Belmont Stakes
Belmont Day
6:55 p.m. update: The finish …
Triple Crown season came to an end almost as surprising as its beginning, with 11-1 Summer Bird — the other ‘Bird — pulling away to a 2 3/4-length win in the Belmont. Dunkirk, the unexpected pacesetter, was game to the end, finishing second, a neck in front of Mine That Bird, who had taken the lead in the mid-stretch and seemed on his way to victory. “He run a great race, he just got beat,” said trainer Chip Woolley. “You have to accept that and go on.”
5:10 p.m. update: Love for Better Talk Now …
It has been two years since the 10-year-old Better Talk Now has won a race, but the gelding has his fans. As he circled the paddock, applause and cheers could be heard, as could one woman’s plea for a safe trip. “Take good care of the old gentleman, Jeremy.”
4:52 p.m. update: A logical play, in hindsight …
Gabby’s Golden Gal goes wire-to-wire in the Acorn, running fractions of :22.61, :45.39, 1:09.01, before finishing in 1:34.79. She pays $28.40, the highest price yet on the day. “Oh, jeez,” says an exasperated horseplayer after. “If only I’d noticed this — she won the Sunland Oaks!” Replies another, “It’s the Sunland angle!” Gabby’s Golden Gal is also by Medaglio d’Oro, who is proving a superb sire of stakes fillies; she is the second G1 winner for the stallion, the other being Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra.
3:58 p.m. update: In the paddock for the Woody Stephens …
Everyday Heroes is nervous, pulling at his groom, rolling his eyes at the crowd. Trainer Tim Ritchey has him taken behind the saddling stalls, where he rears and spins.
Comes the call for riders up and one is missing. Triumpant Flight is walking toward the paddock exit without a jockey, but here comes Kent Desormeaux, jogging and apologizing all at once to trainer Eric Kruljac. “Sorry, sorry,” he says, and Kruljac hoists him up almost at the last possible moment.
Trainer Rick Dutrow, being interviewed by Jeanine Edwards on ESPN:
3:23 p.m. update: Just a Game upset, early Belmont wagering …
In the biggest upset of the day yet, 3-5 favorite Forever Together finishes second to 9-1 Diamondrella after getting caught on the rail without room to room. [Said jockey Julien Leparoux afterwards: “I didn’t think I had that tough a trip. The only thing I can say is the winner got the jump on us in the stretch.” Diamondrella was in the clear, outside.]
Early wagering on the Belmont has Mine That Bird at even money, Charitable Man at 5-1. Dunkirk and Chocolate Candy come in at 6-1, and Mr. Hot Stuff, at 21-1, is the longshot of the field.
Pick Six pool total comes to more than $1.6 million.
2:50 p.m. update: Fast track …
The Belmont main track was upgraded to fast after the True North Handicap, which was won impressively by favored Fabulous Strike. Jockey Ramon Dominguez wasn’t the only one shaking his head in amazement when the 6-year-old gelding crossed the wire in 1:07.25 after running the first half mile in :43.62 while dueling with Sixthirteen. Benny the Bull, making his first start in nearly 11 months, finished a game second while attempting to close on the outside.
1:45 p.m. update: A few quick notes to get started …
The track is good, the turf soft, the weather ideal. “It looks like it’s going to be speed from the inside all day,” jockey Richard Migliore told John Pricci. It would seem so, after the first three dirt races.
Walked through the grandstand and the backyard and found a happy, growing crowd front and back. A track employee, looking out over the third floor, estimated the final attendance number would come in around 45,000.
Heading into the stakes portion of the card and only a few scratches to report: I Lost My Choo is out of the Just a Game, Regal Ransom out of the Woody Stephens, and Champs Elysees and Premium Gold out of the Manhattan. Not sure any of those scratches make any of those races easier to play.
All the Belmont Stakes starters made it into the detention barn without incident, and Mine That Bird appeared to settle into his stall comfortably. Sartorial note: Trainer Chip Woolley, who wore pressed jeans to the Kentucky Derby, is wearing a pair of tan slacks … and his cowboy hat, of course.
Calvin Borel, named to ride one horse on the turf today, has taken off his mount. The jockey won’t ride before the Belmont.
Quick Links, Impressions
– Back for one day only, Blinkers Off reports on the Joe Hirsch memorial held today at Belmont and the Thursday visit of Woolley and Borel to the NYSE.
– Google seems to be sending many people here in search of Belmont undercard information: For more on those five intriguing races, please visit Foolish Pleasure and Superfecta, both of whom have written superb round-ups of the racing this Friday and Saturday.
– Other than the Belmont Stakes, the two races I’m most interested in are the Manhattan Handicap, in which Better Talk Now, winless since the 2007 Manhattan, attempts to become the first 10-year-old to score a G1 victory, and the Woody Stephens, which has drawn a deep field of interesting 3-year-old sprinters, including two undefeated starters (Hull and Everyday Heroes), Hello Broadway (running blinkers off again), and Regal Ransom, making his first start since finishing eighth in the Derby. With its likely compressed odds, this might be more of a race to watch then play for me. Regal Ransom, one of my Derby picks, is coupled with Everyday Heroes and little tempts as a 2-1 morning line favorite; Munnings, making his second start following a sharp second-place finish in a Churchill Downs allowance, is a sound alternate pick, but probably not at 4-1.
– As for the Belmont, like Steve Haskin, I’ve become smitten with Mine That Bird, the little gelding who left me stunned and confused on the first Saturday in May. Watching the Derby winner at Belmont this rainy morning confirmed for me he’s ready to run again. Not only did he appear to glide smoothly over the sloppy surface, he looked fresh (especially as he came off the track), as though the rigors of the past five weeks have left him untouched. And while he was for the most part well behaved as he was being bathed and walked, Mine That Bird couldn’t resist a bit of playful bucking as he was led around the shedrow. “It’ll take a good horse to beat him this Saturday,” jockey Calvin Borel said on Thursday, and I saw nothing today to make me doubt the rider’s words.
– Chip Woolley, who hasn’t followed his rider’s lead in making any bold predictions, was also looking well this morning, at ease with the media crowd and speaking confidently about tomorrow. “I got a great colt and he shows up every time,” said the trainer. “We’re ready.”
– Is it possible that Mine That Bird will go post not as the favorite? Or better than 2-1? In at least one poll, the Derby winner is tied with Charitable Man.
Early Wednesday Notes
– Belmont week is upon us, and the next few days will be hectic for Calvin Borel, undisputed star of the media luncheon hosted by NYRA on Tuesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. A dense scrum of photographers and reporters formed around the jockey wherever he stopped in the room, and Borel obliged by answering every question with good humor and confidence. Not that there was any reason for the rider to do otherwise: Earlier, he’d continued his conquest of late night by taping a segment with David Letterman that’ll air on Friday; on Thursday, along with trainers Chip Woolley and Gary Contessa, he’ll ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Interest in the rider is so high that, as the Triple Crown season winds to end, he’s retained a consultant to help him sort endorsement offers and media requests.
Standing in the midst of recorders and microphones and cameras, Borel looked like a happy man, unfazed by the drama of the past five weeks, untroubled by the upcoming Belmont and the prospect of facing nine determined rivals and a long, tiring stretch. He was relishing his success, and he was — as he said with certainty several times — sure of his horse. “He’ll win.” Pressed, Borel pointed to Mine That Bird’s work on Monday. “He was kicking and bucking,” said the rider, who was aboard for the four furlong breeze. “He worked the same way as he did before the Derby.” Up on the podium, answering the question yet again, Borel invoked another sporting lyricist: “When he sings, he sings,” and reminded everyone of Mine That Bird’s late run. “He has such a turn of foot,” said Borel. “I’ll ask him to go with three-eighths left, and if he does that last eighth of a mile in :13, we’ll win the race.” Once again, the easy confidence, tempting all who listened to agree.
– Mine That Bird arrives at Belmont today and will gallop over the main track on Thursday and Friday, said Woolley, explaining that he didn’t bring the Derby winner to New York earlier because he “didn’t want him to be miserable.” According to Woolley, Mine That Bird “loves the Churchill surface,” and there was some concern he might not feel the same about Belmont. “The racetrack is very sandy, very deep,” said the trainer, allowing that might be a factor not in the gelding’s favor on Saturday.
– Odds and ends: Overheard, a reporter asking Mine That Bird co-owner Dr. Leonard Blach, “Why don’t you wear a black cowboy hat?” (Mark Allen kept his on through the event) … Rajiv Maragh feels good about his chances on longshot Brave Victory, third in the Peter Pan, and one of two expected to start for trainer Nick Zito. “The race is ideal for him … and his trainer has a history.” Dreams of Da’ Tara redux? “I think a win could help launch my career,” said the young NY-based rider riding in his first Belmont. I wished Maragh much luck … Dunkirk rider John Velazquez drew a big laugh when he said to the crowd, “I want to tell the riders: Stay on the rail,” but there was little joking about his words. Borel won’t have an easy trip on Saturday … Tim Ice said that Summer Bird has bulked up in recent weeks. “He’s put on 150 pounds since the Derby.”
Rachel Alexandra
… poses for Vogue …
And is declared out of the Belmont Stakes. According to a statement sent out this afternoon from owner Jess Jackson,
While she is in great shape, having strong works, and recovering well from
her amazing performances, we feel Rachel deserves a well-earned vacation.
Since March 14, Rachel has won four graded races with just two weeks rest
between her last two victories. We will always put her long-term well being
first. And, of course, we want to run her when she is fresh.
I’m not surprised (or even all that disappointed) by the decision — it makes sense — but I am that Jackson announced today. I figured he would drag the story out a little longer, perhaps until Monday. Now, Calvin Borel is free to ride Mine That Bird (and go for a jockey triple) and the rest of us can get on with obsessing over the (slightly less compelling) final leg of the Triple Crown.
As for when Rachel’ will start next, Jackson has mentioned a race at Belmont as a possibility. Perhaps the June 27 Mother Goose, then the Coaching Club American Oaks? That would score her two-thirds of the filly Triple Crown.
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