Belmont 2018

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[SUintheVille]

Audible being out definitely helps Justify. But Belmont is a longer race which has affected other potential Triple Crown winners before. Justify almost got passed at the end of the Preakness, granted it was a sloppy track and not sure if that would have happened on a fast track. But the longer Belmont always adds a twist. That said, Justify may be destined this year.

 

[br801]

Should be close to a full field of 14 taking on Justify, who may be vunerable at the mile and at half even if he makes an easy lead, which I doubt will happen. Will be a great betting race.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Justify draws the one hole. Not ideal but obviously a long race. Should not effect him too much as he might not have jumped out to the lead anyway. I'm seeing a lot of publicity for Hofburg. I'm thinking Tenfold and Vino Rosso also. I've been on the Justify bandwagon from day one so not going to jump off it yet but we know how tough it is to win the Belmont against fresher horses.
Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) | Twitter

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Other than Breeder's Cup, Saturday's car at Belmont is the best card of the years. Some great races,

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[rrlbees]

Patriots come in 2nd again.

 

[orange79]

Patriots come in 2nd again.

Amazing race run by that trainer and jockey. They fell so far back (planned?) and then closed to a place. If that was their plan, really gutsy call.

After the race, I hear the horse got traded for a 1st and a 3rd rd pick.

 

[OburgOrange]

So.. are jockeys athletes?

 

[bevosu]

A little over 4 seconds slower than Secretariat. Not bad.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

A little over 4 seconds slower than Secretariat. Not bad.

Approximate equivalent of 20 lengths. Not an overly fast race but no one challenged Justify. And, of course, no one will ever challenge Secretariat's record.

 

[br801]

So.. are jockeys athletes?

Yes, they most certainly are.

 

[Cowtown]

Tremendous performance, but really, how is it "horse racing history" when 12 others have done it before? Dolt talking heads.

 

[Toga]

The horse is smooth as butter.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Tremendous performance, but really, how is it "horse racing history" when 12 others have done it before? Dolt talking heads.

Never ran as a 2 year old and has completed six races in 111 days and has yet to lose.. Combine those two and it is something new.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

So.. are jockeys athletes?

Yes

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Tremendous performance, but really, how is it "horse racing history" when 12 others have done it before? Dolt talking heads.

One of only 12. That's historic.

 

[HOFCeluck]

There’s only been 13 TCs in like a hundred years and of those only one (now two) was undefeated.

 

[Cowtown]

So, one above average horse in a mediocre field, then?

 

[br801]

Amazing race run by that trainer and jockey. They fell so far back (planned?) and then closed to a place. If that was their plan, really gutsy call.

After the race, I hear the horse got traded for a 1st and a 3rd rd pick.

Chad Brown didn't really know what he had there, as the horse had only raced on grass and synthetics in England. He probably instructed Jose Ortiz to just let the horse settle wherever he was comfortable early on. He put in a tremendous run, and might have gotten up if anything had softened up Justify earlier in the race.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Chad Brown didn't really know what he had there, as the horse had only raced on grass and synthetics in England. He probably instructed Jose Ortiz to just let the horse settle wherever he was comfortable early on. He put in a tremendous run, and might have gotten up if anything had softened up Justify earlier in the race.

I think it's important to understand race dynamics for sure. After watching the race it's tough to press the pace with what appears to be a dead closer. A dead closer like what Gronk seems to be, is always going to need help up from with some pace to run into. With Justify I don't know if would really matter but if you look at the Travers in 2015 when Pharaoh got beat it was a run off horse that softened up Pharaoh with quick early fractions which left the winner in a great spot to come closing at the end. Clearly Pharaoh was the best horse in the race and it took a certain race to beat him. The parade on the track the day before with Pharaoh probably didn't help before, will give Baffert credit for making the horse so available at Saratoga but I don't think he will make that mistake with Justify if the elect to run in the Travers

Chad Brown was upset that nobody pressed Justify early in the Belmont because his horse ( Gronkowski)
needed help from other horses to speed the pace early and hopefully wear down the heavy favorite. That said it never happened for a few reasons. Clearly the other Bafffert horse was sent out there to try and defend against the proverbial rabbit or run off horse to disrupt the pace. That horse was suppose to be Noble Indy who was owned by Mike Repole who also had Vino Rosso in the race but Noble Indy could never get to the lead and why Repole was so pissed off at the jock of Noble Indy ( Castellano) as Noble Indy would have been gutted to make the lead because clearly the other Baffert horse wasn't going to let that happen, a ton of gamesmanship to say the least. Noble Indy gets to the lead and wears down Jusity maybe Vino Rosso or most likely Gronk gets up for the win but that's racing. Rally interesting dynamic to say the least