Gormley gallops Thursday morning for Belmont Stakes 2017

Another Belmont Stakes horse getting his first look at the main track Thursday morning was Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby winner Gormley, who galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Sammy Jimenez for California-based trainer John Shirreffs.

"It went good. I thought he looked really good out there," Shirreffs said. "Sammy said he was a little strong, then he relaxed, then when some breezers went by he got a little strong down the lane so he tried to slow him down a little. All in all, I thought it was OK.

"He went once around the main track. He came out through the paddock, stood, walked over to the turn and picked up the jog and galloped around," he added. "I said to everybody, especially his connections, that the big thing for us will be when the rider comes off the track and says if the horse liked it or not. I asked Sammy if he liked the surface and he said he did. I thought that was really important."

Gormley, who gets his name from 66-year-old British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, arrived from Santa Anita mid-afternoon Wednesday on the same flight and van as two-time champion filly Songbird, making her return in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Ogden Phipps. Gormley was a late addition to the Belmont field and the last contender on the grounds.

Hall of Fame-elect jockey Victor Espinoza, aboard for all seven of Gormley's starts, will ride in his first Belmont since sweeping the 2015 Triple Crown with American Pharoah. They will break from post position 3.

Gormley had post 18 of 20 in the Kentucky Derby and raced in the first flight of horses before fading to ninth, beaten 14 ¼ lengths by Always Dreaming. He is one of five horses to run in the Derby, skip the Preakness and come back in the Belmont along with favorite Irish War Cry, J Boys Echo, Patch and Tapwrit.

"The three, I think that's a good post position. I like it," Shirreffs said. "It depends upon the horse. Because Gormley's so quick out of the gate, it's a good post position because from there Victor can decide what he wants to do. In the Derby, I think being on the outside was a little bit not the best because the inside seemed to play a little bit better. I think the weather determined what post position was good or bad there."