Don’t overlook Denis of Cork at Belmont
Perhaps one overlooked betting option for Saturday’s Belmont is Denis of Cork, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby behind Big Brown and Eight Belles.
Denis of Cork had won three straight races this past winter to emerge as one of the top 3-year-olds. But after a fifth at the Illinois Derby and third at Churchill, Denis of Cork needs a strong showing Saturday to re-establish himself.
Trainer David Carroll said Denis of Cork has really bloomed since the Derby. “He’s put on weight, his color is very good, he has a great pair of lungs.
“His last two weeks have been excellent,” Carroll said, describing the workouts as being “pre-Derby”-like. The final work was especially strong — four furlongs in 48 1/5 seconds under jockey Robby Albarado, with the final eighth of a mile in 11.1 seconds.
For the Belmont, Carroll replaced rider Calvin Borel, who won the Kentucky Derby last year on Street Sense, with Albarado, who has more experience riding at Belmont Park.
Albarado nearly won the Triple Crown finale on Curlin last year.
“Nothing against Calvin, but Robby is more tactical,” Carroll said. “We’re looking forward to running a big race in the Belmont.
“I’m going in with a lot of confidence,” Carroll said. “I’ve got the utmost respect for Big Brown, but we’re here to win.”
Carroll knows Belmont Park well. Carroll, 48, was the exercise rider for 1989 Belmont winner Easy Goer during a six-year stint under Shug McGaughey. Easy Goer derailed his archrival Sunday Silence’s Triple Crown bid, but Carroll isn’t predicting his colt can knock off Big Brown.
When asked what it would take to beat the undefeated superstar, Carroll said: “A minor miracle, I think. But my horse is doing well and he’s bred to get the distance. To win, it would take him running the race of his life and Big Brown running below his best.”
Owner William Warren thinks his colt has a legitimate shot at winning on Saturday. Warren noted that Denis of Cork - a Florida-bred son of Harlan’s Holiday - closed fast in the Kentucky Derby, passing 10 horses in the final quarter-mile to finish third behind Big Brown and Eight Belles.
Denis of Cork went off at 27-1 odds in the Derby and is 12-1 on the morning line for the Belmont.
“It’s a good thing the focus is on Big Brown,” Warren said. “… We think we’re going to take him. We like the additional quarter-mile. We closed strongly in the Kentucky Derby and we think we’ll do the same here at Belmont.
“I think we’re sitting on a big race.”
