The Belmont Stakes, the final jewel of the Triple Crown, is known as the “Test of the Champion.” Rarely if ever will the 10 colts and geldings entered ever run the marathon distance of a mile and a half again. Some familiar faces from this year’s Triple Crown, including the Derby winner, and some new shooters will line up to contest the 141st running of the classic race. Post time is 6:27 p.m. Eastern.
The field:
1. Chocolate Candy (Candy Ride-Crownette, by Seattle Slew): This colt got a lot of attention in California this spring, picking up graded wins in the El Camino Real Derby and California Derby and finishing second to Pioneerof The Nile in the Santa Anita Derby. He ran a closing fifth in the Kentucky Derby and was shipped to Belmont four days later to begin prepping for this race, so the familiarity with the track may help. The Triple Crown theme of musical jockeys continues here, as Mike Smith chose to ride in California Saturday; Garrett Gomez picks up the mount. One horse who definitely has the pedigree for the win.
2. Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song-Secret Status, by AP Indy): Regally-bred colt with raw talent has yet to realize his full potential. The son of Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose winner Secret Status, he jumped into the public eye this spring with dramatic wins in a maiden and allowance race, then made a sweeping move on the turn to finish second to Quality Road in the Florida Derby. In the Kentucky Derby, just his fourth lifetime start, he stumbled badly leaving the starting gate and never got going in the mud, finishing 11th. Has taken it easy in training, but has pedigree for the distance. John Velazquez will ride him for the first time for Todd Pletcher; the duo teamed up to win the Belmont in 2007 with Rags To Riches.
3. Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow-Sweet Damsel, by Turkoman): This is the full brother to last year’s Santa Anita Derby and Travers winner Colonel John. Get the feeling he’s still putting things together as he’s been more steady than brilliant; he broke his maiden four starts back, then ran third in the Sham and Santa Anita Derby (while tangling with the likes of The Pamplemousse, Pioneerof The Nile and Chocolate Candy). He trailed much of the way in the Kentucky Derby and finished 15th of 19, but has been pointing for this since. Another who is bred to get the distance, and has been much more professional in his training after acting like a wild horse Derby week. Gets the services of two-time Belmont winning jockey Edgar Prado (Sarava ’02, Birdstone ’04).
4. Summer Bird (Birdstone-Hong Kong Squall, by Summer Squall): Ran a closing third in the Arkansas Derby in just his third lifetime start. His sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby was much better than it looked, as he went wide on the first turn and then again got caught seven wide turning for home. Another talented but inexperienced colt who is putting things together; like the Derby winner, he is a son of 2004 Belmont winner Birdstone. Kent Desormeaux, who is 0-for-6 in the Belmont, rides.
5. Luv Gov (Ten Most Wanted-City of Silver, by Nepal): The first of Wayne Lukas’ two entrants took 10 tries to break his maiden, which he did on Derby Day. He then was thrown into the Preakness fire, where he finished eighth. A win for Lukas would be his fifth Belmont win (Tabasco Cat ’94, Thunder Gulch ’95, Editor’s Note ’96, Commendable ’00), tying him with Woody Stephens for most wins. Miguel Mena rides.
6. Charitable Man (Lemon Drop Kid- Charitabledonation, by Saint Ballado): Lone entrant who has displayed a real affinity for Belmont’s surface. Went undefeated as a 2-year-old, winning the grade I Futurity here. He was then laid up with physical problems until the Blue Grass, where he finished up the track behind General Quarters. Connections resisted Derby temptation and instead have been pointing specifically for this race. He won the Peter Pan here last time out. Another runner who is expected to factor in the early pace, but can relax slightly off it if need be. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin won the Belmont in 2006 with Jazil. Alan Garcia, who won last year’s Belmont, is aboard.
7. Mine That Bird (Birdstone-Mining My Own, by Smart Strike): The Derby winner finally gets some respect, as he was made the morning line favorite at 2-1 and is reunited with rider Calvin Borel, who took off him to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. The little gelding was Canada’s 2-year-old champion and prepped for the Derby in New Mexico. In the Derby win and Preakness runner-up effort, he made a freakish late run that propelled him by the field, so the extra distance may set up well for him, and he should have plenty of pace to run at. The trick here will be knowing when to unleash that run. Borel has never ridden in the Belmont.
8. Flying Private (Fusaichi Pegasus-Beautiful Treasure, by Unbridled): The second Lukas trainee finished last of 19 in the Derby but pressed on to the Preakness, where he rebounded with a much-improved closing fourth. Has been training well leading up to this and could close out the exotics, as he has a wonderful distance pedigree. Kentucky favorite Julien Leparoux will be aboard.
9. Miner’s Escape (Mineshaft-Spy Novel, by Broad Brush): The first of two entrants for two-time Belmont winning trainer Nick Zito (Birdstone ’04, Da’Tara ’08) broke his maiden two starts back, then won the Federico Tesio on Derby weekend. Another runner who is expected to help set the early pace. Jose Lezcano has the mount.
10. Brave Victory (Lion Heart-I’m In Celebration, by Copelan): Zito’s second entrant. Hard-trying horse has two wins (a maiden and allowance), two seconds and two thirds lifetime. He was fourth in the Swale and seventh in the Lexington on the Derby trail this spring. However, he improved to be third in the Peter Pan behind Charitable Man and the highly-regarded Imperial Council. Rajiv Maragh will be aboard.
[...] with each horse’s backstory and details on their connections and chances can be found here in our preview. Leading up to the Belmont is an undercard featuring two Breeders’ Cup winners, two [...]