Prospect Watch: Hit It a Bomb's brother takes off at Belmont

In a normal year, the Triple Crown would be complete and we would be turning our attention to the Breeders’ Cup. Instead, we’re a week away from the Belmont Stakes, and everyone is trying to figure out the best way to prepare for a super-packed second half of the season.

There’s no telling who the major players will be by the time fall rolls around; the recent injuries suffered by Nadal, Charlatan, and Maxfield have certainly thrown the Kentucky Derby scene into disarray. So let’s review seven up-and-coming young colts with the potential to step up and make an impact during the coming months.

Friday, June 12

Belmont Park Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (5 furlongs on turf, 1:15 p.m. ET)

#3 River Tiber (2yo)

It’s safe to say River Tiber is bred to be a high-class, early-maturing juvenile turf star. Sold for $500,000 as a yearling, the son of War Front was produced by the Sadler’s Wells mare Liscanna, making River Tiber a full brother to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) champion Hit It a Bomb and Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) winner Brave Anna. Wesley Ward conditions River Tiber for Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, and while River Tiber’s work tab isn’t overly flashy, he’s cranked out half a dozen workouts at Keeneland and figures to be heavily favored on debut with hot jockey Irad Ortiz in the saddle.

Santa Anita Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (1 mile, 4:37 p.m. ET)

#1 Uncle Chuck (3yo)

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will saddle two runners in this 1-mile test, including the first-time starter Uncle Chuck, who sold for $250,000 as a yearling. Produced by the Unbridled’s Song mare Forest Music, Uncle Chuck hails from a classy family — his half-siblings include Doubledogdare (G3) winner Electric Forest, Lazaro Barrera (G3) victor Kentuckian, and the spectacular maiden winner Maclean’s Music, sire of 2017 Preakness (G1) champion Cloud Computing. Uncle Chuck has put together a solid work tab in preparation for his debut and will have Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the saddle, though the fact Baffert wins at only a 6% rate with horses debuting in routes is a cause for pause.

Churchill Downs Race 8: Allowance Optional Claiming (1 1/8 miles, 4:46 p.m. ET)

#3 Extraordinary (3yo)

Sold for $750,000 as a yearling, Extraordinary is a son of champion sprinter Speightstown out of the Pulpit mare Fiftyshadesofhay, a four-time graded stakes winner who placed in a quartet of Grade 1 races up to 1 1/4 miles in distance. After finishing fourth in his debut against a high-quality field at Tampa Bay Downs, Extraordinary pressed a steady pace going a mile at Gulfstream and cruised by 6 1/4 lengths. He wasn’t quite as sharp when finishing second in an allowance race over the same track and distance third time out, but the addition of blinkers and a rider switch to Florent Geroux can help Extraordinary turn things around on Friday for the high-profile partnership of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and Stonestreet Stable.

#4 Hunt the Front (3yo)

Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito is poised to join the Triple Crown trail with Hunt the Front, a son of 2013 Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Revolutionary out of a mare by 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft. After cracking the trifecta in four of his first five starts without winning, Hunt the Front stretched out over 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn last month and rallied strongly to win by a length over Santa Anita Derby (G1) participant Friar’s Road and next-out winner Wild Union. Facing allowance company is the next logical step for Hunt the Front, who figures to appreciate the distance of Friday’s test more than most.

#5 Earner (3yo)

It’s safe to say Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has Earner progressing in the right direction. After finishing second in his debut sprinting six furlongs, beaten only by the stakes-caliber Echo Town, Earner stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and dominated a maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park, rolling from behind the leaders to cruise by 3 3/4 lengths. Sold for $425,000 as a yearling, Earner is a stoutly bred son of Blue Grass (G1) winner Carpe Diem out of the stakes-placed Medaglia d’Oro mare Devious d’Oro, so tackling an extra sixteenth of a mile on Friday shouldn’t be a problem. Asmussen’s go-to jockey Ricardo Santana stays aboard, so another promising effort should be in the offing for this Triple Crown nominee.

Saturday, June 13

Gulfstream Park Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (6 furlongs, 2:10 p.m. ET)

#2 Loxodrome (3yo)

Todd Pletcher has saddled an abundance of 3-year-old maiden winners at Gulfstream this winter and will try to keep his momentum rolling with Loxodrome, a son of hot young sire Liam’s Map out of the Tiznow mare High Quail, runner-up in the Falls City Handicap (G2) traveling 1 1/8 miles. Loxodrome is bred to run long and doesn’t bring the flashiest work tab to the equation, so he’s probably not a certain winner while sprinting on debut. But any flashes of life from this $180,000 Calumet Farm purchase can be taken as a sign of better things to come when stretching out in distance.

Churchill Downs Race 5: Allowance Optional Claiming (1 1/16 miles, 3:10 p.m. ET)

#3 Shared Sense (3yo)

Though Shared Sense has finished off the board in his two stakes attempts, there were extenuating circumstances in play that suggest Shared Sense still has a bright future. After facing tough company in a trio of maiden races, Shared Sense stepped up in class for the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn, where a strongly speed-favoring track compromised his late rally. Shared Sense rebounded nicely to win a 1-mile allowance race at Oaklawn before trying turf in Churchill’s War Chant Stakes, where he rallied mildly in his first start off a 3-month layoff to finish a decent sixth. Returning to dirt should trigger a rebound for this son of Kentucky Derby champion Street Sense, and hot trainer Brad Cox strikes at a 28% rate with horses running for the second time off a layoff.

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