How Royal Posse turned seconds into firsts with The Alydar
The Alydar, for four-yarold horses and older that have not won a stakes race in 2019 other than a New York-bred event is raced over 1 and 1/8-mile honors one of the greatest seconds in history.
Trained by John M. Veitch (who also trained Alydar’s half-sister, Eclipse Award winning Our Mims) and ridden by jockey Jorge Velásquez, in 1978 Alydar dueled with Affirmed in all three legs of the Triple Crown he lost to his archrival by a combined total of less than two lengths. The 1978 Belmont Stakes, the third (and final) leg of the series, is considered by many as one of the most exciting races in the history of the sport. In that race, Alydar and Affirmed dueled side-by-side from the middle of the far turn all the way to the wire, with Affirmed barely holding on to win by a head to claim the Triple Crown. In his racing career Alydar won 14 of 26 starts, finishing second 9 times and third once, and earned purses totalling $957,195. He raced against Affirmed ten times in his career, winning three. Alydar was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1989.
Royal Posse, turned two straight second-place finishes into a winning streak, winning the 2016 Alydar Stakes with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard by one and a-quarter lengths in front of Touchofstarquality and Mylute. That was followed by three straight stakes wins for the gelding, Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga a month later, the Empire Classic Handicap at Belmont Park and the Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Royal Posse would close out his career with more than $1 million in earnings for breeder Richard J. Troncone and owners, Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables, LLC.