Quaesitor Cuts Back in Drosselmeyer

Rarely do horses cut back in distance to 1 ¼ miles, but that will be the case for marathoner Quaesitor on Sunday when he competes in the $100,000 Drosselmeyer overnight stakes at Belmont Park.

Quaesitor has found his niche competing in long-distance races over Woodbine's Polytrack and on Sunday will be making his first start since posting a three-length win in the Grade 3, 1 ¾-mile Valedictory in December. He entered the Valedictory off allowance victories traveling 1 ½ miles in August and 1 5/8 miles in November.

Ian Howard, who trains Quaesitor for Wayward Stable, said the Drosselmeyer is a good return spot for the 5-year-old as it is a rare race at 1 ¼ miles and could help them gauge his ability to run on dirt.

"He's a horse who wants at least a mile and a quarter," said Howard. "There aren't any opportunities [at Woodbine] until August, so we're going to run him in a dirt race. He trains on the dirt [on Woodbine's training track] and trains good. If he can transfer his form to dirt he'll have a good shot."

In his lone previous start on dirt, Quaesitor was fourth in 2012 in the middle jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown series, the Princes of Wales at Fort Erie.

"He's a better horse since then," said Howard.

Howard added that Quaesitor could return to Belmont for the Grade 2, $500,000 Brooklyn Invitational on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7.

Gerry Olguin, aboard Quaesitor in his past three starts, will fly in from Toronto to ride the gelded son of Friends Lake on Sunday.