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Arcangelo wins Belmont Stakes in historic triumph for trainer
ELMONT, N.Y. — History was made at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Not by the horse but the trainer. In the 452nd Triple Crown race, Jena Antonucci became the first female trainer to win a classic when Arcangelo found a spot on the inside and rushed through to win the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes.
It was a moment that seemed inevitable but was just out of reach. No more.
Antonucci runs a small stable in Florida. She met Jon Ebbert the day before the September Keeneland sale in 2021, when he bought a horse for $35,000 that he named Arcangelo. He gave it to Antonucci to train. She was patient as the horse took three tries to win his first race.
Then he was shipped to New York, where he was entered in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at this same Belmont Park track. He won by a head. Could this far-fetched dream become a reality?
“They say there is no crying in baseball, but they never said anything about horse racing,” Antonucci said in the post-race news conference while fighting back tears, sometimes unsuccessfully. “[It’s about] overcoming adversities. … You take it on the chin and you fight for that spot and you feel you have to prove your worth.
“Horses don’t care who you are. They know who you are. To have a horse believe in you and your team the way that this horse does [is incredible]. He sees you. I wish more people could be like horses.”
Nine horses took off from the gate at the start of the Belmont Stakes. National Treasure, the Preakness Stakes winner for trainer Bob Baffert, went to the lead as expected and held it late into the far turn. Arcangelo was near the rear of the compact pack running down the backstretch. With about half a mile to go in the 1 ½-mile race, Arcangelo tucked to the rail and had a clear path at the leader and snuck past him on the inside. He drifted a little in the stretch as he saw his three-length lead whittled to 1 ½ lengths. It was more than enough for his history-making victory.
Cody’s Wish wins Metropolitan Handicap in impressive performance
ELMONT, N.Y. — In what might be the most impressive performance of the day, racing’s feel-good-story horse, Cody’s Wish, broke a step slow, was content near the back of the pack and then with one push-button move by jockey Junior Alvarado, started picking off horses and the 5-year-old roared to the front to win the Metropolitan Handicap by 3½ lengths.
Everyone fell in love with the story of this horse at last year’s Breeders’ Cup when he won the Dirt Mile. Cody’s Wish was named for Cody Dorman, 17, who was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, which left him wheelchair-bound and unable to speak. He uses a tablet to communicate.
In 2018, Cody was taken to Gainsborough Farm as part of the Make-A-Wish program. There, Cody met a foal who immediately bonded with the boy and at one point put his head in Cody’s lap. It was easy to name the horse Cody’s Wish.
“Cody wasn’t here today,” said Michael Banahan, representing the winning stable Godolphin. “It’s tough to get around. Kelly, his dad, was here enjoying the whole thing and the family back in Kentucky was watching and cheering the house down. The horse is so popular, we were a bit nervous. You feel plenty of pressure. It was a relief as well as great excitement to win the race.”
It was the sixth straight win for Cody’s Wish and ninth win in his last 10 races. Cody’s Wish paid $3.30, $2.40 and $2.30. Zandon was second and White Abarrio finished third.
“It’s as heartwarming for me as it is for the fans watching,” winning trainer Bill Mott said. “I had a lot of people tell me what a great story this is. For sure, it’s a great story, but it goes along with a good horse. He’s developed nicely. I thought he had a possibility of being a good horse before before we ever ran him. … He’s finally figured it out.”
There were two Santa Anita-based horses in the race. Dr. Shivel, trained by Mark Glatt, finished fifth and the Doug O’Neill-trained Slow Down Andy was sixth in the nine-horse field.
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Red Route One (Post 9)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Purchase price: Homebred
Lifetime record: 10-2-2-1
Winnings: $732,525
Last race: Fourth in the Preakness
Morning line: 15-1
Comment: It’s difficult to see this horse as a major factor in the Belmont. Although, he does have experience with 10 races. His fourth in the Preakness was not impressive. An off-track might help his chances but the only weather factor could be the air quality because of the Canadian wildfires. He did beat Tapit Shoes by a head in the Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn. This will be the third straight race that Joel Rosario has ridden the colt. The outside post shouldn’t be a problem in a 1 ½-mile race over a track with wide sweeping turns.
Final Belmont Stakes betting update: Total bets at $6.8 million so far
ELMONT, N.Y. — With every minute that passes the money being wagered at Belmont Park is starting to go up. In the last hour about $1.4 million was bet making the total $6.762 million. There was little change in the odds as National Treasure dropped for 5-1 to 9-2 making the Preakness winner the third choice.
As he has been from the start, Forte remains the favorite at his morning-line odds of 5-2, followed by Angel of Empire at 7-2. Forte is trained by Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox conditions Angel of Empire.
With just an hour to go to post time, here are the odds:
1. Tapit Shoes 16-1
2. Tapit Trice 6-1
3. Arcangelo 7-1
4. National Treasure 9-2
5. Il Miracolo 19-1
6. Forte 5-2
7. Hit Show 8-1
8. Angel of Empire 7-2
9. Red Route One 13-1
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Angel of Empire (Post 8)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Owner: Albaugh Family Stable
Purchase price: $70,000
Lifetime record: 7-4-1-1
Winnings: $1,369,375
Last race: Third in the Kentucky Derby
Morning line: 7-2
Comment: This is a tough horse to figure. He finished third in the Kentucky Derby after wins in the Arkansas Derby and the Risen Star at Fair Grounds. The connections have added blinkers although there is nothing to indicate that they would help his performance. He’s Pennsylvania bred and if he wins he will be the first one since 1891 when Foxford won it. The distance and the layoff, five weeks between the Derby and Belmont, may not act as positives when you look at this horse. He’s got a shot, but not a very big one.
Bob Baffert recalls American Pharoah’s Triple Crown win in the Belmont
ELMONT, N.Y. — Belmont Park is so much more electric when there is a Triple Crown on the line.
Seattle Slew and Affirmed achieved back-to-back Triple Crowns in 1977-78 before there was a long drought. A few horses came close but no one could finish it off by winning the 1½-mile Belmont Stakes.
There was a 37-year drought before American Pharoah did it in 2015 for trainer Bob Baffert.
Baffert recounted that win while standing in front of Barn 1, the home of Terranova Stables, on Friday morning.
“I was walking up there and I knew he could do it but with all the good horses that have failed [there was still a doubt],” Baffert said. “I thought if everything goes well he should do it. And then he didn’t break. Going around the first turn I loved how he was going so there shouldn’t be any excuses.
“When he headed for home, I saw that Frosted making a run and I thought, ‘Oh. Boy. Here it is. Here it comes.’ Then you could see that Pharoah was just toying with him, so he took off. In my big races, I never root. I never said a word and I was in such awe of this horse.”
Baffert hasn’t been back to Belmont since Justify won the Triple Crown in 2018. Mostly it was because he didn’t have the right horse or he was dealing with the Medina Spirit positive medication test in the Kentucky Derby.
“To me the Derby is about glory,” Baffert said. “The Preakness is exciting but the Triple Crown is really not about the trainer, it’s about the horse. That horse is going to be in a very small group of really great horses. You’re so proud of him and watching him hit the wire and just running away. And it was so loud and crazy.
“The people had been coming and coming all those years. They finally got rewarded with a Triple Crown winner.”
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Hit Show (Post 7)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Manny Franco
Owner: Gary and Mary West
Purchase price: Homebred
Lifetime record: 6-3-1-0
Winnings: $494,375
Last race: Fifth in the Kentucky Derby
Morning line: 10-1
Comment: This could be a wise guy horse and is likely to be an underlay. His Kentucky Derby race was not great as he flattened late in the race and finished fifth. He was the beaten favorite in the Wood Memorial to Lord Miles. But there are only nine horses in this race so a big effort would not be a surprise. Let’s also not forget that he broke from the rail in the Kentucky Derby. Manny Franco has ridden him since his win in the Withers at Aqueduct. San Diego’s Gary and Mary West have put a lot of money into this sport, and except for the tainted Maximum Security, is hoping for another major win in the sport.
Belmont Stakes betting update: $1 million added to win pool
ELMONT, N.Y. — Money is started to be bet on Saturday’s final leg of the Triple Crown. In the last hours about $1 million was put into the win pool, upping the total to $5.34 million. But the odds haven’t changed in the past hours.
Comparing the current odds to the morning line, five of the horses are at lower odds and only one is at higher odds. Il Miracolo had the biggest change from 30-1 to a current 19-1. Tapit Shoes went from 20-1 to 16-1. Hit Show (10-1 to 8-1) and Red Route One (15-1 to 13-1) each dropped by two. Arcangelo was 8-1 on the morning line and has shifted to 7-1.
Tapit Trice is the only horse to have higher odds, going from 3-1 to 6-1.
Forte remained the favorite at 5-2, unchanged from his morning line.
With two hours to go to post time, here are the odds:
1. Tapit Shoes 16-1
2. Tapit Trice 6-1
3. Arcangelo 7-1
4. National Treasure 5-1
5. Il Miracolo 19-1
6. Forte 5-2
7. Hit Show 8-1
8. Angel of Empire 7-2
9. Red Route One 13-1
Bob Baffert wins undercard race at Belmont Park
ELMONT, N.Y. — Bob Baffert’s return to Belmont Park after almost five years started out very successful when Arabian Lion won the Grade 1 $400,000 Woody Stephens by a widening 1¾ lengths Saturday.
The seven-furlong race was a cut back in distance for the 3-year-old after winning the 1 1/16-mile Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico three weeks ago. The colt normally goes to the front but was content to sit just off the lead until John Velazquez asked him with about a furlong to go. From that point, there was no doubt.
“His race at Pimlico was amazing,” Baffert said. “I flew him back to California and I said, ‘I probably won’t bring him back,’ but he was doing so well, I could tell. He’s just a smaller version of [his sire] Justify and to have a horse by Justify — one of the greatest horses I’ve ever trained — and to bring him to New York and win a Grade 1, that’s what we’re all in the game for.”
Baffert said he is targeting the Haskell on July 22 at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.
“He’s a Haskell contender along with Arabian Knight,” Baffert said. “One of the Arabians will be there.”
Velazquez described the race, almost as if it was routine for this horse.
“He broke well,” Velazquez said. “He got out-run right away so I sat behind the leaders. When I asked him to do it down the lane, he responded right away. He is a nice horse.”
Arabian Lion paid $6.70, $3.90 and $3.10. Drew’s Gold was second and Gilmore was third. Gilmore used to be trained by Baffert until he was transferred to Brendan Walsh earlier this year. Aman, who is trained by Peter Miller but runs out of his Arkansas barn, finished last in the 10-horse field.
Baffert was supposed to have two horses in the race but he scratched Fort Bragg on Friday when the colt had a fever. Baffert said it was nothing serious and the horse will come back in the summer.
Arabian Lion was a $600,000 purchase for Amr Zedan, who is one of three major clients for Baffert.
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Forte (Post 6)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Owner: Repole Stables and St. Elias Stable
Purchase price: $110,000
Lifetime record: 7-6-0-0
Winnings: $2,409,830
Last race: Won the Florida Derby
Morning line: 5-2
Comment: Forte is the favorite but a skeptical one. He won a very disjointed Florida Derby on April 1. He looked beaten in the race but then came back to rally in the stretch to win. Then came the Kentucky Derby . He took an awkward step in training and rumors swirled that he was going to be scratched. Then came race day when the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission asked to see the horse jog on the track. They didn’t like what they saw and cited a bruised hoof. After an animated conversion with owner Mike Repole, the colt was scratched from the Derby. So, it’s been almost 12 weeks since the horse has raced. Is that important? Maybe. His performance had both high and low spots. He was made the early Kentucky Derby favorite but never got to run. ln the past, six horses have won the Belmont Stakes without running in the first two races.
Belmont Stakes might make temporary move in 2025
ELMONT, N.Y. — Imagine the Belmont Stakes not being at Belmont Park? Well, it’s most probably going to happen. But only temporarily.
Belmont Park is in the midst of a multi-year remodeling project. Currently, the majority of the infield area is a pile of dirt and construction machinery. It has built the first of two tunnels that will connect fans to the infield.
The Belmont Stakes will stay at its namesake track next year but construction and demolition of the grandstand area is set to commence in 2025.
There are really only two possibilities of where to move the signature race, two other tracks also run by the New York Racing Assn.: Aqueduct or Saratoga.
No decision has yet to be made but Pat McKenna, NYRA vice president of communications, may have hinted at the winner.
“Moving the Belmont Stakes to Saratoga Race Course in 2025 would be immensely exciting for New York racing, racing overall, and upstate New York,” McKenna told Frank Angst of the BloodHorse, while stressing that all options are still being discussed.
No New York track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup since 2005 when Belmont Park was the site. But the aging facility just doesn’t have the infrastructure to host the end of the year championships.
This will not be the first time that the Belmont Stakes was not run at the Elmont track. During the last rebuild the race was run at Aqueduct between 1963 and 1967.
After Belmont is rebuilt this time, the dates currently assigned to Aqueduct will be shifted to Belmont and the aging Aqueduct will be closed.
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Il Miracolo (Post 5)
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Jockey: Marcos Meneses
Owner: Alexandres, LLC
Purchase price: $70,000
Lifetime record: 10-2-3-0
Winnings: $103,125
Last race: Won an allowance at Gulfstream, previous race was sixth in the Florida Derby
Morning line: 30-1
Comment: It’s difficult to make a case for this horse but that’s not to say he couldn’t play a major role in who wins it. His only two wins have been when he was on the lead, gate to wire. So, it would be natural to think that the jockey will send him to the front, which could make it tough for National Treasure, who will want to control and pace and slow it down. It’s only the second time that Marcos Meneses has ridden the horse, but the last time was an allowance win in his last race. He was soundly beaten in the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth , both at Gulfstream, so it might be a big stretch to think he can compete at this level. He has also has shown a propensity for trouble getting in and out of the gate.
Latest Belmont Stakes betting odds: Board changes slightly
ELMONT, N.Y. — The betting public has been very consistent all day with the odds board changing only slightly in the past hour. Forte remains at 5-2 and the favorite is followed by Angel of Empire at 7-2. National Treasure slipped a half a tick and went from 9-2 to 5-1.
It’s unclear if trainer Bob Baffert’s win in the Woody Stephens with Arabian Lion will change the mind of anyone about National Treasure’s chances. John Velazquez rode Arabian Lion and will ride National Treasure.
With three hours to go to post time, here are the odds:
1. Tapit Shoes 16-1
2. Tapit Trice 6-1
3. Arcangelo 7-1
4. National Treasure 5-1
5. Il Miracolo 19-1
6. Forte 5-2
7. Hit Show 8-1
8. Angel of Empire 7-2
9. Red Route One 13-1
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: National Treasure (Post 4)
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: John Velazquez
Owner: SF Racing. Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan
Purchase price: $500,000
Lifetime record: 6-2-1-2
Winnings: $1,335,000
Last race: Won the Preakness Stakes
Morning line: 5-1
Comment: National Treasure showed a lot of heart to win the Preakness Stakes, digging down deep in the stretch to hold off Blazing Sevens. But, it was the brain of John Velazquez that actually won the race for the horse. He kept the pace slow enough so that at the end, he couldn’t be caught. Can he do it in the Belmont? Might be a more difficult chore as Il Miracolo may try and press the pace and Tapit Shoes might be in the race to push National Treasure, allowing the other two Brad Cox horses a better opportunity to come off a fast pace. He’s only won two races, a maiden and the Preakness. But, at a half-million purchase price, a lot was always expected from him.
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Arcangelo (Post 3)
Trainer: Jena Antonucci
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Owner: Blue Rose Farm
Purchase price: $35,000
Lifetime record: 4-2-1-0
Winnings: $167,400
Last race: Won the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont
Morning line: 8-1
Comment: This horse will get a lot of attention on Fox because Jena Antonucci is hoping to become the first woman trainer to win the Belmont. It’s also her first Triple Crown starter. She mostly trains in South Florida. The horse has won his last two races, including an impressive win in the Peter Pan, a traditional prep race for the Belmont Stakes. Derby winning jockey Javier Castellano will be riding him for the third straight time. One thing to remember, is in the Peter Pan he carried 118 pounds, but he’ll be carrying 126 in the Belmont. At $35,000, he is the cheapest purchased horse in the race. The last Peter Pan winner to also win the Belmont was Tonalist in 2014.
Latest Belmont Stakes betting odds: Forte remains the favorite
ELMONT, N.Y. — The betting on the Belmont Stakes hasn’t changed much in the past hour with Forte still the 5-2 favorite followed by Angel of Empire at 7-2 and National Treasure still at 9-2. The only horse whose odds changed was Red Route One, who went to 13-1 from 12-1.
There is $3.553 in the win pool. For comparison on how and where people bet, look at the other pools. The place (second) pool is around $929 thousand, the show (third) is about $761 thousand, the daily double is a paltry $67 thousand just behind the superfecta (first through fourth) pool at $70 thousand.
So where is the rest of the money? The exacta pool (first and second) is around $2.188 million and the trifecta wagering is $2.400 million.
With four hours to go to post time, here are the odds:
1. Tapit Shoes 16-1
2. Tapit Trice 6-1
3. Arcangelo 7-1
4. National Treasure 9-2
5. Il Miracolo 19-1
6. Forte 5-2
7. Hit Show 8-1
8. Angel of Empire 7-2
9. Red Route One 13-1
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Tapit Trice (Post 2)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
Owner: Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable
Purchase price: $1.3 million
Lifetime record: 6-4-0-1
Winnings: $883,650
Last race: Seventh in the Kentucky Derby
Morning line: 3-1
Comment: The better of the two Tapit-sired horses in the race. He has won four in a row going into the Kentucky Derby including the Blue Grass Stakes and the Tampa Bay Derby. The question is if you should just draw a line through his lackluster seventh-place in the Kentucky Derby. If so, this colt is a strong factor to at least hit the board, although the winner of the Belmont Stakes is usually a front-runner, not a deep closer. People have cooled on him, so you might get some value in the price.
Why do race horses keep dying? Inside the sport’s push to solve a formidable problem
ELMONT, N.Y. — It’s a scene that plays out at racetracks more frequently than anyone wants. A horse is pulled up and out of competition as the race continues and those in attendance cheer for their horse, or more realistically, their wager on that horse.
Those looking to the spot where the horse pulled up see an outrider arrive first. The jockey pulls off the saddling equipment. In a matter of moments, a track veterinarian, who has been following in a vehicle behind the field, starts examining the horse, hoping for the best but prepared for the worst.
An equine ambulance is called and it pulls up very close to the stricken horse. If lucky, the horse is calm and not favoring any limbs. They willingly walk onto the ambulance and it seems as if everything will be OK.
The horse is taken by ambulance to the backside where, if things are good, they go back to their barn. If not, the horse goes to the equine medical center. That is, if it even makes it that far.
Know your Belmont Stakes horses: Tapit Shoes (Post 1)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Owner: Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers Racing, Michael Dubb, Martin Schwartz, Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing, Kueber Racing, Big Easy Racing, Winners Win and Michael Caruso.
Purchase price: $300,000
Lifetime record: 5-1-1-1
Winnings: $82,878
Last race: Second in the Bath House Row at Oaklawn
Morning line: 20-1
Comment: Horses sired by Tapit have won four of the last eight Belmont Stakes. His trainer Brad Cox won the Belmont with Essential Quality in 2021. His jockey, Jose Ortiz, won this race in 2017 aboard Tapwrit. Cox has three horses in the race, so don’t be surprised if this colt pushes the pace in order to benefit the two closers in Cox’s barn. Tapit Shoes did not compete in either previous Triple Crown race. He seems a little light on experience and has only won a maiden race. Ortiz is the fifth different jockey to ride him.
Met Mile should offer an exciting Belmont Stakes undercard
ELMONT, N.Y. — It’s natural that all the talk is about the Belmont Stakes, but there is an exceptional race on the undercard, the Metropolitan Handicap, otherwise known as the Met Mile.
There are two Southern California-based horses in the race in Slow Down Andy for trainer Doug O’Neill and Dr. Schivel for Mark Glatt. Both are 10-1 on the morning line.
The favorite is also the sentimental story of last year, Cody’s Wish, a horse named after Cody Dorman, who was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. He is in a wheelchair and communicates by tablet. He met the then weanling at the farm as part of the Make-a-Wish program. The horse put his head in Cody’s lap and a true feel-good story was made.
Cody’s Wish has won eight of his 12 races and his last five, including the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He is the 7-5 favorite.
This will be Slow Down Andy’s first race of the year after finishing third behind Cody’s Wish in the Dirt Mile.
“He didn’t have a bad trip in the Dirt Mile, he just didn’t have a lucky trip,” O’Neill told the press office of the New York Racing Assn. “With a little more luck, I think he could have won. That being said, it gives us hope that when he’s spot on — and we’re hoping that he’ll be spot on — that he can compete with Cody’s Wish. It’s deep waters, but Slow Down Andy is a special colt and we’re optimistic.
“He’s doing really well, though. It’s an extremely tough race, but you can’t win it if you’re not in it. We’re taking a chance with him. We know he’s talented enough, it’s just a matter of if he’s talented enough off the layoff.”
The colt is owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, longtime clients of O’Neill. Slow Down Andy was sired by Nyquist, who won the Kentucky Derby for O’Neill and the Reddams.
“It would really validate Slow Down Andy as a race horse,” O’Neill said. “You hear it so often because it’s true that the Met Mile really stamps a horse as having a really strong chance of being a top stallion. That would mean a lot for all of us. For anyone with the ambition of wanting to have a stud, this is a race you want to be part of.”
What time does the Belmont Stakes start? What TV channel is it on?
ELMONT, N.Y. — The best race of the Triple Crown series is Saturday at Belmont Park. Not surprisingly, it’s called the Belmont Stakes.
And we’re betting you want to know what time the race will be run. The time generally doesn’t change except by a minute or two from year to year, so unless you have the memory of a goldfish (miss you already Ted Lasso) you kind of know. But not his year.
It’s starting around 7:02 p.m. on the East Coast, which is about 15 minutes later than it normally does.
OK, let’s run them down.
Belmont Stakes ‘will pays’ provide glimpse into betting payouts
ELMONT, N.Y. — One of the most reliable ways to predict how the betting will go on race day is to look at the “will pays” when they are connected to a race the previous day. The track put together a two-day bet that connected the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup with the 1½-mile Belmont Stakes.
The Gold Cup was won by the favorite Siskany. So, if you have that correct, here are the payoffs to the Belmont Stakes horses.
1. Tapit Shoes $443.75
2. Tapit Trice $48.00
3. Arcangelo $131.25
4. National Treasure $131.25
5. Il Miracolo $1,657.50
6. Forte $41.00
7. Hit Show $126.25
8. Angel of Empire $48.50
9. Red Route One $283.75
Bob Baffert’s return to Belmont Stakes highlights exciting close to Triple Crown series
ELMONT, N.Y. — The sky over Belmont Park had cleared, gone was the orange haze from Canadian wildfires that forced state officials to suspend racing and training two days before the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Horse racing was to resume in a few hours as Bob Baffert hopped out of his black Escalade and pointed up.
“The weather here is better than California,” Baffert said. “We haven’t seen the sun in two weeks, it’s cloudy and gloomy there.”
Friday was Baffert’s first time back at Belmont Park since 2018, when Justify completed his bid to become the 13th winner of the Triple Crown. It was crazy back then, with about 50 members of the media breathlessly awaiting every utterance from the Hall of Fame trainer.
Belmont Stakes betting update: Forte still the favorite, Tapit Trice slips
ELMONT, N.Y. — In the first look at the Belmont Stakes odds board, the morning linemaker pretty much predicted the sentiment that the public would have. The only one that strayed much is Tapit Trice. The second favorite on the morning line, the colt has drifted from 3-1 to 6-1 and is now the fourth choice.
Forte remains as the favorite at 5-2 followed by Angel of Empire (7-2) and National Treasure (9-2). So far $2.884 million has been placed in the win pool.
With five hours to go to post time, here are the odds:
1. Tapit Shoes 16-1
2. Tapit Trice 6-1
3. Arcangelo 7-1
4. National Treasure 9-2
5. Il Miracolo 19-1
6. Forte 5-2
7. Hit Show 10-1
8. Angel of Empire 7-2
9. Red Route One 12-1
Air quality continues to improve for Belmont Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y. — As you start to look at all the variables that go into picking a winner of the Belmont Stakes, here’s one you don’t have to worry about: the weather. The track is fast and the turf is firm.
At about 7 p.m. EDT, which is around Belmont Stakes start time, the temperature is expected to be 73 degrees with virtually no chance of rain. There is a slight chance of rain in the 6 p.m. hour but otherwise things will be dry.
Earlier in the week there was fear the air quality would be bad because of the Canadian wildfires that have been blowing smoke across the northeastern United States for several days. Racing and training was canceled on Thursday. Fear no more.
Here is a sampling of the air quality index in a few cities on Saturday morning:
Elmont, N.Y.: 30
Los Angeles: 47
Chicago: 70
Washington, D.C.: 75
When trainer Bob Baffert arrived at Belmont Park on Friday morning, he was asked about the air quality.
“L.A. horses know how to breathe bad air,” he quipped.
As it turns out, nothing to worry about.
Santa Anita-based Anarchist finishes second in the True North
ELMONT, N.Y. — The first stakes race of Belmont Park’s biggest day saw a very strong performance by trainer Doug O’Neill’s Anarchist, who finished second in the Grade 2 $250,000 True North Handicap. Jockey Joel Rosario guided the 4-year-old colt to the outside down the stretch to close in on heavy favorite Elite Power and lose by 1¾ lengths.
Anarchist went off at 12-1 odds. In his previous race he won the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine, running for trainer Josie Carroll. O’Neill transferred the horse to the Canadian-based Carroll just for the one race. Previously the colt finished second in the Kona Gold and San Simeon at Santa Anita.
“He ran huge,” said Leandro Mora, O’Neill’s top assistant, who was prepping the horse in New York. “We’re very happy with how he’s done it. We believe he’s going up the ladder. We have high dreams for him. We would like to take him to the Breeders’ Cup [at Santa Anita] and the Dubai Golden Shaheen.”
Elite Power paid $3.50, $2.90 and $2.10. Anarchist paid $6.50 and $3.10. Strobe was third.
“It was a good trip,” Rosario said. “He broke really well. He stayed right behind the two speed horses. The other horse just came with a strong finish. Our horse ran really good. It was a good second place.”
Today’s Flavor finished fourth in the race. He is owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, O’Neill’s longtime client. He was moved to New York at the end of the year from O’Neill’s barn and has been racing for George Weaver.