Belmont notebook

Animal Kingdom galloped 1½ miles Sunday morning at Belmont Park after a three-hour van ride from trainer Graham Motion's base in Elkton, Md. The Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner-up is scheduled to work out Monday while Motion observes.

Motion, owner Barry Irwin and jockey John Velazquez agreed the colt should get used to the deep, sandy surface and wide, sweeping turns before Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

"Belmont is such a unique track that it makes sense for him to train there for several days,'' Motion said last week. "He needs a work, and I just felt it made more sense for him to have it over the track he's going to run on.''

All is forgiven

Dale Romans admits he was not a model student back in the 1980s at Louisville's Butler High School, located 3½ miles from Churchill Downs. Sometimes he would cut classes on spring and autumn afternoons and sneak off to the track. A few days after the Preakness, a text from a friend amused Romans.

The trainer learned his alma mater had erected a sign saying "Dale Romans: Preakness winner, Butler grad.''

"For four years, all they did was to try and kick me out,'' Romans said. "Now that I've won the Preakness with Shackleford, they've got open arms and they're showing me love.''

Around the track

On Sunday at Belmont Park, Mucho Macho Man breezed 5 furlongs in 59.57 seconds for Ramon Dominguez, who will replace Rajiv Maragh for the Belmont. Javier Castellano picked up the Belmont mount on Stay Thirsty, whom Dominguez rode to a 12th-place finish in the Derby. Castellano worked Mike Repole's colt 5 furlongs in 1:00.45 … Trainer Neil Howard announced he'll enter Prime Cut in the Belmont. Edgar Prado will ride ... On Tuesday the Empire State Building will be illuminated in Belmont Park's colors, green and white.