Napravnik and Jones team up in Peter Pan
Preview: USA, Saturday 10.06pm BST (live on ATR)
Belmont Park: Peter Pan Stakes (Grade 2) 1m1f, dirt, 3yo
JOCKEY Rosie Napravnik, who made history winning last week's Kentucky Oaks on Believe You Can, teams up again with trainer Larry Jones on Mark Valeski in the Peter Pan.
The $200,000 event, the major trial for the Belmont Stakes on June 9, provides the highlight of a lacklustre weekend in the States between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
Although Mark Valeski was eligible for a place in the Derby field, Jones decided to bypass the Classic for a more patient approach with the colt, runner-up in both the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds over the winter.
"It wasn't because we didn't have confidence in the horse," said Jones. "He's a nice horse but we felt he was still a week or two away from being at his best, and we didn't want to run him at Churchill Downs if he wasn't at his best."
Rivals in the Peter Pan are headed by The Lumber Guy (Mike Hushion/Mike Luzzi), winner of the Grade 2 Jerome at Aqueduct, and Summer Front (Christophe Clement/Ramon Dominguez), making his dirt debut after rallying to take second in the Coolmore Lexington on the Keeneland Polytrack on his first outing of the year.
Darley's Le Bernardin (Kiaran McLaughlin/Eddie Castro) is a promising type on a hat-trick as he makes his stakes debut.
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