No Red Bullet means loaded Belmont field By David Grening Daily Racing Form ELMONT, N.Y. - The defection of Preakness winner Red Bullet from the June 10 Belmont Stakes may have lessened the appeal of the race, but not the competition. Led by Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, as many as 14 horses - the maximum allowed to run - are still under consideration for the Belmont, the 1½-mile Test of the Champion. When news got out that Red Bullet would not run, the connections of Commendable, Harlan Traveler, and Appearing Now suddenly got interested in the race. Add to the mix as many as five horses from Saturday's Peter Pan Stakes, and bettors could have a full field to handicap. Naturally, New York Racing Association officials are disappointed that they can't sell a rematch between Fusaichi Pegasus and Red Bullet, but NYRA president Terry Meyocks remained optimistic the Belmont will still be a good show. "It's unfortunate," NYRA president Terry Meyocks said. "We have worked the last three years in making the Belmont an event by adding extra stakes races, by getting the local community involved. We had the help of three potential Triple Crowns in getting exposure. Before the Derby our reserved seats were sold out. We have requests still coming in. We'll be fine. The main thing is to put on the best race we can and make sure the people who come have a good time." Although he still intends to run him in the Belmont, trainer Neil Drysdale has backed off in his training of Fusaichi Pegasus. The Derby winner and Preakness runnerup underwent a complete physical on Sunday at Aqueduct and "he came through with flying colors," said Drysdale, who returned to California a day earlier than planned. Monday, Fusaichi Pegasus walked under tack at Aqueduct. Drysdale said Fusaichi Pegasus would jog at Aqueduct for the next few days before he begins galloping toward the end of the week. "I just felt he's not ready to begin training just yet," Drysdale said. "He's had three races on the road, and we backed off like we did prior to the Kentucky Derby." At Belmont Park on Monday, Godolphin Racing's pair of Belmont hopefuls, Curule and Chief Seattle, had workouts. Curule, the seventh-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, breezed seven furlongs in 1:28.01 under exercise rider Lee Roebuck. Jerry Bailey has been confirmed to ride Curule, according to assistant trainer Tom Albertrani. Bailey, meanwhile, put Chief Seattle through a mile workout from the gate that was timed in 1:38.16. No rider has been confirmed for Chief Seattle, although John Velazquez is the leading candidate. Albertani was extremely pleased with Curule's work, which came on the heels of a five-furlong move in 58:26 seconds last Thursday. "His work [Monday] was as good as I've ever seen him," Albertrani said. "He's definitely doing better than he was when he went into the Derby." Curule arrived at Churchill Downs only three days before the Derby. In the race itself, Curule broke from post 18 and bumped with High Yield at the start. He was five wide in the stretch and was only beaten 3 1/2 lengths for third. "I don't think he got tired," Albertrani said. "He probably wasn't good enough that day. I think he'll run a lot better in the Belmont than he did in the Derby." Albertrani was less enthused about Chief Seattle's mile work from the gate. Belmont clockers timed the colt in fractions of 24.00 seconds, 47.60 and 1:12.20, meaning he got his last quarter in 25.96 seconds. "I thought he went well although he got a little weary-legged within the last sixteenth of a mile," Albertrani said of the colt who hasn't had an official race since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. "We wanted to make sure he had one good work if he was going to make it to the Belmont. There's still a question if he's going to be ready for the Belmont." Albertani returned to England on Monday and was to talk with Sheikh Mohammed and make a decision in a few days. "Right now, we're still planning on running," Albertrani said. Saturday's Peter Pan could produce as many as five Belmont starters. Postponed, the winner by three-quarters of a length is a definite as is fourth-place finisher Tahkodha Hills. Third-place finisher Globalize is likely as well, according to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Unshaded, who ran second in the Peter Pan, is 50-50 for the race. According to NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, trainer Carl Nafzger wants to review the tape of the Peter Pan before making a final decision. Owner Jim Tafel would have to pay a $100,000 supplemental fee to get Unshaded, who is not Triple Crown-nominated, into the race. Scottish Halo, sixth in the Peter Pan, is under consideration for the Belmont, but is more likely to run in the Big Apple Triple, beginning with the Mike Lee Handicap on July 1. Harlan Traveler, winner of a mile allowance race Friday at Churchill Downs, is being considered for the Belmont. Trainer Ray Lawrence said he plans to breeze the colt Saturday at Churchill before deciding.

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