Multiplier Prepares for Flight to Belmont Stakes 2017

Grade 3 Illinois Derby winner Multiplier had an easy morning Monday, jogging once around the main track at Churchill Downs ahead of his next engagement in Saturday's 2017 Belmont Stakes.

Multiplier has been at Churchill since Sunday after putting in a half-mile breeze in 48.60 seconds Saturday at Keeneland for trainer Brendan Walsh. The gray or roan son of The Factor is scheduled to be on a flight early Tuesday morning headed for New York.

"I sent him to Churchill because they're going out of Louisville tomorrow and I didn't want to add another two-hour trip on a van to the flight and everything as it was," Walsh said. "It was just easier to have him at Churchill, and he's so adaptable anyway."

Joining Multiplier on the Tex Sutton flight from Louisville to Long Island's MacArthur Airport in Islip will be fellow Belmont contenders Classic Empire, the expected favorite, and J Boys Echo. Assistant trainer Tom Molloy will look after Multiplier at Belmont until Walsh arrives for training Friday.

"He should be there around lunchtime tomorrow," Walsh said. "He'll just gallop away there for the first few mornings. We'll probably bring him out there Wednesday morning and back him up to the mile pole and just gallop him around nearly a full circle."

Multiplier was purchased privately by the partnership of Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel and George Kerr prior to the May 20 Preakness, where he gained ground late to be sixth, beaten less than six lengths. Joel Rosario, aboard in the Preakness, gets a return call in the Belmont.

"He's doing great. I'm delighted with him," Walsh said. "He worked great on Saturday and he's in really good shape, as good a shape as he can be in, so we're really looking forward to it."

Source: NYRA