Union Rags gets it right

UNION Rags, closing with urgency along the rail under John Velazquez, got up in the final couple of strides to win a heartpounding finish over Paynter by a short neck in the Belmont Stakes (Gr I) on Saturday.

The lack of a Triple Crown quest by I’ll Have Another, scratched on the eve of the race with a tendon injury, took much of the luster off the 144th renewal of the Belmont. But Paynter, who led the race from the outset, and Union Rags put on a great show in the $1 million event anyway before 85,811 at Belmont Park.

Velazquez brought Union Rags into contention past midstretch and the son of Dixie Union responded in tight quarters along the rail to edge a determined but weakening Paynter as they reached the wire.

Michael Matz trains the winning homebred for Phyllis Wyeth’s Chadds Ford Stable. The bay colt was a troubled seventh in the Kentucky Derby and sat out the Preakness Stakes, returning to Belmont as a fresh horse. Paynter’s defeat was a third disappointment for trainer Bob Baffert in this year’s Triple Crown series. The Hall of Fame trainer lost both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness (Gr I) with Bodemeister, who was caught late in both races by I’ll Have Another.

Union Rags earned $600,000 as he pushed his career mark to 5-1-1 in eight starts. He has banked $1,798,800.

- Bloodhorse.com