Peter Pan Stakes has produced five Belmont winners Betting Belmont Stakes belmont stakes betting online

Chekhov has a chance to run his way into the Belmont Stakes in two weeks. All that's needed is a solid effort by the $3.3 million colt in Saturday's $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. Coming off his first career victory, Chekhov is the likely favorite in a field of eight 3-year-olds for the 1 1/8-mile race. "He is putting everything together now," trainer Patrick Biancone said. "His maiden win was really good and I was quite impressed with him. Now, it's time to test him." Owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith paid $3.3 million for the son of Pulpit at the Keeneland 2-year-olds in training sale, but Chekhov lost his first three starts, developed quarter cracks and needed three months to recover. But after his 8 ¼-length win at Belmont on May 8, Chekhov could be ready to join the Triple Crown fray and challenge Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo and Preakness winner Afleet Alex in the 1 ½-mile Belmont on June 11. The Peter Pan has produced five Belmont winners, beginning with Coastal in 1979. The others were Danzig Connection in 1986, A.P. Indy in 1992, Colonial Affair in 1993 and Lemon Drop Kid in 1999. Reverberate is another Belmont hopeful. The chestnut colt trained by Sal Russo comes into the Peter Pan off a 2 ½-length victory in an allowance race, and is 2-for-2 at Belmont. "He's fresh, talented and improving," Russo said. "I think he's got a big future. I think he belongs with these." Jose Santos will be aboard Reverberate, a son of 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Thunder Gulch. Gary Stevens has the call on Chekhov. Also entered are Robador, Sir Greeley, Mr Sword, Golden Man, Gorbash and Oratory. Chekhov began his career with a second-place finish at Keeneland last October and then finished third in his next start, at Santa Anita. Moving into stakes company for the first time, Chekhov was fifth in the Sham Stakes, but just 2 ¾ lengths behind the winner, Going Wild. Giacomo was third in the race. "He's a very good horse and we've been very high on him since the beginning," Biancone said. "I think the Sham was the best performance of his career. He was a maiden running in a stakes race that had the Kentucky Derby winner in it." Like Chekhov, Oratory is a son of Pulpit but a less expensive one. Darley Stud bought him for $100,000 as a yearling. The colt has two wins and two seconds in four career starts — all this year. "He's really matured over the last few months, and I think the time is right to test him against horses like these," trainer Tom Albertrani said.BELMONT NOTES: Horse of the Year Ghostzapper is set for his 2005 debut in Monday's $750,000 Metropolitan Mile. Ghostzapper, trained by Bobby Frankel, won all four of his starts last year, including the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 30 in his last start. ... Medallist, a winner of three stakes races and runner-up in the Carter Handicap last month, is out of the Met Mile with a cracked bone in his left front leg. ... On the Belmont front, Preakness runner-up Scrappy T, who veered into Afleet Alex and nearly knocked the winner off his feet at the top of the stretch, is a likely starter, owner Marshall Dowell says. ... Afleet Alex took to the Pimlico track for a third straight morning Friday, jogging two miles early and 1 ½ miles a few hours later. "Most horses would benefit from the same type of program, but unfortunately you can't do it with them," trainer Tim Ritchey said of the two-a-day workouts. "You have to have this kind of athlete."