Mister Frisky Doubtful for the Belmont

NEW YORK â€”  Mister Frisky has developed a respiratory problem that probably will keep him out of the Belmont Stakes June 9, trainer Laz Barrera said Tuesday.

Mister Frisky, who went into the Kentucky Derby unbeaten, ran eighth to Unbridled as odds-on choice and then ran third to Summer Squall as third choice in the Preakness.

“He’s had a temperature and he’s been sick over the weekend,� Barrera said. “We’re going to bring in a specialist in respiratory problems to look at him tomorrow.

“But I don’t think he could run in the Belmont even if he’s OK tomorrow. He’s been treated with medication that has Procaine in it and that stays in a horse’s system sometimes for 15 days.�

It is illegal for a horse to race with such medication in its system.

Mister Frisky, whose winning streak had included the Santa Anita Derby, probably will go to California for a rest, Barrera said.

Mister Frisky was expected to be one of three starters in the Belmont with eligibility to earn a $1 million bonus for the best performance in the Triple Crown. But with Mister Frisky apparently sidelined, that means only Unbridled and Land Rush could earn the bonus, which is decided on a 5-3-1 point basis. Unbridled needs only to start and finish to earn the prize. For Land Rush to earn it, he would have to finish third to earn at least one point and Unbridled would have to skip the race.

Land Rush, seventh in the Derby and sixth in the Preakness, probably will be the only Belmont Stakes starter for trainer Wayne Lukas, who is on a winning streak.

Lukas won major races on both coasts Memorial Day. His son, Jeff, saddled Criminal Type to win the $595,000 Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park over Housebuster and Easy Goer, and Lukas himself was with Steinlen, who won the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap over Hawkster at Hollywood Park.

So far in 1990, Lukas-trained horses have earned $6.7 million. He is on a pace to beat his record of $17.8 million, set in 1988. Lukas has led the nation’s trainers, based on money earned by their horses, for the past seven years.

Horses trained by Lukas have earned $2.6 million in May alone.