Owendale no longer under Belmont Stakes consideration; what's next?

Rupp Racing's Owendale, a rallying third in the Preakness Stakes, will skip the June 8 Belmont Stakes.

Trainer Brad Cox said the Into Mischief bay, who captured the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland in April, could consider the 85th running of the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby slated for Saturday, June 22, at Thistledown.

"We're going to bypass on the Belmont. He's great, doing outstanding. Maybe the Ohio Derby [next]," said Cox.

Cox said the 1 1/2-mile distance played a part in the decision to skip the third leg of the Triple Crown.

"That and a combination of coming back in three weeks is asking him a lot," said Cox.

Cox, who enjoyed his first Breeders' Cup win in 2018 saddling Monomoy Girl to a thrilling score in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff, will send out the formidable trio of Arklow (Belmont Gold Cup), Beau Recall (Just a Game) and Break Even (Jersey Girl) at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.