No Triple Crown, No Problem: Belmont Stakes Coming Up Big

For the first time in three years, the Triple Crown will not be on the line in the Belmont Stakes. Casual fans may disagree, but I am looking forward to the June 11 classic just as much without it. The reason being, I see this edition of the last huge dirt race still run at 12 furlongs setting up to be one of the most intriguing runnings in some time. Nyquist, the once beaten champion and Kentucky Derby winner, and Exaggerator, the well-traveled son of the great Curlin, and romping winner of the Preakness and Santa Anita Derby, will be the two main protagonists.

Their rivalry, now five races in, suddenly has the true feel of something special after Exaggerator finally got the measure of Nyquist in impressive style yesterday in the Preakness Stakes. They say a rivalry is not a rivalry, until both sides have a chance to come out on top. I agree. Nyquist and Exaggerator is now a bona-fide rivalry. While running in all three legs of the Triple Crown has not been in vogue in recent years, it would seem like we have a great chance to see the Kentucky Derby winner against the Preakness winner in the Belmont. Keith Desormeaux, the trainer of Exaggerator certainly left no doubt about his charge yesterday. It would seem his colt is a throwback. He dances every dance and only comes back stronger from the experience.

Meanwhile, the Nyquist camp is saying all the right things so far after their star tired in the Preakness, and was nipped at the wire by Cherry Wine for second place. Nyquist has come out of the race well, and keep in mind, yesterday’s loss was only his fourth race of the year, and third around two-turns. He truly did begin this Derby, Preakness, and Belmont odyssey a fresh horse. As of right now, Sunday morning, it would seem the confident group is willing to see this Triple Crown rivalry to its exciting conclusion. As interesting as the rivalry may be, though, the Belmont Stakes looks to be far from a two-horse race.

Dale Romans not only has the aforementioned rallying runner-up in the Preakness, Cherry Wine, on target for the Belmont, but he will also bring back the two-time Grade 1 stakes winner, Brody’s Cause. After a nice win in the Blue Grass, the son of Giant’s Causeway did not quite fire his best shot when he rallied only for seventh in the Derby. Since rested, he should enter the Belmont starting gate as a dangerous threat.

Steve Asmussen will likely not have his Louisiana Derby winner, and Kentucky Derby third, Gun Runner go in the Belmont, but he very well may have Creator, the improving son of Tapit, as part of the field. You will remember that the run for the roses was basically a throw-out for the Arkansas Derby winner, as he was knocked sideways in a key juncture of the race on May 7.

The horse Creator defeated at Oaklawn Park, Suddenbreakingnews, got his Derby trouble out of the way early in the race. After that, he was able to finish the ten furlongs better than anyone in the field. His fifth-place finish was literally one jump short of being a third.

Another who had a difficult beginning in the Kentucky Derby was the Todd Pletcher-trained, Tampa Bay Derby winner, Destin. Another son of the top sire, Giant’s Causeway, the gray colt recovered to run a solid race at Churchill Downs, ultimately crossing the wire in sixth. Considering the layoff he had coming into Louisville, he should be the freshest horse of all for the Belmont.

While Destin is fresh, Lani is downright quirky. The Japanese trained son of Tapit may have his idiosyncrasies, but clearly he also has some talent. After running an all things considered decent ninth in the Derby, he came back with a very good Preakness, in which he was a hard charging fifth, but not too far away from the place photo. New York fans should be happy to get a load of Lani in the coming weeks.

Throw in a few more Belmont probables in the rallying place horse in a fast edition of the Peter Pan, New York-bred Governor Malibu, and the perpetually unlucky Lecomte winner, Mo Tom, and you can see why I am so excited to see the third, and final leg, of this year’s Triple Crown.