Union Rags nips Paynter at wire

NEW YORK — Union Rags picked up where I’ll Have Another left off — coming from behind to catch a Bob Baffert- trained horse at the finish in a Triple Crown race.

In Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, it was even a photo finish.

Union Rags rallied through an opening on the rail to edge Paynter by a neck, dealing Baffert a third loss in this year’s Triple Crown series.

I’ll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with stirring stretch drives over Baffert’s Bodemeister. But the champion stunned the racing world Friday when he was scratched from the Belmont and retired due to a tendon injury, relinquishing a shot at the first Triple Crown sweep since 1978 and only the 12th ever.

His absence opened up the race for Union Rags, who finished a troubled sev- enth in the Derby.

A crowd of 85,811 cheered as Paynter and Union Rags battled down the stretch, and Union Rags barely caught the front- runner at the end to win by a neck.

Trained by Michael Matz, Union Rags skipped the Preakness and switched jockeys for the Belmont — from Julien Leparoux to John Velazquez, who picked up his second Belmont victory; he won in 2007 with filly Rags to Riches.

“I have to give it to the horse. He did it all for me. He just worked so unbelievable and I was just hoping he could put that work into today’s race and he did,” Velazquez said. “I was very proud of him.”’

Union Rags was along the inside in the middle of the pack until it was time to make a move for the lead. Velazquez guided Union Rags to the inside of the front- running Paynter and

at noon today for a spot in the 3 p. m. final.

Mendez gave HSV its only run against Texarkana with a third- inning home run, his sixth of the season. Mendez and Spoon each went 1- for- 2.

“They just hit the ball and we didn’t,” Gregory said. “We didn’t make plays, either.”

Texarkana, 2- 1 in the tourney, plays the winner of Saturday night’s Bryant- Genoa Central game at 9 a. m. today.