To begin with, this is the 153rd edition of the Belmont Stakes. The race was inaugurated in 1867 and is hosted at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. In addition to the nickname “The Test of the Champion”, it is also recognized as “The Run for the Carnations”. Moreover, the track itself has a nickname, “Big Sandy.” This stakes is raced on 1 and 1/2 miles (12 furlongs) of dirt. The contenders are 3 year-old thoroughbreds. The race is set to post Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 6:49 PM ET.
Furthermore, the race is full of traditions, some fixed and others flexible. The winning horse is draped in a white Colombian carnation blanket. The champion’s connections receive a miniature silver August Belmont Trophy. The crowd may sip on “Belmont Jewels” (bourbon, lemonade, pomegranate juice) while they sing along to “New York, New York”. The food is hard to pin down as it ranges from New York pizza and hot dogs to cheesecake and everything in between. It is all about fun and you can be as festive as you wish. From fancy to fan wear, you can enjoy the Belmont your way!
Meanwhile, the Grade I Belmont Stakes is the eleventh race on a card of a lucky thirteen. A total of nine stakes will be held at Belmont Park on Belmont Day. Eight of those are Grade I. The stakes include the Woody Stephens, the Brooklyn, the Acorn, the Jaipur, the Ogden Phipps, the Just A Game, the Metropolitan Mile and the Manhattan. Three of those races will reward an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup, this November. The Jaipur winner will enter the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. The Met Mile winner will go on to the BC Dirt Mile. A BC Distaff contender will be selected from the Ogden Phipps. The purse is for the Belmont Stakes $1.5 million dollars while the purse for Belmont Day is $6.29 million!
Meet your great, eight contenders by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/morning-line odds:
- Bourbonic/Kendrick Carmouche/Todd Pletcher/Calumet Farm/15-1
- Essential Quality/Luis Saez/Brad Cox/Godolphin,LLC./2-1
- Rombauer/John Velazquez/Micheal McCarthy/John and Diane Fradkin/3-1
- Hot Rod Charlie/Flavien Prat/Doug O’Neil/Boat Racing,LLC., Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss/7-2
- France Go de Ina/Ricardo Santana Jr./Hideyuki Mori/Yuji Inaida/30-1
- Known Agenda/Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd Pletcher/St. Elias Stable/6-1
- Rock Your World/Joel Rosario/John Sadler/Hronis Racing, LLC. and David Michael Talla/9-2
- Overtook/Manuel Franco/Todd Pletcher/Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable. Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith/20-1
Next, here are some details on each thoroughbred (state of breeding), sire – dam: (starts:wins-2nds-3rds) and more:
Bourbonic (KY) Bernardini –Dancing Afleet: (7:3-1-0) made his career start right at Big Sandy! New York racing is home for this colt. His only race outside of the NYRA was his initial 13th place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He skipped the Preakness Stakes. He is well known in NY and racing for his big win in the Wood Memorial Stakes. Bourbonic is certainly bred for success at the Belmont. His grand sire, A.P Indy, won the Belmont in 1992 and his dam sire, Afleet Alex, won in 2005. Also, his trainer Todd Pletcher, has won the Belmont three times prior (2007, 2013 and 2017). Pletcher trains Known Agenda and Overtook in this race too. Interestingly, Bourbonic’s owner, Calumet, has won the Belmont twice and each of those wins were with Triple Crown winners.
Essential Quality (KY) Tapit – Delightful Quality: (6:5-0-0) is a beautiful gray, thoroughbred! Three of his wins were at my home track, Keeneland, where he won KY Derby prep points in the Breeders’ Futurity, the BC Juvenile and the Blue Grass Stakes. His last start was in the KY Derby where he initially finished fourth, following an undefeated career. He then missed the Preakness. Essential Quality is currently the favorite to win! He is a half brother to three Belmont winners by his sire, Tapit. A Belmont Stakes win has yet to be claimed by any of his connections.
Rombauer (KY) Twirling Candy – Cashmere: (7:3-1-1) performed well in KY Derby prep races but did not accept his invitation. He had earned KY Derby prep points finishing second in the American Pharoah, first in the El Camino Real Derby, and third in the Blue Grass. He then took the Preakness Stakes with a win by three lengths! He is making a jockey change for this race. His Preakness jockey, Prat, is now on Hot Rod Charlie. His new jockey, Velazquez, has won the Belmont twice.
Hot Rod Charlie (KY) Oxbow – Indian Miss: (8:2-1-3) broke his maiden in his fourth start after racing at two California tracks. He shipped to Keeneland and earned his first KY Derby points in the BC Juvenile, with a second place finish. He got more points in his next two final starts, the Robert B. Lewis and the Louisiana Derby. He finished third and first respectively. Hot Rod Charlie, initially was third place in the KY Derby with his jockey, Prat, who is on him again, for this race. Hot Rod Charlie was not entered in the Preakness. Sire, Oxbow, finished second in the Belmont Stakes.
France Go de Ina (KY) Will Take Charge – Dreamy Blues: (5:2-0-0) was not KY Derby eligible but he made his first start in America in the Preakness where he finished seventh. He generally races in Japan and he entered the UAE Derby in Dubai. Dam sire, Curlin, was second in the Belmont, losing by only a head in 2007. France Go de Ina is also making a jockey change, from Rosario to Santana, Jr., while Rosario will ride on Rock Your World.
Known Agenda (KY) Curlin – Byrama: (7:3-1-1) began racing right at Belmont Park. He has raced three times in NY at two different tracks. He shares his Curlin pedigree with France Go de Ina and Overtook. Known Agenda did not race in the Preakness following his initial ninth place finish in the KY Derby. Jockey, Ortiz, Jr., has won the Belmont Stakes. Known Agenda shares three time winning trainer, Pletcher, with Bourbonic and Overtook.
Rock Your World (KY) Candy Ride – Charm the Maker: (4:3-0-0) entered the KY Derby after racing undefeated in California. He initially finished seventeenth in the KY Derby. He missed the Preakness. He is entered with two time winning Belmont jockey, Rosario.
Overtook (KY) Curlin – Got Lucky: (5:1-1-2) has always raced the NY scene. His first and last starts were at Belmont with Aqueduct sandwiched between. After breaking his maiden in his third race he went on to earn a second place win in the Withers Stakes and a third place finish in the Peter Pan Stakes. He did not race in either the KY Derby nor the Preakness. Reminder, he shares his Curlin pedigree with multiple entries in this race as well as A.P. Indy as a dam sire. Also, as with two other entries, he is trained by Pletcher. Overtook’s jockey, Franco, won the 2020 Belmont Stakes. Owners, Tabor and Smith won with a Belmont Stakes winning filly and Tabor also won prior in 1995.
Be sure to catch Belmont Day. Watch NBC Sports 3 PM to 5 PM ET and NBC 5 to 7 PM ET on 6/5/21. FS2 will cover the races 11:30 AM to 3 PM ET and 7:15 PM to 8:15 PM ET.
With so many KY Derby and Preakness alumni in this field plus a fresh entry this Test of Champions will be outstanding. I have a bright outlook on the Belmont and I hope you do too. This is the longest race of the Triple Crown series and many experts are looking long and hard at the pedigrees for the distance. As usual, I don’t have recommendation so I’ll be going back to my KY Derby favorite, Essential Quality. I selected him primarily for my adoration of grey horses and the number of times I was able to see him win at my home track. Please, refer a friend to my website and keep reading Thoroughbred U. Thank you and go, baby, go!
Share This: