The Belmont Stakes is The Third Jewel Of The Triple Crown, The Run For The Carnations and The Test Of The Champion. This Grade I, 1 and 1/2 mile, dirt race for three year-old thoroughbreds will post at 6:49 PM ET on June 11, 2022. Belmont Park, in New York, will host the famed race, as it has since 1905. The race itself dates back to 1867. Certainly, this edition will not produce a triple crown winner, as none of the entries participated in both of the former legs. However, this Belmont boasts big talent and likely some super speed!
The great eight are as follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/morning-line odds/and finish in the Kentucky Derby ( or KY Oaks) and Preakness as applicable:
- We the People/Flavien Prat/Rodolphe Brisset/WinStar Farm, LLC., Commonwealth and Siena Farm, LLC./2-1
- Skippylongstocking/Manny Franco/Saffie A. Joseph, Jr./Daniel Alonso/20-1/5th place in the Preakness
- Nest/Jose Ortiz/Todd A. Pletcher/Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House/8-1/second place in the KY Oaks
- Rich Strike/Sonny Leon/Eric R. Reed/RED TR-Racing, LLC./7-2/winner of the KY Derby
- Creative Minister/Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr./Kenneth G. McPeek/Fern Circle Stables, Back Racing, LLC. and Magdalena Racing/6-1/third in the Preakness
- Mo Donegal/Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd A. Pletcher/Donegal Racing and Repole Stable/5-2/5th in the KY Derby
- Golden Glider/Dylan Davis/Mark E. Casse/Gary Barber, Manfred and Penny Conrad/20-1
- Barber Road/Joel Rosario/John Ortiz/WSS racing/10-1/6th in the KY Derby
Keeping with the blurb rather than the branching out blog, here is just a bit more detail on the contenders by name (state of breeding, this race all are from KY!) sire – dam: (career starts: wins: 2nds-3rd place finishes) and extra information:
We the People (KY) Constitution – Letchworth: (4:3-0-0) This colt did not compete in the KY Derby or the Preakness. He got his start, and simultaneously, his first win at Oaklawn Park, at age three. He won an allowance there as well before disappointing with a seventh place finish in the Arkansas Derby. Shipping to Belmont Park, he won the G3 Peter Pan Stakes, in his final start, this past month. In the Peter Pan, We the People, with his current connections (same jockey/trainer/owners), led the entire race. He won by 10 and 1/4 lengths and he was fast! Owners, WinStar, have had three Belmont Stakes wins.
Skippylongstocking (KY) Exaggerator – Twinkling: (10:2-1-2) With the cutest name, Skippylongstocking skipped the KY Derby but finished fifth in the Preakness. He will trade riders for this race. Belmont Stakes winning jockey, Franco, was selected. This will be Skippylongstocking’s second race in New York. He was third in the G2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, prior to the Preakness.
Nest (KY) Curlin – Marion Ravenwood: (6:4-1-1) She is only the 24th filly to race in the Belmont Stakes. The last time a filly won was in 2007. Nest broke her maiden, at first asking, right at Belmont Park! She was third in a listed stakes there and then raced at another NY track, Aqueduct. There, Nest won the G2 Demoiselle Stakes before shipping to Tampa Bay and winning another listed stakes. I watched her win by more than 8 lengths in the G1 Ashland Stakes at my home track, Keeneland! After that she was second in the Kentucky Oaks, the filly race that complements the KY Derby. She is switching jockeys from one Ortiz brother to another for the Belmont Stakes. Both Irad, Jr. and Jose Ortiz have won the Belmont Stakes. Trainer, Pletcher, has won the Belmont Stakes three times. Nest’s damsire, A.P. Indy, won the Belmont Stakes in 1992.
Rich Strike (KY) Keen Ice – Gold Strike: (8:2-0-3) This is the amazing 80 to 1 odds winning KY derby winner! Given that it was the final strides when he rocketed up to first place, this longer race could have him winning by lengths. He skipped the Preakness, being a shorter race and wanting ample rest time. I’m displeased that I wasn’t present at Keeneland when he had his third start and finished third. This will be Rich Strike’s first NY race and his connections have not competed in the Belmont Stakes before.
Creative Minister (KY) Creative Cause – Tamboz: (4:2-1-1) I love a gray horse! This gray should be up for the competition coming off a third place finish in the Preakness. I watched him break his maiden at Keeneland this past April. Creative Minister’s trainer, McPeek, has won the Belmont Stakes once before. This will be Creative Minister’s first NY entry.
Mo Donegal (KY) Uncle Mo – Callingmissbrown: (6:3-0-2) Just missing the money, in the KY Derby, Mo Donegal missed the Preakness altogether. This colt had his first two starts right at Belmont Park. He raced twice more in NY at Aqueduct. Mo Donegal shares his Belmont Stakes winning trainer, Pletcher, with Nest. Mo Donegal’s jockey, Irad Ortiz, Jr. won the Belmont Stakes in 2016.
Golden Glider (KY) Ghostzapper – Golden Scarf: (6:2-1-0) This colt glided right to the third jewel without an entry in either the KY Derby nor the Preakness. Golden Glider began his career with a win in Canada. On his way to Belmont Park he raced thrice at Tampa Bay before his fourth place finish at Keeneland in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes. His last entry was right at Belmont Park. He was second in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes! Golden Glider’s trainer, Casse, won the Belmont Stakes in 2019.
Barber Road (KY) Race Day – Encounter: (9:2-4-1) Not just another pretty gray, this colt was sixth in the KY Derby! Barber Road’s racing career began in Virginia. He broke his maiden at Keeneland and he is trained by Keeneland and Oaklawn regular, John Ortiz. I would love to see this horse and trainer win. Jockey, Rosario, won the Belmont Stakes in 2014 and 2019.
If you are feeling the need for speed, this is likely going to be your race. Tune into CNBC from 3 PM to 5 PM ET and NBC from 5 PM to 7 PM ET this Saturday to watch the Belmont Stakes!
This race will wrap the triple crown series but as they say in racing, the best is yet to come. Thank you for reading, commenting and sharing. There will be other fine races and all things thoroughbred for me to cover in my stories. Please, check back soon.
