'A legitimate resume': Why Fore Left is in the Belmont Stakes

Racing can send spirits soaring or bring crushing disappointment, sometimes with one horse in a wrenching span of five weeks.

Doug O’Neill lived that in 2012 when I’ll Have Another, ridden by then unknown Mario Gutierrez, ran down Bodemeister in the final furlong to win the Kentucky Derby by a length and a half. He then overcame the same swift foe by a neck in the Preakness. With Bodemeister not continuing to the Belmont Stakes, there was serious optimism that I’ll Have Another had another big effort in him to deliver the Triple Crown.

And then there was no hope at all.

Owner J. Paul Reddam and the trainer met with the media at a hastily called news conference the day before the highly anticipated Belmont. I’ll Have Another had been scratched with a career-ending tendon injury.

“I’m afraid that history is going to have to wait for another day,” a downcast Reddam told reporters.

Reddam and O’Neill could settle for a lesser piece of history if Fore Left, a 30-1 longshot in a field of 10, should pull a stunning upset in the $1 million Belmont Stakes.

The 3-year-old had been pointed toward the $250,000 Woody Stephens (G1) at seven furlongs before the connections abruptly altered course to make a last-minute run at the one-turn, 1 1/8-mile Belmont.

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O’Neill emphasized that the surprising decision was not at all influenced by the failure to even make the Belmont with their Triple Crown threat.

“Two separate issues, really,” said the outstanding West Coast-based conditioner. “I would say there is no unfinished business.”

His sentiment underscores the need for trainers to move on, no matter how high the high or how low the low. New horses are always arriving, often with a mixed bag of problems and potential.

O’Neill reflected on I’ll Have Another only when asked to do so.

“When I look back at that, it was an amazing run by I’ll Have Another. It was fun to be part of that team,” he said. “But that being said, that’s not the reason we’re running Fore Left on Saturday.”

Very simply, they see a glimmer of hope for a 3-year-old son of Twirling Candy that will be competing for the first time since he won the UAE 2000 Guineas (Group 3) at Meydan Racecourse on Feb. 6 in his only previous start this year. He was among a dozen or so horses that the stable sent to winter in Dubai.

O’Neill and Reddam think the case can be made for Fore Left, who will break from post six for jockey Jose Ortiz, to snag at least a piece of a Belmont that constitutes the opening leg of the Triple Crown this year.

“Tiz the Law is a superstar,” O’Neill said of the 6-5 favorite. “Aside from him, you don’t have any superstars yet. It’s still a tough race, of course. You’ve still got to have a pretty good resume to take a chance. We think Fore Left has a legitimate resume and deserves a chance.”

What stands out more than anything is Fore Left’s victory in his lone race at Belmont Park in only his second career start. After a winning debut at Santa Anita, the connections thought it worthwhile to ship him across the country to compete in the June 7 Tremont Stakes at five-and-a-half furlongs. They were rewarded. The juvenile dominated by a geared-down 4 1/2 lengths.

Fore Left is training extremely well since returning to Belmont. He fired a bullet work, blazing five furlongs in 59 seconds, on June 4. He covered six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 nine days later.

“There is something to be said about horses for courses,” O’Neill said. “That did weigh in our decision.”

Fore Left has won four of nine career starts with two third-place efforts for earnings of $355,902. He will be tacking Grade 1 company for the third time. His earlier two attempts suggest the Belmont will be an uphill climb. He was a well-beaten fifth in the Sept. 2 Del Mar Futurity; he lagged 31 lengths behind Eight Rings in the Sept. 27 American Pharoah.

As much as the sport is about turning the page, it also is about being bold.

“He’s a horse that has always had talent. He won a stakes at Belmont as a 2-year-old. His last two works, the way he settled in and the one-turn mile-and-an-eighth just made it extremely tempting,” O’Neill said. “He was telling us he was ready.”