Posted on 06/07/2013 11:49:06 PM PDT by rawhide
Saturday’s running of the Belmont Stakes might not live up to the finish on Friday afternoon in the Brooklyn Handicap, one of several high-profile races run at Belmont Park the day before the last leg of the Triple Crown.
Before a national television audience on the NBC Sports Network, the $700,000 Grade II Brooklyn Handicap saw 7-1 Calidoscopio pull off not just an upset but perhaps one of the greatest closes in racing history. Down 22 lengths at the midway point of the 1 ½ mile Brooklyn Handicap, jockey Aaron Gryder was out of the picture for much of the race. Focused primarily on early leader Percussion and big name Ruler on Ice, the track announcer said of Calidoscopio that “he was way out of the race right now” at the halfway point.
“Right now” is not how the race finished.
Need to watch video at the link.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
Bfl
What’s really amazing is Calidoscopio is ten years old. That’s really old for a Thoroughbred to still be racing. I’m assuming he’s a gelding.
More than likely a gelding. I’m reminded of Forego, who I saw with Willie Shoemaker at Delaware Park in 1978. John Henry was another great gelding who retired late.
Thanks for posting. That is simply amazing.
Great finish.
And Kelso!
Another incredible closer was Silky Sullivan.
From Wikipedia:
There were other great closers—Whirlaway, Stymie, Needles, Gallant Man, Carry Back, Forego, John Henry and Zenyatta—but none could hang so far back, let the field get so far ahead, and still win. Called the “California Comet” and often ridden by the Hall of Fame jockey Willie Shoemaker, Silky once allowed the field to get 41 lengths in front of him and still won by three lengths. To accomplish this, he ran the last quarter in 22 seconds. His trainer, West Coast veteran Reggie Cornell, said “I’ve never seen a horse in my >life, or heard of one either, go faster.”
This really made my day.
Thanks for sharing it...:)
TurboHorse!
John Henry - my late father was a huge fan on John Henry!
When I clicked on the video arrow, the screen went blank/light blue. What happened? Why can’t I watch the race?
My 8 year old gelding runs like that, he hates the mud in his face so will fall back and then go to the outside, he’s never been that far behind! That was awesome, nice horse!
Same for me - no video - just a blank screen
John Henry was the best!
You’re thinking “Brooklyn huh”? “Stunning upset huh”? But then you see the race and understand that NOBODY would or could hold it back to that extent and THEN charge.
thanks, the other linky no worky
he was just toying with the other horses, having a bit of a laugh
I wonder what his speed was. To catch an entire field, from 30 lengths back, in just a third of the track, when the field is racing their best... remarkable. AND the horse is an old man.
For those having video problems, I think it’s the file or the page. Mine was very laggy, even after restarting the laptop, closing all other windows, and running it in Firefox.
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