[Kasept]

Stewart considering Belmont Stakes for two recent maiden winners
By Dave Grening

Trainer Dallas Stewart has two recent maiden winners he’s considering wheeling back on short notice for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 11.

Forever d’Oro, who won a maiden race by a nose at Belmont Park on Sunday, and Seeking the Soul, who won a maiden race by a neck at Churchill on Sunday, are both under consideration for the Belmont, Stewart said Wednesday.

Forever d’Oro, a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Forever Unbridled and Unbridled Forever, overcame a slow start to get up in the final strides and win a 1 1-16-mile maiden race here. He ran the distance in 1:43.22 and earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I thought he ran great,” Stewart said by phone from Kentucky. “He wasn’t standing very well when they broke it, he got off sideways kind of stumbled and was way back. He can be much closer than that.”

Stewart said Forever d’Oro having a race over the track “is a big positive. I really, really like the horse.”

Stewart said he would train Forever d’Oro for a week and see how the horse is doing.

“He might be tearing the barn down and he can run back or he might need a month,” Stewart said.

Seeking the Soul, a son of Perfect Soul, won a one-mile maiden race by a neck at Churchill. He ran the mile in 1:34.15 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

“We’re kicking it around,” Stewart said when asked about the Belmont.

Stewart has particpated in the last three runnings of the Belmont with Golden Soul (ninth in 2013), Commanding Curve (ninth in 2014) and Tale of Verve (7th in 2015).

Both horses are owned by Charles Fipke, who had run horses in two of the last three Belmonts.

Joel Rosario rode Forever d’Oro to his maiden victory Sunday, but he is riding Governor Malibu in the Belmont. Florent Geroux rode Seeking the Soul in his maiden win at Churchill and does not currently have a Belmont mount.