Belmont Stakes

If anyone could post the result here, it would be much appreciated. Am big on mine that bird, medium on flying private and small on miners escape!
 
Stewards inquiry on Dunkirk interfering with the 4th horse. Seems negligible to my untrained eye. What a year for the winning sire, Birdstone. First crop of 3 year olds. 1st in the Kentucky Derby, second in the preakness. 1st and 3rd in the Belmont. Definitely a sire to keep an eye on.
 
Stewards involving Dunkirk and Charitable Man - getting feeds via a friend at the track so haven't seen the race yet.
 
Dunkirk broke in the lead. Was headed by Mine That Bird with between 2 and 1.5 furlongs to go. Dunkirk fought back to lead before Summerbird came down the outsied to outstay them. Dunkirk ran a cracker considering. Mine that Bird made his move way too soon.
 
Willow is making so sense again. I´ve never seen a less consistent commentator in my life. Like Katy would say, he chances his mind like a girl changes her clothes....

A couple of weeks ago, Rachel Alexandra was the best filly in 20 years....today, they are a second graded lot.
 
Galileo said:
It's hilarious how the Americans go on about the 1m4f race as if it were the Gold Cup trip!
Click to expand...

Agreed, but what a test of a horse the American triple crown is. Do you think See the Stars would have won the Derby today if he had run since the Guineas??? Stamina may be tested more by the British triple crown, but there's so much more of a gap to prepare the horses for the races. The American triple crown sure tests reliability, durability, speed and toughness.
 
Circumspect said:
Agreed, but what a test of a horse the American triple crown is. Do you think See the Stars would have won the Derby today if he had run since the Guineas??? Stamina may be tested more by the British triple crown, but there's so much more of a gap to prepare the horses for the races. The American triple crown sure tests reliability, durability, speed and toughness.
Click to expand...

Erm - if STS had cantered home in the Dante I don't see why he would not have won today.
 
Circumspect said:
Agreed, but what a test of a horse the American triple crown is. Do you think See the Stars would have won the Derby today if he had run since the Guineas??? Stamina may be tested more by the British triple crown, but there's so much more of a gap to prepare the horses for the races. The American triple crown sure tests reliability, durability, speed and toughness.
Click to expand...

I was not having a go at the Triple Crown series...but those tests generally refer to the three races....by Breeders Cup time the Kentucky Derby horse is either retired or a shadow of himself due to been worn down.

Though for the record New Approach was touched off in the Guineas, beaten in the Irish Guineas and then went and won the Epsom Derby in the same time frame.
 
Ardross said:
Erm - if STS had cantered home in the Dante I don't see why he would not have won today.
Click to expand...

IF being the key word and he would probably have cantered over a very average Dante field. I have little doubt though that it would have affected his preperations for the Derby. Though being less extreme in distance range to the British Triple Crown, there is a reason the American Triple Crown is so rarely won, namely 3 big races over different disatances in just 5 weeks.
 
It's the lead up to the TC that IMO is the problem Gal (in addition to the length of time between races) - the horses are generally having their 6th start of the year by the time the Belmont comes around and time and again inexperienced horses take in the KY Derby and get badly bumped and come out nearer last than first.

It's a totally different test to what New Approach tried - it's far tougher physically on the horses hence why a number don't seem to be at their peak for races like the Travers, Pacific Classic, Jockey Club Gold Cup before we even start thinking about the Breeders Cup.

Fair play to STS today though - would love to see him take on Mine That Bird in the 14f race at the Breeders Cup :)
 
Just saw the race - not Calvin's finest ride. Went to the front far too early using up so much of Mine That Bird's energy. Summer Bird was a very cosy winner, difficult to know if he can be successful dropping back to 10f.
 
Back
Top