151st Belmont Stakes
NEW YORK» Sir Winston provided a perfect finish to a crazy Triple Crown.
After a disqualification in the Kentucky Derby and a runaway horse in the Preakness, of course the Belmont Stakes goes to a 10-1 longshot.
Sir Winston captured the $1.5 million race Saturday, holding off favored Tacitus by a length.
The win gave trainer Mark Casse the final two jewels in the showcase for 3-year-old thoroughbreds. He won the Preakness with War of Will, who was expected to battle Tacitus in the 1 ½ mile Belmont.
Instead, Casse’s other’s colt took the lead after a ground-saving ride by Joel Rosario.
It wasn’t really a shock to Casse.
“I said all week he was doing really well,” Casse said. “He had a race over the track. What can I say? It’s just exciting.”
Sir Winston, who was making his Triple Crown debut, finished second in the Peter Pan Stakes, the traditional prep for the Belmont.
Rosario rode him for the first time in that race, and the two put on a show Saturday in front of a crowd of 56,217, earning $800,000 for owner Tracy Farmer.
The Triple Crown grind caught up to Preakness winner War of Will, who ran in all three races. He finished ninth in the 10horse field.
“I could see where War of Will was struggling a little bit,” Casse said. “He looked like maybe he was a little flat today.”
Purse: Top three
$1.5 million. Sir Winston Tacitus Joevia
Distance: THE REST OF THE FIELD in finishing order
4. Tax
5. Master Fencer
6. Spinoff
7. Everfast
OTHER PAYOUTS $2 Pick 3 3/8/7 (3 correct) $2 Daily Double 3/7 $2 Exacta 7/10 $2 Superfecta 7/10/1/4 $2 Trifecta 7/10/1
The Belmont capped an entertaining Triple Crown highlighted by the disqualification of Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby.
The Belmont was a jockey’s race and Rosario was the right rider on a horse full of run.
Breaking from the No. 7 post, Rosario guided the chestnut colt to the rail for an energy-saving trip.
Sir Winston was eighth for the first half-mile and then started to rally on the final turn.
8. Intrepid Heart
9. War of Will
10. Bourbon War
Up front, 21-1 long shot Joevia continued to set the pace with Tax closely tracking. In the stretch, Rosario angled Sir Winston — named for Winston Churchill — off the rail and slightly bothered stablemate War of Will.
This time, there was no inquiry or objection. Sir Winston surged to the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and held off a late run from Tacitus, who had an extremely wide trip under jockey Jose Ortiz.