A Belmont Stakes at Three, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Two

 

A Belmont Stakes at Three,
a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Two

Joseph Di Rienzi

In North American thoroughbred racing, winning the 1½ mile Belmont Stakes, the finale for the Triple Crown series for three-year-olds, is emblematic of a horse possessing extreme stamina. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile raced in its 37 year history from 1 to 1 1/8 miles serves as the crowning race for a two-year-old. At first blush, these two races would seem to have little in common. The Juvenile is a measure of early precocity while the Belmont tests maturity and endurance. Since its inaugural in 1984, only one Breeders’ Cup Juvenile victor has been able to come back the following year and win the Belmont Stakes and that was accomplished this year with Essential Quality. However, there have been three other Belmont Stakes victors who have finished second in the Juvenile. I will look briefly at these horses’ campaigns that took them from a strong showing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to the highest glory in the Belmont Stakes.

Easy Goer winning the 1989 Belmont Stakes
(look.thoroughbreddailynews.com)

                                                  

Easy Goer on breeding seemed pre-destined to win the Belmont Stakes. The chestnut colt, born in 1986 and owned by Ogden Phipps, was sired by the great Alydar who had just missed winning the 1978 Belmont Stakes in a titanic struggle with his arch rival Affirmed. Easy Goer’s dam, Relaxing was a champion and major stakes winner at distances up to 1 5/8 of a mile. His dam’s sire, Buckpasser, was a multiple champion at distances from 5/8 to 2 miles.

That the powerful chestnut colt showed early promise as a two-year-old was a pleasant surprise for the Phipps family and trainer Shug McGaughey. Easy Goer was a strong favorite for the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile held that year at Churchill Downs, having won four of his first five starts including impressive wins in the Cowdin and Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. The competition came from Is It True whom Easy Goer had thrice previously defeated. The son of Raja Baba, relishing the sloppy track, went out to contest the early lead. Easy Goer, off a little slowly, dropped back in the gooey going to be seventh but made a move around the far turn when steered between horses. Down the stretch, Is It True had an open lead, but it appeared that Easy Goer still might be able to catch him. However, the son of Alydar was not striding out fully, and at the finish was second, beaten 1¼ lengths in a major upset. Excuses for Easy Goer were the muddy surface and his uncomfortableness with the Churchill Downs tight oval, two conditions that would be repeated in 1989 on the first Saturday in May. Despite this loss, Easy Goer was still voted the Eclipse Award for Male Two-Year-Old Champion.

Easy Goer’s early three-year-old campaign in 1989 made him the strong favorite for the Kentucky Derby, but just as in the Juvenile of the previous year, he found one rival too strong, finishing second to Sunday Silence, beaten 2½ lengths. The fact that the Derby was at the same track Easy Goer lost the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, under similar sloppy surface conditions, convinced his connections that their colt did not put forth his best effort. In the Preakness Stakes two weeks later at Pimlico Racetrack, Easy Goer and Sunday Silence put on a show in one of the most dramatic races in memory with the latter gaining a nose advantage over the former after the two bumped repeatedly in their sizzling stretch duel.

As the stage was set for the Belmont Stakes, Easy Goer was in the same dubious position as his sire, Alydar, being the “bridesmaid” for a Triple Crown winner. However, Easy Goer came into the Belmont with some advantages. His breeding as indicated above, the fact that Belmont Park was his home track, and his natural affinity for the long sweeping turns of the 1½ mile oval.

As the field left the starting gate, Pat Valenzuela on Sunday Silence urged his mount forward, but he was out sprinted to the first turn by French raced Le Voyageur. Pat Day on Easy Goer was committed to tracking Sunday Silence, and the big chestnut assumed a position just behind the Derby-Preakness winner in third place. Down the backstretch, the positions were unchanged, but as the field approached the long final turn, Sunday Silence started creeping up on Le Voyageur. Almost at the moment he collared the leader, Pat Day asked Easy Goer for run, and he came with a bold rush to challenge the two leaders. As they straightened out for the stretch drive, it was clear that Easy Goer was “going” the best, and he quickly dispatched both Sunday Silence and Le Voyageur as his superior stamina led him to a resounding 8 length victory. Sunday Silence edged away from the pesky Le Voyageur to gain second place by 1 length. The final time still stands as the second best in history as only Secretariat had run a faster Belmont Stakes at the 1½ mile distance.

In the winner’s circle, owner Ogden Phipps incredulously celebrated his first classic victory. In spite of all the champions and great horses he bred and raced including Buckpasser and Personal Ensign, Easy Goer’s win in the Belmont Stakes was in his words, “my greatest thrill”.  For Shug McGaughey, this win was another gem in a budding Hall of Fame career.  For Easy Goer’s sire Alydar, this victory was perhaps some consolation in that his son accomplished what the father could not do, namely thwart a Triple Crown bid.

Point Given winning the 2001 Belmont Stakes
(bloodhorse.com)

                                                         

The second horse to nearly complete the Belmont Stakes – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Double did not come into the latter race in 2000 with as exalted a reputation as Easy Goer had in his Juvenile. The Thoroughbred Corporation’s Point Given was a tall rangy dark chestnut son of Thunder Gulch who appeared to be improving race by race. After breaking his maiden in his second start at Del Mar Racetrack, he traveled to Turfway Park to win the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes, displaying an impressive finishing kick. In the Champagne Stakes, the Bob Baffert trainee finished a good second beaten 1¾ lengths to A P Valentine.

Considered one of the favorites in a particularly strong edition of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contested again at Churchill Downs, Point Given after lagging well behind early, closed dramatically in deep stretch to just miss by a nose to Macho Uno, the presumptive Two-Year-Old Champion. 

After concluding his two-year-old campaign with a victory in the Hollywood Futurity, Point Given began his sophomore season as a leading candidate for the 2001 Kentucky Derby. Winning both his prep races impressively – the San Felipe Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby, he entered the starting gate at Churchill Downs as the solid favorite. Everything about Point Given (his size, pedigree, stride and performances) seemed to indicate that here was a horse who might be on the verge of accomplishing racing immortality, not just winning the Kentucky Derby, but being the next Triple Crown hero. However, he chose his only poor performance in his career to be in the Kentucky Derby, finishing fifth to the victorious Monarchos, beaten a total of 11 lengths after being close to the lead in the early stages.

Undaunted by his disappointing Derby defeat, Point Given’s connections sought redemption in the Preakness. Made co-favorite with Derby victor Monarchos, the tall son of Thunder Gulch ran back to his best form, gaining the lead at the top of the stretch and powering home under regular rider Gary Stevens for a 2¼ length victory. Finishing second was A P Valentine with Monarchos a non-rallying sixth.

The Belmont Stakes featured the “deciding race” between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners. However, most expected Point Given to confirm (what the Preakness indicated) that he was the dominant three-year-old of his generation. Sent off as the clear favorite, Point Given produced a signature performance, rating behind the early pace set by Balto Star and cruising to the lead with ½ mile to run. A P Valentine tried to move with Point Given, but it was clear at the top of the stretch that it was in vain as the big chestnut strove forward under Gary Stevens steady urging. Monarchos, who initially was placed closer to the lead than in the previous classics, produced a rally around the sweeping Belmont turn, but just as in the Preakness, he could not sustain it in the stretch. At the finish, Point Given was 12¼ lengths clear of A P Valentine with Monarchos another ¾ of a length back in third. The final time was the fourth fastest in Belmont Stakes history.

Bob Baffert, who had previously had two trainees lose the Belmont Stakes (and, consequently, two Triple Crowns) right before the finish, relished his first victory in the final jewel of the Triple Crown. Despite this glorious win, there was still a feeling of regret among Point Given’s connections about what happened in the Derby. If their horse had run like he did on Belmont Stakes Day on the first Saturday of May, The Thoroughbred Corporation owner Prince Ahmed bin Salman, who received the Belmont trophy from former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, would not only be celebrating a Belmont Stakes victory but also a Triple Crown triumph.

Union Rags (on right) winning the 2012 Belmont Stakes
(nytimes.com)

The third colt to win the Belmont Stakes after finishing second in the previous year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile began his racing career at Delaware Park. Union Rags was a long legged handsome bay son of Dixie Union owned by the Chadds Ford Stable of Phyllis Wyeth who had seller’s remorse after selling him as a yearling in 2010 for $145,000 in 2010. Subsequently, she bought Union Rags back at a two-year-old in training sale in February 2011 for $390,000. Mrs. Wyeth, who was a daughter of the late James P. Mills, past master of Hickory Tree Farm, and wife of celebrated Delaware Valley artist Andrew Wyeth, appeared a sage in re-acquiring Union Rags, when in his second start he scored a very impressive victory in the Saratoga Special.

Trainer Michael Matz waited till the 1 mile Champagne Stakes for Union Rags’ next race, where he was favored. Although in tight quarters early and caught behind horses, once the big colt found running room in the stretch, he exploded for a 5¼ length victory. This performance, showing professionalism and power was enough to gain Union Rags the role of favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but most observers were looking beyond, believing they saw a legitimate Triple Crown candidate for the following year. 

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (once again held at Churchill Downs) was expected to be a showcase for Union Rags. The nearly white colored Hanson, who had won his only two previous starts on artificial surfaces, was sent right to front and opened up a couple of lengths on the field around the clubhouse turn. Union Rags, breaking from an outside post, lost ground on the first turn and was racing in mid-pack down the backstretch. As the field headed around the far turn, Union Rags made his move toward the leader. Hansen seemed in trouble, but he showed renewed energy once he straightened out for the final drive. It appeared in mid-stretch that Union Rags on the outside would catch Hansen, but the son of Dixie Union, veered to the right losing some of his momentum. Union Rags still closed grimly, but at the finish Hansen held on by a diminishing head.

This victory set up a debate over who should be selected as the champion. In the end, Hansen’s victory in the Juvenile was sufficient to gain the son of Tapit the Eclipse Award for Champion Two-Year-Old Male, although many would argue he was not a better horse than Union Rags.

Union Rags began his sophomore campaign with an impressive victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. However, as an overwhelming favorite in the Florida Derby, he could finish no better than third to Take Charge Indy. Despite this loss, he entered the starting gate for the 2012 Kentucky Derby as the second choice to Bodemeister. After a poor beginning, Union Rags was bounced back and found himself in 18^th position down the backstretch. Under jockey Julien Leparoux, he made a belated stretch rally that would only gain him seventh place to victorious I’ll Have Another who caught front running Bodemeister just before the finish.

Union Rags skipped the Preakness Stakes (in which I’ll Have Another and Bodemeister repeated their Derby 1-2 finish) and was aimed for the Belmont Stakes. Dissatisfied with the rides given Union Rags in his two previous starts, trainer Michael Matz replaced Leparoux with John Velazquez. With Bodemeister not entered and I’ll Have Another scratching due to an injury, the 2012 edition of the Belmont Stakes was lacking the leaders of the division.

The lightly raced Paynter under jockey Mike Smith was sent to the lead, and the son of Awesome Again set very moderate fractions. Velazquez kept Union Rags on the inside in fifth place down the backstretch saving ground. Around the sweeping final turn, Paynter repelled challenges to his outside as Union Rags was still stuck on the rail, and it appeared he would not find running room in the stretch. However, Smith, in driving Paynter, allowed enough room on the inside for Velazquez to send Union Rags through, and, in a prolonged drive, the Chadds Ford Stable runner came through for a neck victory over Paynter.

This victory was redemption for Union Rags, who started the year with such high hopes, only to see his reputation somewhat tarnished in his Florida and Kentucky Derby disappointments. For Phyllis Wyeth, who saw her Derby dream get deflated, winning the Belmont was a strong measure of consolation. Michael Matz, whose name will be forever linked with the star-crossed 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, demonstrated he was more than a one horse trainer.

Other Belmont Stakes winners who competed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile include the D. Wayne Lukas trained runners, Tabasco Cat, Belmont winner in 1994 and Editor’s Note (1996), who both finished third in the latter race. In addition, the following were unplaced in the Juvenile but blossomed the next year to take the final classic: Danzig Connection (Belmont winner in 1986), Bet Twice (1987) and Lemon Drop Kid (1999).

Essential Quality winning the 2021 Belmont Stakes
(theguardian.com)

In 2020 Godolphin Stable’s Essential Quality capped a championship year winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile held at Keeneland Racecourse. He entered the starting gate the favorite for the 2021 Kentucky Derby but after a wide trip could only finish fourth, beaten just a length. Reserved till the Belmont Stakes by trainer Brad Cox, the gray son of Tapit wore down the resolute pacesetter Hot Rod Charlie for a decisive 1¼ length victory. Not only did Essential Quality in completing the Belmont Stakes – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Double establish a precedent, but the second place finisher Hot Rod Charlie had also completed a double of sorts in that he had finished second to Essential Quality in the Juvenile, by almost the same margin (3/4 of a length) that he was beaten in the Belmont. So this year produced a Belmont Stakes – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile exacta finish.