BOCA RATON, Fla., June 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Norton Herrick, Chairman and CEO of The Herrick Company, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investment firms, and partner with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Kiki Courtelis of Town & Country Farm Corp., will race the partnership’s prized Tapit colt, Matterhorn, in this year’s Belmont Stakes, which will be held Saturday, June 7. Post time is 6:52 p.m. EDT.
Matterhorn recently placed fourth in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park on May 10 and will race in the Belmont Stakes against a field including California Chrome, a colt contending for the coveted Triple Crown after winning both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby.
Matterhorn, trained by leading trainer Todd Pletcher, is lauded for his ability to sustain his speed in long distance races. According to trainers, Matterhorn is ideally suited for the Belmont Stakes, which is the longest Triple Crown race at 1-½ miles. Jockey Joe Bravo, a New Jersey native, will ride Matterhorn at Belmont.
“We’re thrilled to be back at Belmont with a horse that we believe is well suited for this race,” said Norton Herrick, Chairman of The Herrick Company. “The lengthy track at Belmont plays into Matterhorn’s strength as a distance runner, and we’re eager to watch him win and defeat the odds.”
Matterhorn was purchased from Coolmore partners after the Peter Pan Stakes race and has one victory in four starts. He was bred in Kentucky by Town & Country Farm Corp.