McLaughlin likes chances with Jazil

NEW YORK – If nothing else, at least Kiaran McLaughlin can say he made it to all the Triple Crown races.

Jazil finished in a dead heat for fourth in the Kentucky Derby last month, and will be back for Saturday’s $1 million Belmont Stakes. In between, the trainer sent out Like Now in the Preakness, but the gelding finished a disappointing seventh.

“It’s nice to be in all three, but I’d sure like to win one,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin won’t be the only trainer showing up for all three races. Tom Albertrani will try to win the 1 1/2-mile Belmont with Deputy Glitters three weeks after his Bernardini won the Preakness. Deputy Glitters ran eighth in the Derby.

With Derby winner Barbaro recovering from his catastrophic breakdown in the Preakness, and Bernardini not running in the Belmont, McLaughlin believes he has a good chance to win with the late-closing Jazil.

“I’m not happy Bernardini or Barbaro aren’t running, but the less competition for us the better,” he said. “I don’t think it makes it easier, though.”

A field of 12 3-year-olds is expected to be entered at today’s post position draw.

Derby runner-up Bluegrass Cat and Peter Pan Stakes winner Sunriver, both trained by Todd Pletcher, will be among the favorites, along with Wood Memorial winner Bob and John, who finished 17th in the Derby for trainer Bob Baffert.

For just the third time in 36 years, the Belmont will be run without the Derby and Preakness winners. The last time it happened was 2000, when Commendable won at 18-1 odds. It’s also the first time since 1983 at least one horse won’t compete in all the Triple Crown races.

Jazil is well rested after skipping the Preakness, and well-adjusted after a visit from the chiropractor.

“I didn’t need to run him back in two weeks for me to think that he was going to run his best race in the Belmont,” McLaughlin said. “We’ve been pointing to this since the Derby.”

The bay colt had Tuesday morning off after Monday’s adjustment.

“Everything’s fine with his back,” McLaughlin said. “It’s just something we do maybe a couple times a month.”

Owned by Dubai Sheik Hamdan’s Shadwell Farm, Jazil has just a maiden victory in seven career starts. However, the Kentucky-bred son of Seeking the Gold ran a decent fourth in the Derby under 18-year-old Panamanian jockey Fernando Jara.

“It was a great race,” Jara said of his first Derby. “I wasn’t nervous and I was lucky. (Jazil) never got stopped. Once he started moving, things kept opening up.”

McLaughlin said Jara will need to remain in striking distance of the leaders in the Belmont.

“We’ll just tell him that we have to be much closer than we’ve been in the last couple of races,” McLaughlin said. “But I think the pace being slower is going to put us closer.”

Edgar Prado, who rode Barbaro, will be aboard Deputy Glitters.