Belmont Stakes 'tall order' for Joevia, but no Maximum Security

Trainer Gregg Sacco says Joevia’s connections had two options for their 3-year-old’s next step.

One was the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes on June 16 at Sacco’s home base, Monmouth Park. That race is scheduled as a possible return spot for Maximum Security, the disqualified Kentucky Derby winner.

And then there was Saturday’s Belmont Stakes. The final leg of the Triple Crown series is run for $1.5 million – a purse 10 times bigger than the Pegasus – and won’t include Maximum Security.

“This is a tall order, the Belmont,” Sacco said. “But (Maximum Security) is arguably the top 3-year-old in the country. So why not duck him and run against the rest of the field?”

So Sacco and owners Jeff and Michael Fazio chose the Belmont for Joevia. He'll be entered Tuesday in a field that includes Wood Memorial (G2) winner Tacitus, Preakness stakes champ War of Will, and then the rest of the field that figure to be distant to the Top 2 in wagering.

Saturday’s 1 1/2-mile test will mark the sixth start of Joevia’s career. He’s won twice, including last out May 12 in Monmouth’s $100,000 Long Branch Stakes, and earned $131,600.

“Other than War of Will and Tacitus, I think we’re in that second-tier group in the race,” Sacco said. “They’re the head of the class going into the Belmont ­– the Preakness winner and the Wood Memorial winner.

“We’re a stakes winner. I think there are a few horses that aren’t stakes winners going in there. We feel like it’s the right timing for us to try.”

Joevia’s faced graded competition only once before, in the Wood Memorial on April 6 at Monmouth Park. Under jockey Nik Juarez, Joevia broke inside from the far outside post “heck-bent on a mission for the front end,” in the words of the official chart.

Joevia got the lead he was seeking and was quickly joined by fellow longshot Not That Brady. Those two raced as a tandem far out front until a tired Joevia gave way around the 3/8ths pole.

Joevia crossed the line seventh, 13 lengths off champion Tacitus, and was then disqualified for causing interference at the start.

“That wasn’t the plan to send him like that,” Sacco said of Joevia’s Wood Memorial run. “Nothing worked out that day. But we felt that wasn’t a true indication of him handling two turns.”

Joevia stepped down into non-graded competition in the Long Branch under Juarez. He led gate to wire, drawing away for a 2 ¾-length victory over runner-up The Right Path.

That performance was more indicative of Joevia’s potential than his chaotic run in the Wood Memorial, Sacco said.

Sacco expects Joevia to be “forwardly placed” Saturday in the Belmont but doesn’t think he necessarily needs to be the pace setter in order to succeed.

“This race, it’s a tactical race,” Sacco said. “He won off the pace in his debut (last July at Monmouth).

“I think if a horse wanted to lead, he could track him and see if he could get the distance that way. It’s not like we think we’re going in there to steal the Belmont.”

Should Joevia come out of the Belmont well, Sacco is targeting the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on July 20 at Monmouth. Maximum Security is expected to headline that 1 1/8-mile showcase for 3-year-olds.

“That’s our home base and the Haskell is the signature event at Monmouth,” Sacco said. “We sure would like to be a part of that.”