Belmont brush-up – PAYNTER, named for a guy who built a house for Bob Baffert, was previously named M C ‘S DREAM. Zayat Stables, who often change the names of their horses a lot, bought this son of Canadian bred AWESOME AGAIN for $325,000.
EquiSport photo
t-minus 2 1/2 days…..Thoroughblog hits the road for Belmont early Friday!
POST DRAW FOR BELMONT
post odds Horse Owner Trainer Jockey Weight
1 12-1 Street Life Magnolia Racing Stable/Hidden Brook Farm Chad C. Brown Jose Lezcano 126
2 30-1 Unstoppable U Magdalena Racing/Mojallali Stables Kenneth G. McPeek Junior Alvarado 126
3 6-1 Union Rags Chadds Ford Stable Michael Matz John Velazquez 126
4 30-1 Atigun Shortleaf Stable Kenneth G. McPeek Julien Leparoux 126
5 5-1 Dullahan Donegal Racing Dale L. Romans Javier Castellano 126
6 50-1 Ravelo’s Boy Korina Stable Manuel J. Azpurua Alex Solis 126
7 50-1 Five Sixteen MeB Racing Stables LLC Dominick A. Schettino Rosie Napravnilk 126
8 50-1 Guyana Star Dweej Shivmangal Racing Stable, LLC Doodnauth Shivmangal Kent Desormeaux 126
9 8-1 Paynter Zayat Stables, LLC Bob Baffert Mike Smith 126
10 20-1 Optimizer Bluegrass Hall LLC D. Wayne Lukas Corney Nakatani 126
11 4-5 I’ll Have Another Reddam Racing, LLC Doug O’Neill Mario Gutierrez 126
Triple Crown Near Misses
Forty-six horses have won two legs of the Triple Crown. Of those, sixteen won the Kentucky Derby (KD) and Preakness Stakes (PS) only to be beaten in the Belmont Stakes (BS). Two others, Burgoo King (1932) and Bold Venture (1936), won the Derby and Preakness, but were forced out of the Belmont with the same injury–a bowed tendon–that effectively ended their racing careers. In 1978, Alydar finished second to Affirmed in all three races, the only time that has happened
Read more: Triple Crown Near Misses — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0202691.html#ixzz1x0bQvqxu
1964 Northern Dancer won won 3rd
1966 Kauai King won won 4th
1967 Damascus 3rd won won
1968 Forward Pass won* won 2nd
1969 Majestic Prince won won 2nd
1971 Canonero II won won 4th
1972 Riva Ridge won 4th won
1974 Little Current 5th won won
1976 Bold Forbes won 3rd won
1979 Spectacular Bid won won 3rd
1981 Pleasant Colony won won 3rd
1984 Swale won 7th won
1987 Alysheba won won 4th
1988 Risen Star 3rd won won
1989 Sunday Silence won won 2nd
1991 Hansel 10th won won
1994 Tabasco Cat 6th won won
1995 Thunder Gulch won 3rd won
1997 Silver Charm won won 2nd
1998 Real Quiet won won 2nd
1999 Charismatic won won 3rd
2001 Point Given 5th won won
2002 War Emblem won won 8th
2003 Funny Cide won won 3rd
2004 Smarty Jones won won 2nd
2005 Afleet Alex 3rd won won
2008 Big Brown won won 9th
MY ADONIS JUMPS IN
I’ll Have Another will have an additional rival in Saturday’s 144th running of the Belmont Stakes as he tries to become the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years.
George and Lori Hall, the connections of 2011 Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice, said Tuesday that My Adonis, most recently third in the Canonero II Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness day, May 19, would be lining up for the 1 ½-mile Belmont, the final leg of the Triple Crown. Ramon Dominguez is expected to ride.
According to Andrew Byrnes, the stakes coordinator for the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), the 3-year-old colt will be entered when post positions are drawn on Wednesday at 11 a.m.
The Halls will be looking to become the first owners to register back-to-back triumphs in the Belmont Stakes since Riva Ridge and Secretariat won in 1972 and 1973, respectively, for Meadow Stable.
“We came to this decision only a few hours ago,” said Lori Hall. “Over the last seven to 10 days he’s really shown to be eating well and to looking the part. We’ve just kind of kept in the back of our minds that this could be a possibility, and [trainer] Kelly [Breen] called us today and said, ‘I’m getting that good vibe.’”
Ruler On Ice upset last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford when he scored for the Halls and trainer Kelly Breen at odds of 24-1 in the Belmont Stakes.
HARD NOT TO LIKE TO MISS PLATE
Bad news for the Garland Williamson, Hillsbrook Farm camp as HARD NOT TO LIKE has gone to the family farm in Erin. Ontario and will miss the Plate. The grey gal, who had 2 hard races in the U.S. this spring, has a “minor issue” that will require surgery according to the story broken by BILL TALLON, DRF.
PRINCE OF WALES STAKES – 2ND LEG OF TRIPLE CROWN WILL NEED A NEW HOME:
Fort Erie to close permanently at end of this year
By Bud Williams
FORT ERIE, Ontario – Following its annual board meeting on Tuesday, the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium said that Fort Erie Race Track would close permanently on Dec. 31.
The Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium board includes representation from Ontario’s Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Fort Erie Race Track management, unions involved with racetrack operations, the town of Fort Erie; and the Fort Erie Economic Development and Tourist Corporation.
“We have the responsibility to determine whether future operations at this track can continue,” said Jim Thibert, chief executive officer of the racetrack and secretary/treasurer of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium. “In the final analysis, without the needed funding of close to $6 million, the board resolved that the Fort Erie Race Track would formally close as of Dec. 31, 2012.”
more at www.drf.com
