The great equalizer in thoroughbred racing is the elements and the ability of the thoroughbred getting a distance of ground. These two factors along with the talent of the field, plays out at post time. Anytime a racing surface is effected by weather, strange things come into play. When a unproven group of horses entertain races at a new distance, the outcome can be also interesting. All these factors came into play last Saturday during the running of the Belmont Stakes.
The weather for the final leg of racing's Triple Crown was anything but good. Rain showers turned "Big Sandy " into an "off track" surface by post time. When ever a race track becomes anything but "fast", this changes the complexion of the race. In the field of 12 runners, only 5 had "off track" experience. Only one (Ruler on Ice) had a victory on it. When a group of three year old colts in a race like this, haven't had experience on such a racing surface, results can happen like they did on Saturday evening. Not, to "redboard" the result; but many people who cashed with Ruler on Ice said the reason they did was because of that one sloppy surface victory. With little or no other runner with "off" track experience, this was a smart play. At the odds he won at to (24-1) it meant even more sense.
The other major factor was the distance. None of the group ever remotely raced at this distance and may never do again. This crop of three year old horses have been thought of as a "cut below" the best. At the beginning of the year, only Uncle Mo was thought of as a "standout" in the Triple Crown contender group. With him gone and two different longshot winners of the first two legs, it wasn't surprising that another different face would win the race and at a big price. Being the longest race of the three; stamina and pedigree looked the way to go in the Belmont Stakes. The sire of Ruler on Ice; Roman Ruler, was good runner as a juvenile and was out of Fusaichi Pegasus (2000 Kentucky Derby winner). His grand dam ( Saratoga Six) was out of Alydar who was proven at classic distance races.
The past few years (since Afleet Alex in 2005) the winner's of this race have done little after winning the "Test Of Champions". Last year's winner; Drosselmeyer, recent won an overnight stake at Belmont and ran 2nd this past Friday in a race going the Belmont Stakes distance of a mile and a half. But runners like; Jazil, Rags to Riches and Da Tara had little success after winning this race. Only Summer Bird succeed in grade I success after his Belmont Stakes win. None of the last six winners were under 4-1 in odds winning this race either. So, is this final leg of the Triple Crown, a "crap shoot" with young horses going this marathon distance? The results would say so the past few years. Also with the mediocre talent of the sophomore classes the past few years make longshots worth a play. With the announcement of Animal Kingdom on the shelf with a injury the next few months, it will take a "new" face to emerge in this three year old class. So, as we head into the summer racing, the three year old class of 2011 is much the same as it's been the past six years. Hopefully, a new exciting three year old colt will take center stage before the fall classic races. If not, the Belmont Stakes of this year will be another footnote as "just another race" much like it's history has been the last few years.
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