Weyburn Debuts for Pletcher in Nerud at Belmont

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens may be plying his trade in Saudi Arabia, but a reminder of his work in the United States will be offered July 1 in the $250,000 John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) for older horses at Belmont Park. Chiefswood Stables' Weyburn was one of a small band of horses in Jerkens' barn before the trainer headed overseas in May to rejuvenate his career. The 5-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile was also the best horse in Jerkens' string, a point underscored by the grade 3 winner's last two efforts, a third in the Westchester Stakes (G3) at Belmont and a second straight win in the Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The homebred son of the A.P. Indy mare Sunday Affair has earned $549,994 from a record of 4-3-1 after 16 starts. In Saturday's stakes, the Ontario-bred Weyburn will make his debut for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher facing six rivals in the seven-furlong Nerud, a race won by multiple grade 1 winners Life Is Good and Mind Control the last two years. Pletcher trained both. Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Candy Man Rocket tops the competition, stretching out off a victory in the six-furlong Runhappy Stakes (G3) at Belmont. The Candy Ride (ARG) 5-year-old bred by R.S. Evans has won four of his last five starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, with the lone loss a 10th in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) in April at Oaklawn Park. "He's run some good races and if he gets a good trip, he usually runs pretty well. I think he's fine on the lead or fine with a target. It just depends how the race sets up," Mott said. "We've got several works into him and he's been doing good. We're anxious to see how he'll do on Saturday." Out of the Forestry mare Kenny Lane, Candy Man Rocket won his lone start at seven furlongs, a February 2022 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. Kasey K Racing Stable, Michael Day, and Final Turn Racing Stable's Pennsylvania-bred Twisted Ride was second by 1 1/2 lengths in the Runhappy for trainer Michael Moore. That snapped a winning streak of four, all at the 4-year-old Great Notion gelding's home base of Parx Racing. "He breezed real good and we're ready for the race; I think seven furlongs is about as far as he'll go. He won a stakes at seven-eighths at Parx by a nose and did win a two-turn stakes at Parx as a 3-year-old, but it was a three-horse field. Personally, I don't think he's a two-turn horse," Moore said about the winner of seven of 15 career starts. "He was real immature as a younger horse. Throughout this year, he's gotten a lot more mature and has focused a lot better in his races." Victoria's Ranch's Little Vic returns after an eventful trip in the seven-furlong Carter Handicap (G1), in which the son of Practical Joke bled while finishing sixth. The 4-year-old will have to run without Lasix once again as the anti-bleeding medication is not allowed on race day in New York stakes races. Prior to the Carter, in his five previous tries for trainer Juan Avila, Little Vic was no worse than second and won the six-furlong Tom Fool Handicap (G3) two starts back.