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When I’ll Have Another bids for the Triple Crown in the June 9 Belmont Stakes, he won’t be allowed to wear the Flair equine nasal strips he wore in all four victories this year, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
According to Dr. Ted Hill, the Jockey Club steward at the NYRA tracks, studies have shown that equine nasal strips can be performance-enhancing by reducing fatigue and possibly preventing bleeding, claims the company makes on its website, flairstrips.com.
If that’s the case, Dr. Hill said, then how do you regulate them? For example, what if it’s raining and the nasal strip comes off in the post parade?
“Do you scratch him?” Hill asked. “Does he run for purse money only?”
Flair isn’t shy about taking credit for I’ll Have Another’s success. The company posts updates of his progress on its website.
* At Churchill Downs yesterday, Dullahan — who could be I’ll Have Another’s chief rival in the “Test of the Champion” after rallying for third in the Derby — worked a mile in 1:43.
“It was old school as we worked him one mile to try to get more into him,” trainer Dale Romans said. “He didn’t seem tired afterwards and galloped out nicely.”
Dullahan is scheduled to arrive this morning at Belmont Park and have his final work for the race.
* Street Life, a live longshot for the Belmont after a fast-finishing third in the Peter Pan, worked four furlongs in :47.82 yesterday over the main track.
“I think this horse is bred to run all day, and he trains like he wants to run all day,” trainer Chad Brown said. “So I’m excited to get him to that 1 1/2-mile distance.”
Brown was an assistant to Hall-of-Fame horsesman Bobby Frankel when Frankel sent out Empire Maker to foil Funny Cide’s Triple Crown bid in 2003.
“It wasn’t a real popular win, but he had a plan to win that race, and I’m just trying to follow the same pattern,” said Brown.
* Trainer Ken McPeek’s two Belmont Stakes candidates also worked out yesterday.
Atigun zipped a half-mile in a bullet :46.77, while Unstoppable U went five furlongs in :59.22.