Union Rags wins the Belmont Stakes

Union Rags wins the Belmont Stakes

Phyllis Wyeth's 3-year-old colt was blocked behind horses with seemingly nowhere to travel. however with John Velazquez riding him for the primary time, Union Rags determinedly budged through a slender gap on front-running Paynter's left flank with eight strides to travel and snatched a dramatic neck victory within the Triple Crown finale.

"I waited for a hole to open up, and that i got lucky," Velazquez said. "The horse did it all. … If it happens, it's sensible. If it does not happen, you are a bum, basically."

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An enthusiastic crowd of eighty five,811 showed up at Belmont Park, even when Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner i will Have Another was retired suddenly Friday with a tendon injury. It wasn't the drama they originally hoped to envision, however it absolutely was an awfully smart substitute.

Erased was the frustration of a head defeat within the Breeders' Cup Classic, when Union Rags and Javier Castellano were wide abundant of the race and could not catch champion Hansen. and also the third place by a complete of 1¼ lengths within the Florida Derby, when he and Julien Leparoux were stuck behind horses and got clear too late. And, of course, the Kentucky Derby, when he broke awkwardly, was buried behind horses and did well to urge seventh.

"We perpetually thought this horse had Triple Crown potential," trainer Michael Matz. "… I do very assume that this horse, when he features a clean trip and might show himself, is one amongst the simplest 3-year-olds during this crop. whether or not he might have done one thing against i will Have Another, i do not understand. however it certain would are fun to envision."

For owner-breeder Wyeth, it absolutely was validation. She sold the colt for $145,000 as a yearling however bought him back for $390,000 subsequent year as a result of she simply had a sense she was presupposed to.

"I had a dream," said Wyeth, who owns solely 2 racehorses. "I knew he would build it. … I knew Michael might do it with him. it absolutely was my dream, and he created it return true. no one would have gotten through on the rail aside from Johnny, I will tell you that. That was unbelievable. He simply said, 'Move over; i am returning.'"

In the Paynter camp, it absolutely was another valiant however excruciatingly shut defeat for owner Ahmed Zayat, trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith, who completed their own distinctive Triple Crown of runner-up finishes. They additionally were second within the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with another front-runner in Bodemeister.

"I'm very happy with my horse. i assumed he ran unimaginable," Smith said. "I'm not getting to say I rode unhealthy, however I created one very little mistake: He (Union Rags) got inside me, and it value me the race. i am a veteran. Ain't nobody presupposed to get inside me."

After going the primary quarter-mile during a affordable twenty three.72 seconds, Smith got away with a leisurely half-mile in forty nine.23 and 6 furlongs in 1:14.72 with a transparent lead over Unstoppable U. Union Rags, ranging from post three, was in placing distance on the rail throughout however was getting to would like a gap somewhere.

Velazquez came upon the move by putting Union Rags in Smith's blind spot. however he still might solely hope that 4-1 third selection Paynter would move ever therefore slightly off the rail. With 20-1 Atigun creating a run on the surface, Smith switched to his left-hand stick — and Velazquez seized the chance.

"I said this might be my likelihood," he said. "… initially the opening was pretty tight."

Smith said he did not see Velazquez till too late.

"I might have tried to form a distinction, however you do not wish to let the stewards (decide) the end result of a race like this," he said. "If i attempted to try and do something, i used to be getting to place him in hurt, and that i definitely did not wish to try and do that, either."

Velazquez, who can be part of Smith in racing's Hall of Fame in August, said Smith was too arduous on himself.

"I was right behind him. He couldn't see me," he said. "We all do it. typically it works for you, typically it does not. It worked nowadays."

Union Rags finished the 1½ miles in 2:30.42, paying $7.50 because the slender second option to Dullahan.

"I thought he rode an excellent race," Matz said of Velazquez. "Whether he got up there or would not, he still rode an excellent race. … he is a robust rider, he is aware of Belmont, and people were a number of the items that went into selecting John."

Velazquez currently has won 3 Triple Crown races, and every one came when rider changes. He won the 2007 Belmont with Kentucky Oaks winner Rags to Riches jockey Garrett Gomez had a previous commitment for the race. He won last year's Kentucky Derby on Animal Kingdom when Robby Albarado was kicked within the face by a horse.

Union Rags, a son of the late Dixie Union, is 5-1-1 in eight starts, earning $1,798,800 with the $600,000 payday.

"I do not assume those things are often blamed on the horse," Matz, who won the 2006 Kentucky Derby with the ill-fated Barbaro, said of Union Rags' defeats. "I'm not blaming the riders, either. it absolutely was simply circumstance that happened. however those were 3 races value $5 million, therefore it seems to be a giant deal, yes."

The Kenny McPeek-trained Atigun, who looked as if it would threaten the winner in midstretch, finished another 1¾ lengths back in third at 20-1.

The biggest disappointment was 5-2 favorite Dullahan, who finished seventh within the field of eleven.

"I thought he was the justified favorite, and he was getting to show it here," said trainer Dale Romans. "It is disappointing."

I'll Have Another spent the race in his barn when being honored with a retirement ceremony earlier within the day within the winner's circle and being paraded round the paddock to cheers.

"He's had an implausible run. In any sport you have got to remain injury free. sadly he came up with a small injury. might we've run him? Yes. however would that are the proper move? No," said trainer Doug O'Neill. "I was happy with the total team. it absolutely was unanimous in not running him. it has been such an out of this world run. he is a once during a lifetime horse. We're simply centered on all the good a part of this journey he took us through."

Union Rags redeems himself in Belmont Stakes

In a race that lacked any type of luster owing to the scratching of i will Have Another, Union Rags picked up the items to defeat Paynter by a neck within the slowest (2:30 2/5) Belmont Stakes run on a quick track since 2000.

It additionally was the third slowest in over forty years. If i will Have Another had not gotten hurt, the Triple Crown drought surely would have ended.

Give Union Rags' jockey John Velazquez credit for an amazing ride as he guided the winner up the rail to nail Paynter within the final strides. This was his second career Belmont win and his 1st since 2007 when he was aboard the filly Rags to Riches.

Union Rags went off because the 5-2 second selection within the field of eleven whereas Paynter was the 4-1 third selection. Dullahan, the favourite, never threatened and ran a dismal seventh.

In what needs to be thought-about a rare achievement in defeat, jockey Mike Smith, trainer Bob Baffert and owner Zayat Stable finished second in all 3 Triple Crown races with 2 completely different horses. 1st Bodemeister within the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and currently Paynter within the Belmont Stakes.

Paynter gave the impression of a winner down the backstretch when he over-involved the pace to a crawl with a twenty five 3/5 second quarter followed by another quarter-mile in twenty five 2/5. However, Union Rags maintained solid positioning on the within and was solely a couple of lengths behind when a mile in 1:38 4/5.

Still, it absolutely was faraway from a two-horse race when the sector approached the highest of the stretch as 20-1 Atigun created a daring move within the four-path and gained ground on the leaders.

Into the stretch, Paynter held a length lead as Atigun tired on the surface and Union Rags was in tight on the within. With one furlong remaining, it appeared the gently raced colt would hold on for the victory.

Unfortunately for his connections, there was atiny low hole on the rail and Velazquez, doing his best Calvin Borel imitation, squeezed through to urge the duty done. Atigun survived for third, some 5 lengths prior to Street Life.

For all that this Belmont Stakes might are, a minimum of the race itself was somewhat predictable. 2 of the highest 3 selections stuffed the exacta and also the solely alternative logical contender came in third.

Where can we Go From Here?

It would take a miracle for i will Have Another to not win the Eclipse Award as this year's high 3-year-old. the sole method he'll be denied is that if Union Rags triumphs within the Travers Stakes at Saratoga this summer and then wins the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in early November. based mostly on his performance within the Belmont Stakes, it's uncertain he can prevail in each those events.

As for Bodemeister, rummage around for him to come to the races within the Grade I Haskell at Monmouth Park on July twenty nine. A win within the one 1/8-mile race would set him up nicely for battle with Union Rags within the Travers. If the Derby-Preakness runner-up hits the jackpot in those 2 races, he has an out of doors likelihood to grab the award removed from i will Have Another if he will complete the trifecta within the BC Classic.

The fact the two-day event are going to be held at Santa Anita offers him the hometown advantage. However, knocking off older horses at one one/4 miles may be asking lots from a colt that has already failed over ten furlongs and even at 1 3/16 miles.

The biggest disappointment within the Belmont Stakes needs to be Dullahan. The Blue Grass Stakes winner had no excuse. it's true he failed to show his new-and- improved early quickness, however that failed to value him an opportunity to hit the board. He was right alongside Atigun, the third-place finisher, for the primary third of the race. The horse simply did not have it on Saturday.

As for Paynter, it's obvious the son of Awesome once more sports a large amount of talent. it is not usually a horse will run second during a one 1/2-mile Grade I race with solely four previous starts, in addition to finishing fourth within the one 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby off a maiden win in his five 1/2-furlong debut.

Expect Baffert to stay Paynter removed from Bodemeister as each colts have identical precise running vogue. It is also not out of the question that Paynter lands up the higher of the 2 horses return the top of the year.

The story of the primary 1/2 2012 was i will Have Another. The story of the second [*fr1] has however to be determined, however based mostly on the results of the Belmont Stakes, rummage around for Paynter to challenge each his stablemate and Union Rags for the supremacy.