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Race name: Belmont Stakes
Grade: 1
Off at:  6:39 pm ET    Race Type: Stakes
Age Restriction: Three Year Olds
Purse: $1,500,000
Distance: One and one half miles on the dirt
Track condition: Fast          Winning time: 2:28.30
Winning Breeder: Tracy Farmer
Winning Owner: Tracy Farmer
Winning Trainer: Mark Casse
Winning Jockey: Joel Rosario

Horse number             Horse name                Win                  Place               Show
7                                  Sir Winston                  22.40               8.80                 6.10    
10                                Tacitus                                                3.90                 3.20
1                                  Joevia                                                                         8.70

 

$2 exacta                    7-10                 $96.00
$1 trifecta                    7-10-1              $1,244.00
$1 superfecta              7-10-1-4          $10,428.00

 

Complete order of finish

1 Sir Winston  
2 Tacitus
3 Joevia
4 Tax
5 Master Fencer
6 Spinoff
7 Everfast
8 Intrepid Heart
9 War of Will
10 Bourbon War

The best part of this race, frankly, is that it marked the end of the 2019 Triple Crown season. I love the Triple Crown more than anything, but this year's edition mercifully needed to be killed. The Kentucky Derby controversy should never have been controversial — the disqualification was that obvious — but it lingers in courts thanks to a level of poor sportsmanship from the owners of Maximum Security that is stunning. The Preakness was fine, but defections robbed it of a lot of appeal. And though the Belmont was a good enough race, and the winner deserved the trophy, it wasn't exactly a field of dreams that entered the starting gate. Ugh. All we can tell ourselves is that next year will be better. Last year certainly was.

As for the race — well, it was frustrating. Tacitus, the favorite and my top choice, was too far off a glacial pace, which left him with a lot of work to do. He was forced wide around the final turn, which left him to go too far. And then he and War of Will bumped into each other sideways, which cost both of them serious momentum. Tacitus recovered, but had too much work left to do and could only get up for second.

Sir Winston just had an ideal trip. He saved ground all the way around, and held on nicely to take advantage of the opportunity he was given. It was a professional effort, and he deserves respect for that. It was his second straight solid effort on this track, after finishing second in the Peter Pan on the track last time. He is a nice horse with upside, his breeding was well suited to this race, and he deserves credit for the honest race. But he won't go down as an all-timer.

The one guy I am happy for here is Mark Casse. Up until the last few weeks I have long said that he was the best trainer out there without a Triple Crown win. Now he has had two in three weeks. It must have been a bit of a rollercoaster for him watching the race. First he would have realized that War of Will, his Preakness winner, was not going to have anything close to his best day. Before that disappointment could sink in, though, he would have realized that his other horse, the much longer shot, had a real chance to hold on. And ironically, it is War of Will when he faltered and bumped into Tacitus, that probably locked down the win for Sir Winston.

On to better times next year!

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