Two Horses Pull Out of Belmont Stakes

Midway Road, who ran second in the Preakness, and Outta Here, who was seventh in the Kentucky Derby, won’t run in Saturday’s $1-million Belmont Stakes, which means Funny Cide will have only six horses to beat as he goes for a Triple Crown sweep.

Trainer Neil Howard decided that the Ohio Derby was a better option for Midway Road, who has yet to win a stakes race.

Bill Currin said that Outta Here, who trains at Hollywood Park, was drained from a schedule that started with a trip to Dubai this year.

The unofficial seven-horse field consists of Funny Cide, who’ll be ridden by Jose Santos; Empire Maker, with Jerry Bailey; Dynever, Edgar Prado; Ten Most Wanted, Pat Day; Best Minister, Shane Sellers; Scrimshaw, Gary Stevens, and Supervisor, who’ll probably be ridden by John Velazquez. Entries will be taken and post positions drawn at Belmont Park on Wednesday.

Although Dynever has been training in protective bar shoes because of what’s been described as a minor bruise to his left foot, he hasn’t missed any training and is expected to be fitted with conventional shoes by Saturday. In final workouts Tuesday, Ten Most Wanted was clocked in 59 3/5 seconds for five furlongs at Hollywood Park; Scrimshaw worked the same distance in 1:00 1/5 at Churchill Downs; and Best Minister breezed half a mile in 47 at Belmont. Ten Most Wanted and Scrimshaw are scheduled to be flown to New York today.