One of trainer Patrick Biancone’s two Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Ete Indien, is safely in the Derby. The other, Sole Volante, is literally on the points bubble. But Biancone said both remain on the Derby trail, despite a “setback†that puts Ete Indien’s path to Churchill Downs in jeopardy. That setback, […]
Tag: Belmont Stakes
Tiz the Law Rules Again, Captures 152nd Belmont Amid Falling Handle
Even with Tiz the Law passing the “Test of a Champion†with flying colors, the all-sources handle for the 152nd Belmont Stakes and its stakes-packed undercard declined by 33.7% — yet another byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic. Belmont Park normally welcomes nearly 100,000 people for Belmont Saturday, usually the first […]
Breaking Down The 152nd Belmont Stakes, Worst To First
Yes, it’s condensed to 1 1/8 miles, instead of its typical hearty 1 ½ miles, meaning the Belmont Stakes goes from the longest Triple Crown race to the shortest. Yes, the Belmont Stakes leads off the Triple Crown season, rather than batting in the power-hitting three-hole. And yes, even in […]
By the Numbers, Tiz the Law Rules the Belmont Speed Court
The concept that speed wins horse races is elemental to the sport. And when you look at the various speed figures for the 10 horses in the 152nd Belmont Stakes, Tiz the Law’s 6/5 favored status seems elementary. Tiz the Law’s January victory in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream […]
History Calling Trainer Casse; Can Tap It To Win Answer the Call?
While 10 trainers can claim Triple Crowns – Jim Fitzsimmons and Bob Baffert have two apiece – no one has ever accomplished what Mark Casse could achieve should Tap It To Win capture the Belmont Stakes. To better understand what Casse can achieve at this Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes […]
Starting From Post 8, Tiz the Law Tabbed Belmont Stakes Favorite
To nobody’s surprise, Tiz the Law opened as your healthy 6/5 favorite for Saturday’s 152nd running of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. He’ll do so out of the eight post in the 10-horse field, drawn Wednesday afternoon at Belmont Park. And Tiz the Law will do so as the only […]
Sole Volante Turning Around on 10 Days Rest, Headed to Belmont
The fact Sole Volante’s connections announced late Monday he will run in Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes is noteworthy on a couple of fronts. First, it’s a horse committing to the first leg of a revamped Triple Crown. This has become a novelty over the last three weeks, with defections […]
Derby Hopefuls Honor A.P., Cezanne Paint Their Way Up Futures Boards
The Santa Anita Derby did what the West Coast’s premier Kentucky Derby prep always does – put another quality front-runner in the front row of Derby hopefuls for the Sept. 5 Run for the Roses. At the same time, it provided a good time to see where the top 3-year-olds […]
Belmont Stakes Field Undergoes a Thursday Tremor
The Belmont Stakes field underwent a shakeup on Thursday, losing powerful Nadal to a broken leg and Wells Bayou to other Kentucky Derby preps. On the plus side, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed three of his horses, Dr. Post, Farmington Road, and Gouverneur Morris, will be in the […]
Charlatan, a Baffert-Trained Kentucky Derby Hopeful Tests Positive for Banned Drug
Multiple published reports confirmed Tuesday that Bob Baffert’s star 3-year-old Charlatan was one of two horses from the Hall of Fame trainer’s barn testing positive for lidocaine in a post-race sample taken on Arkansas Derby Day May 2. The New York Times reported the second horse was Gamine, a filly […]
Leading Off the Triple Crown, NYRA Issues Belmont Stakes Guidelines
As of now, nine horses are probable for the June 20 Belmont Stakes, a total that includes four Grade 1 winners. But how is the New York Racing Association setting Belmont Stakes guidelines for what is the first leg of the Triple Crown? What happens if more than 16 horses […]
New Kentucky Derby Trail Presents Options, Tough Choices for Trainers
Sole Volante is off to the Belmont Stakes. His stablemate, Ete Indien, heads to the Haskell Stakes. And Honor A.P. stays home for the Santa Anita Derby. These three Kentucky Derby contenders illustrate how many different paths have emerged on the Derby Trail during the COVID-19 era. Even in a […]
NYRA Institutes New Safety Regulations for Belmont Park Meet
Now that the New York Racing Association has set a new date for the Belmont Stakes and a new schedule for its Belmont Park spring/summer meet, the organization moved to creating new entry rule requirements and safety regulations. The organization announced in a release several new entry rule changes that […]
Connections Bench King Guillermo From Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes already has Bob Baffert’s powerful unbeaten duo of Charlatan and Nadal. It has Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law. But it won’t have King Guillermo. Juan Carlos Avila, King Guillermo’s trainer, tweeted the Tampa Bay Derby winner won’t run the June 20, 1 1/8-mile Belmont Stakes. Instead, […]
Triple Crown Picture Finished: Shorter Belmont Stakes Will Run in June
The final jewel to the 2020 Triple Crown fell into place Tuesday morning when the New York Racing Association announced the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes will run Saturday, June 20. With that date, the 152-year-old race opens the Triple Crown for the first time in history. That’s not the only […]
2020 Preakness Stakes Finally Gets Its New October Date
On the day the Preakness Stakes would normally run, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the 2020 race’s new date of Oct. 3 – a move made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic. That puts the 1 3/16-mile Preakness, the shortest of the Triple Crown events, four weeks after the Kentucky Derby. […]
Belmont Park Opening Date TBD, Belmont Stakes Still Scheduled for June
The status of the Belmont Stakes remains up in the air while the New York Racing Association has grounded racing at Belmont Park. The organization delayed the spring/summer meet due to the coronavirus pandemic. Belmont Park’s meet was to last 51 days, running from April 24 through July 12. From […]
Legendary Sire, 1992 Horse of the Year AP Indy Dies at 31
AP Indy, the 1992 Horse of the Year and one of the most decorated stallions of the 1990s, died Friday at the Kentucky farm where he spent most of his life and sired horses responsible for winning hundreds of races. He was 31. The son of 1977 Triple Crown winner […]
Mark Casse’s Longshot Horse Sir Winston Wins 151st Belmont Stakes
Sir Winston is the gutsy winner of the 2019 Belmont Stakes. As many expected, Mark Casse was the trainer of the first place finisher. But it wasn’t second favorite Preakness winner War of Will as many anticipated. It was Casse’s other entrant, longshot Sir Winston, who crossed the finish line […]
2019 Belmont Stakes Starting Gate: Where a Win Can Last Forever and Racing Immortality Awaits
The 2019 Belmont Stakes Saturday remains a historically significant race even without a Triple Crown possibility, a marque name or an especially compelling backstory. That’s because the winners of this race, in no particular order, include Secretariat, American Pharoah, Justify, Easy Goer, Seattle Slew, Alydar, Damascus, Citation and scores of […]