Belmont busts: How 11 Derby/Preakness winners have fared since Affirmed’s 1978 Triple Crown

SPECTACULAR BID (1979) Jockey Ron Franklin chased an 85-1 long shot early and moved too soon during the Belmont, leaving Bid to get passed by Coastal and fade to third. PLEASANT COLONY (1981) Broke slowly and was last in the 11-horse field early on. Couldn’t close on the tepid pace and wound up third behind Summing. ALYSHEBA (1987) Jockey Chris McCarron concedes he did not give the eventual 1988 horse of the year the greatest of rides, too far off a soft pace, finished fourth. SUNDAY SILENCE (1989) The sweeping turns of Belmont indeed proved more favourable to Easy Goer than the nimble Sunday Silence, eight lengths back. SILVER CHARM (1997) Touch Gold’s jockey, Chris McCarron, put together a crafty plan of rushing past Silver Charm on the outside in the final 50 yards. REAL QUIET (1998) Jockey Kent Desormeaux took criticism for moving too soon, opening up a clear lead in the lane but then getting caught at the wire by Victory Gallop. CHARISMATIC (1999) Jockey Chris Antley was said to have moved too soon, but the real problem came when Charismatic suffered two broken bones in his front left leg in the stretch. WAR EMBLEM (2002) Worst-case scenario happened when he stumbled and nearly went to his knees at the start and was spent by the end, finishing eighth. FUNNY CIDE (2003) Worked sizzling 5 furlongs in 57 4⁄ but

5 after leading through the mile mark, Funny Cide was overtaken by Empire Maker and faded to third. SMARTY JONES (2004) Got ganged up on by Rock Hard Ten and Eddington early on. Still ahead in stretch but tired late and was passed by Birdstone. BIG BROWN (2008) Pulled up by jockey Desormeaux approaching the quarter pole for uncertain reason: bad foot, loose horseshoe. Conspiracy theories linger.