Seize the Grey

• Pedigree: Arrogate-Smart Shopping, by Smart Strike
• Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
• Jockey: Jaime Torres

From the final crop of Arrogate, gray colt has come to hand with consecutive graded stakes wins, leading all the way upsetting the Preakness (G1), and his improving form should not be dismissed. Four-time Belmont winner D. Wayne Lukas will look to have Seize the Grey primed for a good showing on the front end.

Mystik Dan

• Pedigree: Goldencents-Ma’am, by Colonel John
• Trainer: Ken McPeek
• Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Kentucky Derby upsetter performed gallantly in the Preakness, making a run at Seize the Grey in upper stretch and gamely repelling Catching Freedom for second, and Mystik Dan deserves top three consideration if he reels back for the Belmont. But he’ll need to keep showing more to prove best at a challenging 1 1/4-mile trip.

Sierra Leone

• Pedigree: Gun Runner-Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon
• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

A deep closer, Sierra Leone will try to keep building upon a nose second in the Kentucky Derby. He rallied wide from far back and didn’t run straight through the stretch, lugging into another rival while appearing to tire late, and Chad Brown will switch equipment (new bit) and jockeys (Flavien Prat takes over). Long-striding colt may receive a favorable set up, especially if the speedy Thorpedo Anna commits.

Fierceness

• Pedigree: City of Light-Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty
• Trainer: Todd Pletcher
• Jockey: John Velazquez

A brilliant winner in every other start, including an 11-length debut maiden win at Saratoga, champion two-year-old male is in rebound mode following a disappointing 15th as the Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite. Fierceness easily owns the top numbers, registering Brisnet Speed ratings as high as 112, and those will be appealing to bettors.

Honor Marie

• Pedigree: Honor Code-Dame Marie, by Smart Strike
• Trainer: Whit Beckman

Deep closer was cut off badly a few jumps out of the Kentucky Derby starting gate and continued to experience a rough and troubled trip, offering a sneaky run from 20th to be eighth. Honor Marie displayed tenacity while gaining valuable experience, showing no signs of wear and tear by immediately returning to the worktab for Whit Beckman, and Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up rates as a rebound candidate with a favorable pace scenario projected.

Tuscan Gold

• Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro-Valadorna, by Curlin
• Trainer: Chad Brown

Didn’t break sharply and rallied belatedly to be a non-threatening fourth in the Preakness, but lightly raced colt needed the race following a two-month hiatus, making his first appearance since a good third in the Louisiana Derby, and he didn’t appear to like the muddy conditions. Tuscan Gold will be a candidate to show more in the Belmont three weeks later, but it’s fair to question whether he’ll be good enough to make his presence felt.

Dornoch

• Pedigree: Good Magic-Puca, by Big Brown
• Trainer: Danny Gargan
• Jockey: Luis Saez

Remsen (G2) winner has not gone on at age three, racing erratically finishing a well-beaten fourth in the Blue Grass (G1) and failing to break sharply in the Kentucky Derby, and his best races have come on the lead. Tough turnaround spot.

Thorpedo Anna

• Pedigree: Fast Anna-Sataves, by Uncle Mo
• Trainer: Kenny McPeek

Kenny McPeek upset the 2020 Preakness with the filly Swiss Skydiver, who edged Kentucky Derby winner and eventual Horse of the Year Authentic by a neck, and Thorpedo Anna appears to be peaking following a decisive frontrunning win in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). She’ll enter her third start of the year on the upswing, and the speedy miss promises to be forward from the start if connections opt for the Belmont over the Acorn (G1) the day before.

Antiquarian

• Pedigree: Preservationist-Lifetime Memory, by Istan
• Trainer: Todd Pletcher

A troubled sixth when making his stakes debut in the Louisiana Derby, chestnut colt rebounded with a nice win in the Peter Pan (G3), wearing down a game rival to prevail by about a length, and Antiquarian appears to be on an upward trajectory for Pletcher. His Speed ratings will need to keep improving to make a serious impact in the Belmont.

The Wine Steward

• Pedigree: Vino Rosso-Call to Service, by To Honor and Serve
• Trainer: Mike Maker

Easy to appreciate New York-bred colt’s tenacity, recording three close seconds versus graded rivals, but his three career wins have come at six furlongs or less. Faces class hike and 10 furlongs looks like a tall test.

Mindframe

A spectacular debut winner over seven furlongs in late March, Maryland-bred son of Constitution carried his form forward when stretching to two turns in a Churchill Downs allowance, scoring by 7 1/2 lengths as the odds-on favorite. He’s established himself as an extremely promising type for four-time Belmont winner Todd Pletcher, and we’ll find where Mindframe fits in his stakes debut. 

Batten Down

A full brother to Grade 1-winning millionaire Tacitus, gray colt graduated stylishly when stretching out to 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs in his fourth start, registering a career-best 97 Speed rating for the 8 3/4-length decision, but he’ll face a difficult challenge in the first start against winners.

Protective

Stalker has performed respectably since stretching out two starts back, recording thirds in the Wood Memorial (G2) and Peter Pan (G3), but difficult to envision a maiden (winless from four starts) factoring in this spot.

• Angel of Empire
  • Arkansas Derby (G1) and Risen Star (G2) hero was a hard-charging third as the post-time favorite in the Kentucky Derby.
  • Pedigree: Classic Empire-Armony’s Angel, by To Honor and Serve
  • Trainer: Brad Cox
  • Jockey: Flavien Prat

• Hit Show
  • Withers (G3) romper and Wood Memorial (G2) near-misser was a solid fifth in the Derby.
  • Pedigree: Candy Ride-Actress, by Tapit
  • Trainer: Brad Cox
  • Jockey: Manny Franco

• Tapit Trice
  • Blue Grass (G1) and Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner churned on for seventh after a typically sluggish start in the Derby.
  • Pedigree: Tapit-Danzatrice, by Dunkirk
  • Trainer: Todd Pletcher
  • Jockey: Luis Saez

• National Treasure
  • Blinkers back on did the trick in his stakes breakthrough in the Preakness, where he controlled the pace and battled gamely.
  • Pedigree: Quality Road-Treasure, by Medaglia d’Oro
  • Trainer: Bob Baffert
  • Jockey:  John Velazquez

• Red Route One
  • Bath House Row S. winner, previously a bridesmaid on the Derby trail, wound up fourth in a Preakness that did not set up for his late kick.
  • Pedigree: Gun Runner-Red House, by Tapit
  • Trainer: Steve Asmussen
  • Jockey:  Joel Rosario

• Forte
  • Champion juvenile extended his winning streak in the Florida Derby, but fitness could be a question since his scratch from the Kentucky Derby.
  • Pedigree: Violence-Queen Caroline, by Blame
  • Trainer: Todd Pletcher
  • Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

• Arcangelo
  • Late bloomer stepped up from his maiden win to take the Peter Pan (G3).
  • Pedigree: Arrogate-Modeling, by Tapit
  • Trainer:  Jena Antonucci
  • Jockey: Javier Castellano