By Emmitt Davis
Ethereal Roads will miss his second Triple Crown and final Triple Crown leg after sustaining a quarter crack in his right foot yesterday. Ethereal Roads’ last race came at Pimlico Raceway, where he competed in the Sir Barton Stakes-winning it with ease. Roads were slated to start at the Belmont Stakes following his win in the Sir Barton Stakes but now will not be entering to making a spot open for another contender. Surpsingling, this isnt the first Time Ethereal Roads was scratched from a race. This past month, he was supposed to race in the Kentucky Derby, but trainer D. Wayne Lukas decided to scratch him, allowing for 2022 Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike to compete in the Derby; Strike later won in a thrilling upset over the favorite Epicenter. Ethereal Roads isnt the only horse to be scratched out of the Belmont stakes this year; Howling Time has also decided to opt-out of the Belmont Stakes and instead race in the Matt Winn Stakes which will be the day after the Belmont Stakes at Churchill Downs. Howling Time will not race in this year’s Belmont Stakes, as trainer Dale Romans confirmed this morning. Howling Time won the Street Sense Stakes this past year at Churchill Downs, and he most recently won at Churchill Downs by five lengths. However, trainer Dale Romans would like to keep Howling Time in Churchill as he has decided for Howling Time to race in the Grade Three Matt Winn which takes place on Sunday, June twelfth at Churchill Downs, just a day after the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Howling Time was seen working on June fourth at Churchill leading up to the Matt Winn Stake.