Posted on 05/26/2015 3:48:13 PM PDT by ETL
For the third time in four years, Belmont Park will play host to a Triple Crown hopeful when American Pharoah attempts to add the 147th running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 6, the final and most demanding leg of the series, to his victories in the Kentucky Derby and in yesterday's rain-drenched Preakness.
It will mark the 14th time since Affirmed swept all three races in 1978 that a horse has had a chance to join the 11 Triple Crown champions; none have succeeded. Three of those attempts have been by American Pharoah's Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, who won the first two legs in 1997 with Silver Charm; 1998 with Real Quiet and 2002 with War Emblem. Two previous attempts were also made by jockey Victor Espinoza, who rode California Chrome to a fourth-place finish last year, and was also aboard War Emblem.
On a humid Sunday morning, Baffert stood outside American Pharoah's barn at Pimlico Race Course and reflected on the events that brought him, along with Espinoza, owner Ahmed Zayat and the handsome bay colt, to the brink of racing immortality once again.
"It's hard for me to imagine I'm going through this again," said Baffert, who is sending American Pharoah back to Kentucky on Monday for a light week before he returns to training and comes to New York on June 3, the Wednesday before the Belmont.
"I can't believe this will be the fourth time I'm doing this, and how lucky I've been." He added. "All I can do is rely on my experience going to the next one. I know what to expect; I know how difficult it is ... with a horse like this it makes my job a lot easier. You see the way he moves; he just floats. It's just effortless."
Although American Pharoah looked unbeatable in two races over a sloppy track - the Rebel at Oaklawn Park and the Preakness - Baffert said he was hoping for a fast track at Belmont.
"Like the one Secretariat had," he said jokingly. "I'll take that."
American Pharoah could face as many as eight competitors in the Belmont, the centerpiece of the expanded three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival featuring 17 stakes races and purses of more than $10 million. Among them are Tale of Verve, who was second in the Preakness, and a gaggle of horses from the Derby who skipped the Preakness including Frosted (4th), Keen Ice (7th), Mumtaahij (8th), and Frammento (11th).
Also awaiting American Pharoah is a trio of contenders from Belmont-based trainer Todd Pletcher: Materiality and Carpe Diem, who were 6th and 10th, respectively in the Derby, and Grade 2 Peter Pan winner Madefromlucky.
"I understand," said Baffert of the fresh competition. "It just shows the respect they have for American Pharoah. It's something you can't control. It will make an exciting race. You have to earn it, just like he earned it in that weather yesterday. I've seen a lot of great horses leave here and [lose] the Belmont - Smarty Jones, Big Brown, Real Quiet, Silver Charm, Funny Cide, I'll Have Another [in 2012] ... you just don't know."
Espinoza can well understand, having lost the Belmont to Tonalist last year and finishing eighth aboard the front-running War Emblem, who lost all chance in the 2002 Belmont when he stumbled coming out of the gate.
"I come this year with a different mind now," said Espinoza. "It's not easy, but American Pharoah, if he can do it, I'm there."
Attendance for the Belmont, which will be supported by nine other stakes, will be limited to 90,000 this year. With more than 90 percent of reserved seating and hospitality sold out, any remaining seats and dining options for Belmont Stakes Day are available for purchase exclusively through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are no longer available by calling, emailing or faxing NYRA, or by visiting NYRA's box office.
Print-at-home General Admission Tickets for Belmont Stakes Day are available for purchase while supplies last on Ticketmaster.com.
"The men and women of the New York Racing Association offer our heartfelt congratulations to American Pharoah and his connections, and we look forward to welcoming them to beautiful Belmont Park for the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6; the crown jewel of thoroughbred horse racing's iconic Triple Crown," said Christopher Kay, Chief Executive Officer and President of NYRA.
"American Pharoah's run for horse racing immortality will be the anchor of this year's expanded Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, featuring 17 graded stakes races and more than $10 million in purses. New, post-race concerts led by O.A.R. on Friday, and the GOO GOO DOLLS on Saturday will also complement an expanded array of hospitality options for fans of all ages.
"We encourage our fans to purchase their tickets in advance, and join us at Belmont Park as New York prepares to kick off the summer season."
Here’s a link to the source of the Belmont Stakes charts above:
http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbRaceChartCalendar.cfm
Thanks for the link
Carpe Diem is not running the Belmont on Saturday. AP looked good this morning and yesterday in his final workouts.
Thanks. Haven’t been following things in past several days.
Here’s a link to the current field for the 2015 Belmont S.
http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/BelmontStakes15.pdf
...Brisnet Past Performances, that is.
Thanks for the brisnet info. Here are the odds by Belmont park oddsmaker:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/horse-racing/odds/belmont/
The only two I think have NO shot at hitting the board are keen ice and frammento. The rest could surprise me.
Thanks
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Source: Daily Racing Form
(note: it should be clearer on your own download of the pdf. I simply took screen shots of it --ETL):
http://www1.drf.com/formulator-web/FreeRace.do?trackId=BEL&country=USA&raceDate=20150606&dayEvening=D&raceNumber=11#past-performance-race/11
Ping to updated Daily Racing Form Past Performances
NOTE: THE ABOVE DRF PAST PERFORMANCES WILL **DEFINITELY** BE CLEARER ON YOUR OWN DOWNLOAD OF THE PDF FILE. A LOT CLEARER.
HERE AGAIN IS THE DOWNLOAD LINK:
http://www1.drf.com/formulator-web/FreeRace.do?trackId=BEL&country=USA&raceDate=20150606&dayEvening=D&raceNumber=11#past-performance-race/11
I was on vacation, driving and listening to the race on the radio. I could not believe the announcer describing the lead - it kept getting larger and larger.
To this day, that photo is almost surreal and almost unbelievable.
Secretariat was perhaps the greatest race horse ever.
decent read... not sure about keen ice ... maybe I need to re-watch his races.
Thank you thank you thank you!
For posting DRF PPs!
You’re welcome.
Again, if you download the pdf, the chart and text is much clearer and easier to read.
Big day today!!!
I went with Frosted and Mubtaahij ...same horses I had in the Kentucky Derby. I was initially just going to go with Frosted but after reading a few “expert” opinions favorable to mubtaahij, I decided to give him another shot. I hope he doesn’t disappoint.
I did 4 superfectas with different combos of frosted, AP, materiality and mubtaahij ...none have AP winning. I wish him the best of luck but there is of course no value in betting him and maybe I’ve been conditioned to think this but I don’t think he will win.
Spoilers could be anyone really but ToV & madefromlucky are my two biggest question marks.
Here’s a link to the updated Brisnet Past Performances. The other was Daily Racing Form.
http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/BelmontStakes15.pdf
BTW, I’ll probably post a new thread a few hours before the race.
And here’s a link to the complete card Past Performances at Belmont today. Many big races today.
http://downthestretchs.com/2015-belmont-stakes-day-card-entries-post-positions-ml-odds/
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