Met Mile could be the rematch between the Carter’s top 3
The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner, Caleb’s Posse, suffered back to back defeats at Aqueduct race course going over a distance of six furlongs in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Stakes and then recently bosed out by Jackson Bend over the seven furlong long
Carter Handicap.
It was a brilliant run by Caleb’s Posse in the stretch of the Carter Handicap, where he was adamant not to lose a second race over the track, but Jackson Bend show a little too much from him on the day, but the second and third of the Carter Handicap, Caleb’s
Posse and Shackleford, respectively, have been pointed at Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap (Met Mile) over a distance of a mile on 28 May, 2012, at Belmont Park.
The Carter Handicap winner, Jackson Bend could go there as well, as he has been entered in the race, but no final word has been called by his connections for a start in the Met Mile.
Donnie Von Hemel trained Kentucky bred son of Posse, out of mare Abbey’s Missy by Slewacide, Caleb’s Posse according to his trainer is on a flight to Kentucky and from there he will go to Oaklawn Park.
McNeill Stables and Cheyenne Stables owned Caleb’s Posse are seriously thinking of starting their Breeders’ Cup winner horse in the Met Mile, but the conditioner insisted that it is too early to call it a rematch between the top 3 finishers of the Carter
Handicap.
“I think the Met Mile would be under very serious consideration [for Caleb’s Posse], but it’s too early to speculate on who’s going to the race. We’ll have a better idea of who is going a couple of weeks before the race.”
Dale Romans on the other hand was happy with Shackleford, who unexpectedly set the pace of the Carter, while Emcee has trouble getting out of the gate.
“I thought he ran well,” said Romans of Shackleford. “It was a fast race with three fast horses. He didn’t get beat far, and he showed he can run with some of the fastest horses in the country.”
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