Charitable Man, Summer Bird scheduled for Saturday works

Charitable Man will try to emulate his sire Lemon Drop Kid, who captured the 1999 Belmont (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com) Belmont S. (G1) contenders CHARITABLE MAN (Lemon Drop Kid) and SUMMER BIRD (Birdstone) are both scheduled to breeze Saturday morning on the main track at Belmont Park in preparation for the 1 1/2-mile "Test of the Champion" on June 6. Charitable Man will work after the break, going a half-mile with exercise rider Renzo Morales aboard. The once-beaten colt is perfect at Big Sandy, having captured the Futurity S. (G2) at two and the Peter Pan S. (G2) last time out for Kiaran McLaughlin. The lightly raced Summer Bird will breeze seven furlongs after the break under Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado, according to trainer Tim Ice. Third in the Arkansas Derby (G2) two back, the chestnut colt was most recently sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). "We have Joe Talamo to ride Summer Bird in the Belmont, but Edgar said he didn't mind working him," Ice said Friday morning. "I've known Joe since he was 14 years old, hot-walking in Louisiana. I think the rider change (from Chris Rosier) will help him." Ice also said Summer Bird will be equipped with blinkers for the first time in the Belmont.

"I think it will help him be more focused down the lane," he said. "Maybe he

won't drop so far back."

Summer Bird, a son of 2004 Belmont winner Birdstone, has been doing "very

well" since arriving at Belmont Park Tuesday from Louisiana, Ice said.

"He came out of the Derby really good," said the trainer. "He's put on weight

and he's blossoming at the right time. What I really liked about the Derby was

the way he galloped out. I think the distance will suit him."

In other Belmont news:

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send DUNKIRK (Unbridled's Song) out Monday morning

at Belmont Park as he continues preparations for the Belmont.

"I haven't decided how far he will go," Pletcher said. "But he will go after

the break."

The gray colt breezed a half-mile in a bullet :47.24 last Monday in his first

move since finishing 11th behind Mine That Bird in the Kentucky

Derby. Two starts back, Dunkirk was a good second to Quality Road (Elusive

Quality) in the Florida Derby (G1).

At Churchill Downs on Friday, Kentucky Derby upsetter and Preakness S. (G1)

runner-up MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) galloped two miles before the renovation

break under exercise rider Charlie Figueroa. Trainer Chip Woolley said Mine That

Bird may work Monday.

"Something light, like three-eighths," Wooley said. "If he works, I'll

probably wait until after the break."

Woolley plans to give Mine That Bird his serious Belmont tune-up the

following Monday, June 1, and send the gelding to New York by plane on June 3.

Originally sold as a yearling for $9,500, Mine That Bird was purchased by his

current connections for $400,000 last fall, but his performance in the first two

legs of the Triple Crown have sparked interest.

"We have had a couple of inquiries," Woolley said.

Also scheduled to work at Churchill on Memorial Day is Preakness winner

RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro), who galloped early Friday morning with

Dominic Terry up.

Jockey Calvin Borel guided both Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra to their

respective classic victories. The Louisiana native would be attempting a

personal sweep of the Triple Crown in the Belmont, but his mount has yet to be

determined.

Borel has first call on Rachel Alexandra, whom he also rode to a

record-setting romp in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), but her connections have not

committed to run in the Belmont. Woolley is hoping to get Borel back on Mine

That Bird if the filly doesn't run, and the trainer is expected to name a rider

Monday.

Borel could become the first jockey to sweep the Triple Crown riding

different horses, but to agent Jerry Hissam, his rider already has achieved a

Triple Crown.

"He won the Oaks, Derby and Preakness," Hissam said. "If he wins the Belmont,

what would that be?"

Let's call it a "Calvin Slam."

Only one other rider has won the same three races in the same year as Borel

and that was Hall of Famer Don Brumfield in 1966. Brumfield rode Native Street

to victory in the Oaks and then won the Derby and Preakness aboard Kauai King

before finishing fourth aboard the Derby winner in the Belmont.

Hissam has a lot more on his plate these days than just lining up mounts for

Borel.

"He is going to New York on Tuesday, June 2, to tape the 'Late Show with

David Letterman' that will air June 5," Hissam said. "CNN is shooting something

this week for Belmont Day. NYRA has something on June 2 at Madison Square Garden

and after the Belmont, '60 Minutes' is coming to shoot a 10- to 12-minute

segment that is supposed to air in September."