Antiquarian Wins Peter Pan, Belmont Stakes Could Be Next

May 11th, 2024 by Byron King

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Antiquarian, Peter Pan Stakes, Belmont at the Big A, Todd Pletcher, Belmont Stakes

Antiquarian wins the Peter Pan Stakes, a prep race for next month's Belmont Stakes. (Sue Kawczynski/Eclipse Sportswire)

Antiquarian finished like a 3-year-old that would appreciate a longer distance when rallying past The Wine Steward to win the $200,000 Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on May 11 at Belmont at the Big A.

Dating back to 1951, eight winners of the Peter Pan Stakes have gone on to win the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. Whether Antiquarian can become the ninth is to be determined in another month.

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The victory was the second in four starts for the Centennial Farms-owned colt, who has raced exclusively at distances of a mile or longer. Following a debut second at Gulfstream Park, he won a maiden race at Fair Grounds and then ran a close sixth there in the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, beaten four lengths by Catching Freedom.

The Todd Pletcher trainee broke through the starting gate prior to the Louisiana Derby and, after reloading, was bumped at the start.

Antiquarian was on his best behavior Saturday, breaking mid-pack and settling in third on the outside under jockey John Velazquez, as rivals Unique Insight and The Wine Steward took turns on the lead with fractions of :47.96 and 1:11.62. Three wide around both turns, Antiquarian advanced on the leaders coming into the lane and wore down The Wine Steward in the final furlong, crossing the wire three-quarters of a length in front.

"He did everything right today. He was perfect in the paddock and perfect in the gate and I think that allowed him to run his race," Pletcher said.

The winner was timed in 1:48.99 on a fast track. He paid $13.80 for a $2 win wager.

"I was expecting a big effort from him," said Velazquez, who won his third Peter Pan. "He was a little spotty, but I know he can keep going that pace the whole way around. He won very nicely."

Protective, another Pletcher trainee owned by Repole Stable, ran third after looking for racing room in the stretch.

Antiquarian. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Unique Insight, Deterministic, and Native Land completed the six-horse order of finish.

Antiquarian gave Pletcher a fifth win in the Peter Pan. Three of his four prior Peter Pan winners raced in the Belmont. Madefromlucky ran sixth in 2015, Sunriver ran third in 2006, and Purge finished ninth in 2004.

Asked by New York Racing Association television host Maggie Wolfendale if the Belmont Stakes would be next after the Peter Pan, Pletcher looked at Don Little Jr., president of Centennial Farms, and replied, "Absolutely."

Fierceness, 15th in the Kentucky Derby as the favorite, and Mindframe, who is unbeaten in two starts, are other potential Belmont Stakes starters for Pletcher. The June 15 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park is another option for Mindframe.

Pletcher has won the Belmont four times, always with horses he previously raced at Churchill Downs in either the Kentucky Oaks or Kentucky Derby.

As the Jena Antonucci-trained Arcangelo proved as recently as last year, the Peter Pan-Belmont double is doable.

Due to ongoing construction at Belmont Park, this year's Belmont Stakes will be run at Saratoga Race Course at 1 1/4 miles, shorter than its customary 1 1/2-mile distance.