Guyana Star Dweej Visits Belmont Oval

As has been his custom this week, Guyana Star Dweej went to the main track Thursday morning with other Belmont Stakes contenders at 8:30, accompanied by Grade 3 winner Shkspeare Shaliyah.

The 3-year-old stablemates galloped once around the 1 ½-mile oval before heading back to the Belmont stakes barn.

“The exercise rider went a little slower than I wanted him to go, but I’m pleased with the way he went,” owner-trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal said. “He is more competitive with company, but tomorrow I’m going to relax him by himself. He won’t do much.”

This will be the second straight appearance in the Belmont for Shivmangal, who ran last of 12 with Isn’t He Perfect in 2011.

“This is a different caliber horse from Isn’t He Perfect,” Shivmangal said. “This horse was bred to go long. He has the stamina, and all I need from [jockey] Kent [Desormeaux] is to rate this horse, just get him to relax a little bit on the backside.”

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another is poised to become racing’s first Triple Crown champion in 34 years with a victory in the Belmont, but Shivmangal said he wouldn’t have any problem being a spoiler to the historic quest.

“I will be very, very happy and proud to do that, and I think I have a shot of doing it,” Shivmangal said. “I did not go in because I just want to go in the Belmont. Winning a race of this magnitude would be great for me. It would be huge, and something that I’m looking forward to. Of course, it would make anybody very happy and excited.”