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."
Conquest Curlinate is another horse that will be in the Belmont. War story is out. Dallas Stewart is high on tale of verve ...I watched a post Preakness interview he did and he likes that horse a lot ...said the Preakness was just a prep for the Belmont.
AP is training hard it would appear. They had him out in the rain yesterday and then again today.
Mubtaahij, Frosted, Carpe Diem with outside chances…for 2nd. (I’m not wagering on the race)
I guess if I had to pick one to upset, I’d go with Mubtaahij. It will be interesting. I’ll have to watch the results after the race…when I get home from work on Saturday.
I can’t find much to like about Mubtaahij. But Conquest Curlinate and Materiality look like serious longshots here. Too early I guess for them to post the morning line odds.
Maybe the injury did not affect Can's Belmont, I don't know...but he was not the same horse in that race. BTW, if I'm not mistaken, Canonero II was the LAST horse who was in the mutuel field to win any Triple Crown race (don't argue about being in the field; I have my ticket framed and sitting right in front of me (g!))
Must respectfully disagree with your "all of the horses who had a chance...", etc. Looked at Secretariat's final quarter in the Belmont recently? Remember how Wide World of Sports had to PAN the camera back up the stretch to see the rest of the horses? Was it 30 lengths, or 36, I can't quite recall now.
FReegards!
1932 Burgoo King - Did not start (unknown reason)
1936 Bold Venture - Did not start (injury)
1944 Pensive - 2nd to Bounding Home
1958 Tim Tam - 2nd to Cavan
1961 Carry Back - 7th to Sherluck
1964 Northern Dancer - 3rd to Quadrangle
1966 Kauai King - 4th to Amberoid
1968 Forward Pass - 2nd to Stage Door Johnny
1969 Majestic Prince - 2nd to Arts and Letters
1971 Canonero II - 4th to Pass Catcher
1979 Spectacular Bid - 3rd to Coastal
1981 Pleasant Colony - 3rd to Summing
1987 Alysheba - 4th to Bet Twice
1989 Sunday Silence - 2nd to Easy Goer
1997 Silver Charm - 2nd to Touch Gold
1998 Real Quiet - 2nd to Victory Gallop
1999 Charismatic - 3rd to Lemon Drop Kid
2002 War Emblem - 8th to Sarava
2003 Funny Cide - 3rd to Empire Maker
2004 Smarty Jones - 2nd to Birdstone
2008 Big Brown - DNF to Da’ Tara
2012 I’ll Have Another - Did not start (injury)
2014 California Chrome - 4th to Tonalist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing#Near_Misses
31 lengths.
Secretariat Belmont Stakes 1973 & extended post race coverage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4
Video always give me chills - an unbelievable feat.
Nice to know my memory isn't going as fast as I sometimes think! (g!)
Yes, I forgot to add, “Except for Secretariat”. ;-)
Yes, you are correct. I forgot to add “except for Secretariat. ;-)
Secretariat won The Belmont Stakes by 31.5 lengths.
Thanks.
The chart above is of course of the 2015 Preakness Stakes at Pimilco, the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown.
Note, in the chart, American Phar’s final time was roughly 6 seconds off the race record. It was also nearly 4 seconds slower than California Chrome’s winning time in last year’s Preakness. The track was sloppy, but still, ~4 seconds is a lot.
Correction: American Phar’s final time was actually about 6 seconds off the Pimico TRACK record for the 1-3/16 mile distance. Not the race record (Preakness record).
Conquest Curlinator will not run the Belmont ...announced today. The truth or Else will run. Mubtaahij has an upgrade at jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr. but I think I like tale of verve with gary stevens ...
Interesting on the time differences from last year. I guess they just had a slower pace.
Here are the charts of the most recent Belmont Stakes. Check out how well speed has held up. They of course don’t always win, but they often hang on for a share and are not beaten by very much.
2008 Belmont Stakes:
http://www.belmontstakes.com/UserFiles/file/2008.pdf
2009 Belmont Stakes
http://www.belmontstakes.com/UserFiles/file/2009.pdf
2010 Belmont Stakes
http://www.belmontstakes.com/UserFiles/file/2010.pdf
2011 Belmont Stakes
http://www.belmontstakes.com/UserFiles/file/2011.pdf
2012 Belmont Stakes
http://www.belmontstakes.com/UserFiles/file/2012.pdf
2013 Belmont Stakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd-5c4l-iKs
2014 Belmont Stakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGaNCWZLyWc
SOURCE:
http://www.belmontstakes.com/racing/belmontstakes.aspx
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