Be You in the True North Stakes (G3) for sprinters. Those races are on Belmont Stakes day.
Another 3-year-old to breeze Thursday in New York was SEI Thoroughbreds, Michael Imperio, and trainer Rudy Rodriguez's Talk to Me Jimmy, who covered a half-mile in :49.80 over the Belmont Park training track. Upcoming race plans for him have not been finalized, Rodriguez told NYRA publicity. The Belmont is one option for the Withers Stakes winner and Peter Pan Stakes (G3) runner-up. Another option is the 7-furlong Mike Lee Stakes, a $200,000 race for New York-breds June 3.
