Carroll pleased with Denis of Cork

Denis of Cork continues to train sharply in advance of the Belmont (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

Southwest S. (G3) winner DENIS OF CORK (Harlan's Holiday), who finished a

closing third in the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1), worked under the Twin Spires at

Churchill Downs on Monday in advance of Saturday's $1 million Belmont S. (G1).

With jockey Robby Albarado astride, the bay colt got the first

quarter-mile in :24 4/5 en route to his half-mile time of :48 3/5. The David

Carroll trainee galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

"I was very, very happy with what I saw today," Carroll said. "Robby

was very careful not to go too fast early. He's very deceiving. He

can go fast because he covers a lot of ground, so he was under wraps the last

eighth. He just let his head out and he just immediately accelerated, and

it was a beautiful thing to watch. We're excited."

Macho Again enjoys a stroll with his pony (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

The other Belmont aspirant stabled at Churchill Downs was on the

track for a jog. Derby Trial S. winner MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno), runner-up to BIG

BROWN (Boundary) in the May 17 Preakness S. (G1), jogged about two miles under exercise rider Kenny Bourque. The Dallas Stewart-trained

colt breezed four furlongs in :48 1/5 on Friday. After a day of

walking in the shedrow, he returned to the track for a jog on Sunday. Stewart

said Macho Again would gallop on Tuesday.

"We're just trying to be a little careful," Stewart said. "He's doing

great. He's on his toes and looks awesome, so we're just hoping to go up there

with a lot in the tank."

Both Denis of Cork and Macho Again had been scheduled to travel to New York

on Tuesday, but the flight schedule

was changed on Monday. The Churchill Downs-based Belmont hopefuls are now set to

travel to Belmont Park on Wednesday. The horses are scheduled to board a van at

Churchill Downs at 11 a.m. (EDT) and the flight is scheduled to leave Louisville

International Airport at noon.

At Fair Hill

Training Center in Maryland, Federico Tesio S. winner ICABAD CRANE (Jump Start) breezed

four furlongs in :48 3/5 on Monday on the all-weather surface under exercise

rider Lisa Davidson.

Big Brown does some reconnaissance near the finish line (Joseph DiOrio/Horsephotos.com)

Motion's

plans for Icabad Crane include walking the shedrow on

Tuesday and shipping, an easy jog day on Wednesday, and a light 1 1/2-mile

gallop around the Belmont oval on Thursday.

"I want him

to get use to the Belmont track since it's so unique," Motion continued. "It's

the only mile-and-a-half track in the country, so I want him to get accustomed to

it."

Motion is

pleased with his horse and the lack of attention they are

getting.

"I realize

everyone will be focused on Big Brown," Motion said, "so it's nice to be in our

situation with all of the media over at their barn."

At Saratoga, Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) winner ANAK NAKAL (Victory Gallop)

breezed four furlongs in :49 3/5 on a fast Oklahoma training track on Monday under exercise rider Maxine Correa.

"I told Maxine to go as even as you can because we believe that the horse can

run a mile and a half," Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito said. "He's ready. He's been ready for a long time now.

Casino Drive kicks up his heels (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

A quarter-crack was discovered last Friday in Big Brown's left front hoof, but widely

acclaimed hoof specialist Ian McKinlay and trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. have

carefully monitored the situation.

"I'm not going to put a patch on it until Friday," McKinlay said. "And the

only reason for that is to let it dry up as much as possible. It is coming along

well, and everything is on schedule."

McKinlay will

not be at Belmont Park for Big Brown's work on Tuesday. Instead, he will be at Monmouth Park.

Peter Pan S. (G2) winner CASINO DRIVE (Mineshaft) jogged once around Belmont Park's main track

on Monday. Nobutaka Tada,

spokesman for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto and trainer Kazuo Fujisawa, said the

colt would likely have a more serious move on Wednesday.

Casino Drive, an impressive 5 3/4-length winner of the May 10 Peter Pan S.

(G2), is

undefeated in two career starts. The chestnut colt is a half-brother to 2006

Belmont winner Jazil (Seeking the Gold) and a three-quarter brother to 2007

Belmont heroine Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy). All three share the same dam, 2007

Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister).

Ready's Echo is seeking his first stakes victory (Joseph DiOrio/Horsephotos.com)

Ready's Echo,

who finished third to Casino Drive in the Peter Pan, was a late

addition to the Belmont field.

Pletcher

said the chestnut colt came out of Sunday's five-furlong work in 1:01 4/5

"in very good order. We are pleased with his progress," the four-time

Eclipse Award-winning trainer said.

Pletcher is

seeking his second straight victory in Saturday's Belmont, having won the

2007 Belmont with the filly Rags to Riches. It was Pletcher's first win in a

Triple Crown race.

Ready's Echo

launched his career at Saratoga last summer, finishing second in a 5

1/2-furlong maiden race in which he bucked his shins. He returned to action on March 5

at Gulfstream Park and secured his first victory by 3 1/4 lengths going seven

furlongs. Ready's Echo was then second by a neck in an April 12, 1 1/16-mile allowance

race on Keeneland's Polytrack.

"We kind of

had the Belmont on our radar ever since the race at Keeneland," Pletcher said.

"And we got more serious about it after his performance in the Peter Pan."