Gotta Go joins deep cast for Belmont Park's Peter Pan Stakes
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Photo:
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Lotenbach Stable's Gotta Go is slated to run in the Grade 3, $350,000 Peter Pan Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on Saturday at Belmont Park, trainer Ian Wilkes said by phone Sunday morning.
The Peter Pan, historically one of the races used as a prep for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 9, is one of five stakes - and four graded stakes - as part of the day's Man o' War Festival.
Gotta Go is coming off back-to-back disappointing efforts, finishing 11th in the Grade 2 Blue Grass on April 7 at Keeneland and sixth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 3 at Gulfstream.
Though contested at 1 1/8 miles, the Peter Pan will represent a return to a one-turn track for the Shanghai Bobby colt as he makes his first start on Belmont's Big Sandy.
"He's doing well and the plan at the moment is to go to New York," Wilkes said. "He looks like he's improving. If he wasn't, we wouldn't come. I'm going to put blinkers on him and go back to one turn. I'm happy with the way he's going."
As of Sunday, others considered probably for the race are Ax Man (Bob Baffert); Blended Citizen (Doug O'Neill, supplemental); Core Beliefs (Peter Eurton); Diamond King (John Servis); High North (Brad Cox); and Zing Zang (Steve Asmussen). Possible are Just Whistle (Michael Matz) and Pony Up (Pletcher).
Wilkes said Gotta Go has been training well at Churchill Downs since mid-April and has traditionally been comfortable shipping.
Gotta Go, who broke his maiden at second asking, won his stakes debut in the Street Sense on October 29 before ending his juvenile campaign with a 13th-place finish in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. He started his 3-year-old year with a game runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Swale before faltering in his last two races around two turns.
"His last couple of races have been subpar and it might be due to the fact it was two turns; that's what I'm going to find out," said Wilkes. "I'll put some blinkers on him and make him a little more focused."
Wilkes said regular jockey Chris Landeros will make the trip to Belmont to have the return call against a talented field that is expected to include Ax Man, Blended Citizen, Core Beliefs, Diamond King, High North, and Zing Zang.
The Peter Pan, historically one of the races used as a prep for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 9, is one of five stakes - and four graded stakes - as part of the day's Man o' War Festival.
Gotta Go is coming off back-to-back disappointing efforts, finishing 11th in the Grade 2 Blue Grass on April 7 at Keeneland and sixth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 3 at Gulfstream.
Though contested at 1 1/8 miles, the Peter Pan will represent a return to a one-turn track for the Shanghai Bobby colt as he makes his first start on Belmont's Big Sandy.
"He's doing well and the plan at the moment is to go to New York," Wilkes said. "He looks like he's improving. If he wasn't, we wouldn't come. I'm going to put blinkers on him and go back to one turn. I'm happy with the way he's going."
As of Sunday, others considered probably for the race are Ax Man (Bob Baffert); Blended Citizen (Doug O'Neill, supplemental); Core Beliefs (Peter Eurton); Diamond King (John Servis); High North (Brad Cox); and Zing Zang (Steve Asmussen). Possible are Just Whistle (Michael Matz) and Pony Up (Pletcher).
Wilkes said Gotta Go has been training well at Churchill Downs since mid-April and has traditionally been comfortable shipping.
Gotta Go, who broke his maiden at second asking, won his stakes debut in the Street Sense on October 29 before ending his juvenile campaign with a 13th-place finish in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. He started his 3-year-old year with a game runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Swale before faltering in his last two races around two turns.
"His last couple of races have been subpar and it might be due to the fact it was two turns; that's what I'm going to find out," said Wilkes. "I'll put some blinkers on him and make him a little more focused."
Wilkes said regular jockey Chris Landeros will make the trip to Belmont to have the return call against a talented field that is expected to include Ax Man, Blended Citizen, Core Beliefs, Diamond King, High North, and Zing Zang.
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