Belmont Stakes Favorites and Longshots
by Patricia Woo | May 31 2010
The 142nd
Belmont Stakes will be run this Saturday, June 5, at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY. And for the first time since 2000, neither the
Kentucky Derby winner (Super Saver) nor the
Preakness Stakes winner (Lookin at Lucky) will be in the lineup. Still, this year's Belmont Stakes is shaping up to be an intriguing race. The runners up from both the first and second legs of the Triple Crown series – Ice Box and First Dude, respectively – will be in attendance and should be among the favorites. But the Belmont Stakes is well known for its upsets, and longshots like Spangled Star and Dave in Dixie are just waiting in the wings for their chance at Triple Crown glory.
Ice Box came rallied for second in the Kentucky Derby after a troubled trip - and many onlookers believe that he would have won the race given extra distance or a cleaner ride. With fewer rivals and a 1 ½-mile length in the Belmont Stakes, Ice Box will likely be the race favorite. He is trained by Nick Zito, well-known for guiding longshots to victory in the final leg of the
Triple Crown (most notably in 2008 with Da'Tara). This son of Pulpit has come a long way since surprising many with his Florida Derby (G1) win on March 20; the only downside is his come-from-behind running style, as the Belmont Stakes usually favors stalkers. Jose Lezcano retains the mount.
First Dude, a son of Stephen Got Even, came into his own in the Preakness Stakes on May 15 with a swift pacesetting trip. He was collared in the late going by the eventual winner but showed his grit with that runner-up performance. Trained by Dale Romans, First Dude has been working well at Belmont Park and has looked comfortable with the track. He has a 5-1-2-1 record and $297,500 in graded stakes earnings; Ramon Dominguez will be aboard for the Belmont Stakes.
New to the Triple Crown series and inexperienced against graded stakes company is Spangled Star, Vinery Stables' Belmont Stakes hopeful. Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., this son of Distorted Humor has won only one race this year and finished third twice more. Despite the long odds, Spangled Star has been satisfying Dutrow with his workouts and his progress leading up to race day; experienced Triple Crown jockey Garrett Gomez will have the mount.
Dave in Dixie is another longshot looking to surprise in the Belmont Stakes. A late nominee, Dave in Dixie covered 1 mile in 1:39.60 at Hollywood Park on May 27, giving owner Ike Thrash dreams of taking a piece of the Triple Crown pie. Last out, this son of Dixie Union finished fifth in the Illinois Derby (G3) and hasn't found the winner's circle yet this year. And despite having Calvin Borel in the irons, Dave in Dixie will be in tough against graded stakes competition.
Who do you like for the Belmont Stakes?
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