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Belmont Notebook: Foot Injury Derails Casino Drive

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By SCOTT CARTER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 8, 2008

ELMONT, N.Y. - The plan of Japanese owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto all along was for Casino Drive to run in the Belmont Stakes. That plan came to an abrupt halt early Saturday when Yamamoto and trainer Kazuo Fujisawa decided to scratch the 3-year-old colt from the Belmont Stakes.

The first sign of trouble came Friday when Casino Drive, winner of both his career starts, didn't take the track for his regular workout because of a bruise on his left-hind hoof. The final decision was made after his handlers took Casino Drive for a short run Saturday morning, reaggravating the injury.

"We took him to the track for a canter," said Nobutaka Tada, spokesperson for Yamamoto. "He came back well to the stable, but later he started favoring his left-hind once more. The timing is terrible."

Casino Drive, the 7-2 second choice behind heavily favored Big Brown, was expected to provide the stiffest competition. Casino Drive's dam, Better Than Honour, was the dam to Jazil and Rags to Riches, the last two Belmont winners.

"We have had so many people cheering for us, helping us, supporting us for coming here to run in the Belmont Stakes," Tada said. "It is unfortunate those people won't be able to see him run. It is a real pity."

Tampa Duo Has Big Brown, IEAH Ties

As Benny the Bull charged ahead in the final furlong to win the $250,000 True North Stakes on Saturday at Belmont, Jack Davis watched anxiously on TV in his Tampa Palms home.

"Yeah, yeah, he got it," Davis said over the telephone. "I hope that's a good sign."

On this day it wasn't, as Big Brown faded around the final turn and finished last in his bid at history, leaving questions whether IEAH will race him in the future.

Davis is one of the first investors in New York-based IEAH Stables, the equine holding company that owns Big Brown and Benny the Bull. Davis, along with Odessa resident and former co-worker Jim Dupre, invested $10,000 in IEAH in 2003 when the company was launched by a group of investors headed by Michael Iavarone. According to IEAH's Web site, the minimum investment these days is $500,000.

IEAH purchased a 75 percent stake in Big Brown in September for a reported $3 million, and recently sold his stud rights to Three Chimneys Farm for approximately $50 million.

Hey Dad, Walk This Way

Florida-bred Guadalcanal entered the Belmont as the longest shot in the field at 50-1, the only horse in the race without a victory.

It's unusual for a horse to run a Triple Crown race without at least one win, but after a strong showing in his last start at the 11/2-mile distance of the Belmont, owner Frederick J. Seitz opted to run Guadalcanal against heavy favorite Big Brown and eight others.

For Seitz, a longtime horseman in Kentucky, it marked the first time he entered a horse in a Triple Crown race. The decision presented an interesting dilemma for his daughter, Anna Seitz, an associate of renowned trainer Todd Pletcher, who had Ready's Echo entered in the Belmont.

Normally, Seitz walks with Pletcher and his horse from the barn to the paddock to saddle the horse. She hung out in her father's stall prior to the Belmont.

"It seems strange with my dad having a horse in the race," she said.

Guadalcanal finished seventh, and Ready's Echo placed third in a dead heat with Anak Nakal.

Belmont Heats Up Fast

Friday, the temperature hovered in the 60s under an overcast sky the day before the 140th running of the Belmont. Twenty-four hours later, a heat wave moved into the New York area and temperatures soared to more than 95 degrees, creating a unique contrast from 24 hours earlier.

"The abrupt change can affect them," said veterinarian Larry Brumlage.

Brumlage, who was with Eight Belles when she had to be put down after the Kentucky Derby, said while humans need to drink a lot of water on hot days, horses can sustain better.

"Horses have a great hydration system. They store water in their large colons," he said. "They only have to go to water once or twice every 48 hours."

Whatever Happened To War Pass?

Belmont Stakes-winning trainer Nick Zito arrived at Tampa Bay Downs in March for the Tampa Bay Derby with War Pass, the 2-year-old champion in 2007 and considered at the time the top horse on the Kentucky Derby trail.

War Pass finished last in Tampa, sending his star spiraling downward.

Most figured War Pass would be the horse to prompt Zito and owner Robert LaPenta to celebrate a Triple Crown race win. Instead, 38-to-1 long shot Da' Tara did the trick Saturday.

As for War Pass, he was injured prior to the Kentucky Derby and his once-promising career remains on hold.

"He's not progressing like I want him to," Zito said Saturday. "If he's going to do any running, it's probably going to be next year. He's one of the greatest horses I've ever trained. We're just going to have to wait on him."

Belmont Bits

The crowd Saturday doubled the 46,870 on hand in 2007 to see filly Rags to Riches race to a Belmont victory, the smallest Belmont Stakes Day crowd in 11 years. ... My Dream Tomorrow, a 3-year-old filly and only prominent runner from Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday's card, was scratched in her first race off the Tampa turf. ... NBA star Shaquille O'Neal made a splash Saturday, showing up in white-and-red jockey silks and posing with jockeys half his size.

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