Belmont Stakes starters return to Churchill

By: SPORTS NETWORK

 

Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - Two days after the running of the 143rd Belmont Stakes, several of the 12 starters arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday. Included in the group was Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford who set most of the pace in the 1 1/2-mile Test of Champions.

Shackleford, trained by Dale Romans, was on a flight from New York along with Nehro, Santiva and Prime Cut.

The Preakness champ had the lead on the turn for home, but tired down the stretch to finish fifth, just ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom.

Kentucky Derby runner-up Nehro again hit the board, only this time was fourth in the Belmont Stakes. That finish ended a three-race streak of second-place finishes.

Owned by Ahmed Zayat, the colt will have surgery on Wednesday in Lexington for an ankle chip.

Santiva was eighth on Saturday and Prime Cut finished next to last among the dozen three-year-olds.

"I would think there's probably something at Saratoga for him now," assistant trainer Brendan Walsh said about Santiva's future. "We?ll bring him up there and see what happens. Obviously, he's a horse that's worthy of going up there. We'll see how he comes out of it, and hopefully he's fine."

Santiva is trained by Eddie Kenneally who will take the three-year-old to Saratoga Race Course for the summer.