'Laid back' Santiva ready for Belmont

On the eve of Saturday's Belmont S. (G1), there may not be a more relaxed contender

than Grade 2 winner SANTIVA (Giant's Causeway).

Standing for his morning bath after galloping 1 1/2 miles over Belmont Park's

main track for the third consecutive day on Friday, the bay sophomore at times appeared to be asleep on his feet, despite the activity around

him.

"That's just him," said Brendan Walsh, assistant to trainer

Eddie Kenneally, who was expected to arrive Friday evening. "Sometimes you worry

about him. I came in here the other night, and he was panned out in the stall.

Yesterday, I kind of left him there while I was doing a few bits and pieces, and

after a while I was like, 'C'mon, buddy. You've got to get up,' because he was

out for the count. That's the way he always is. He's very laid back."

Come race time, however, Walsh said that Santiva acts more like his sire,

a multiple European highweight in 2000 who was beaten a neck in the Breeders' Cup

Classic (G1) that year and was the leading U.S. sire in 2009 and 2010.

"He was really tough," Walsh said. "He was a great horse. That one year as a

three-year-old, he just cleaned up. (Santiva) got his toughness from him,

definitely, and his heart. That was one thing about Giant's Causeway, and this fella's the same. Even when he works, he's not a spectacular worker, but he

grinds it out. I've yet to see a horse actually beat him in a work. He's not one

of those that you'll pull him out and he'll go three lengths clear. He'll just

do enough."