Trainer Todd Pletcher, always dangerous in the Belmont Stakes, sends out a pair of long shots Saturday in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
The focus of attention will fall on two other horses — Tacitus, the 9-5 favorite, and War of Will, the Preakness winner and the close second choice at 2-1.
Bettors who ignore Pletcher do so at their peril.
From left, Everfast trainer Dale Romans, Intrepid Heart and Spinoff trainer Todd Pletcher, War of Will trainer Mark Casse and Tacitis trainer Bill Mott answer questions during a draw ceremony for the 2019 Belmont Stakes race, Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoKathy Willens)
Pletcher's duo this year includes Spinoff, 15-1 after finishing 18th in the Kentucky Derby, and the lightly-raced Intrepid Heart at 10-1.
Pletcher owns three Belmont wins: the filly Rags to Riches (2007), Palace Malice (2013) and Tapwrit (2017).
None were favored in the wagering, ranging in price from 4-1 on Rags to Riches up to 13-1 for Palace Malice's upset.
Exercise rider Joe Ramos rides Tacitus during a workout at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 6, 2019. The 151st Belmont Stakes horse race will be run on Saturday, June 8, 2019. (AP PhotoSeth Wenig)
Even when he doesn't win, Pletcher often lands a piece of the action. Since sending out his first Belmont runner in 2000, Pletcher has been second five times and three times finished third in the 1½ mile race.
Belmont Park is Pletcher's base of operation, and he targets this race.
Like most trainers who develop 3-year-olds, Pletcher takes aim first at the Kentucky Derby. When that doesn't pan out, Pletcher immediately turns his attention to the Belmont.
Exercise rider Kim Carroll rides War of Will during a workout at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 6, 2019. The 151st Belmont Stakes horse race will be run on Saturday, June 8, 2019. (AP PhotoSeth Wenig)
"It's a race we really cherish," Pletcher said. "It's home for us. I think one of the advantages is most of our horses have trained five weeks at Belmont after the Derby. It helps, and it's a race we really enjoy."
Pletcher's best Belmont hope this time probably rests with Intrepid Heart, running for only the fourth time. The gray colt stumbled at the start of his most recent outing, the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont, and ran third as the even-money favorite in his first career loss.
"We were disappointed in the outcome of the race for sure because going in he had a big chance to win," Pletcher said.
He will make an equipment change, adding blinkers to narrow Intrepid Heart's field of vision. Blinkers often help improve focus by screening distractions.
Intrepid Heart should be acclimated, having worn the blinkers in his last two workouts.
As for Spinoff, Pletcher blames the poor effort on the sloppy track on Derby Day.
"The horse has trained, to me, consistently with some of the horses we've run in the Belmont over the years that have performed well," Pletcher said. "I'm hoping he catches a fast track and gets to prove how good he is, or is not."
In the end, it comes to down to hoping the home-field advantage again comes into play for the seven-time Eclipse Award winner as Outstanding Trainer.
"I think you can make that argument from the standpoint of training on a mile and a half track," Pletcher said. "Getting accustomed to that can be helpful."
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Coach Steve Kerr spoke with Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga during the morning shootaround Thursday about the player's situation being out of the rotation for more than a month now with expectations he will be traded before the deadline next month.
“We talked this morning and that’s all private,” Kerr said. “I will keep coaching him, he’ll be part of the team, he’ll be here. It is what it is.”
Kerr discounted any issues between them as being reason Kuminga has reportedly requested a trade from the team after not being used in the last 14 games since Dec. 18 and 17 of 18 — though he has been listed as injured for nine games this season.
“Our relationship is fine,” Kerr said before Golden State's 126-113 win over the New York Knicks. “There's not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. It is what it is, difficult situation for everybody and part of this league, part of the job. We just keep moving forward.”
Kuminga has been training much of the time on his own, shooting on the Warriors’ practice floor out of the eyes of fans at Chase Center. He wears a black hood over his head on the end of the bench during games. Perhaps Kuminga and the Warriors weren't a great fit from Day 1 — not that it's his fault — and he might be eager to leave and start fresh elsewhere. If so, the Golden State brass might want to make sure he doesn't get hurt before trying to trade him.
Yet nobody has taken issue with his work ethic, at least not publicly. Kuminga, selected seventh overall in the 2021 draft, has been known to stay long after games shooting on the arena's main floor.
“It’s not a distraction at all. It’s a very unique situation but our job is just to keep playing, keep winning, it’ll resolve itself one way or the other,” Stephen Curry said.
The 23-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has appeared in just 18 games total with 13 starts, averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
On Sept. 30, he agreed to a two-year contract that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team were to exercise its option for 2026-27. Kuminga had had a $7.9 million qualifying offer in hand since June 29 but was also weighing other options and he missed media day.
He has long had the support and confidence of teammates — like Jimmy Butler saying he has been having Kuminga over and continuing to encourage him.
“We love JK in this locker room, that's not going to change,” Butler said postgame. “If he happens to not be in here, we'll still rock with JK. I speak for everybody. We love the guy. I wish him the best here, I wish him the best wherever. It doesn't change. We don't listen to the noise, I hope he don't listen to the noise he keep coming here with a smile doing what he's supposed to do and being the ultimate pro.”
Kuminga missed much of last season with a right ankle injury. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes over 47 games with 10 starts. He also scored 15.3 points per game over eight playoff games while shooting 48.4% from the floor and making 40% of his 3-point attempts. That included a career-best 30-point performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kerr said the uncertainty around Kuminga's future “won't be a distraction.”
“Jonathan's a great young guy, his teammates like him,” Kerr said. "He's handling himself well.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, middle, sits near the team bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) and Utah Jazz center Oscar Tshiebwe (34) swap jerseys after the Warriors defeat the Jazz during an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
