Therapist prevails in photo, survives inquiry to win First Defence

Trainer Christophe Clement received a sliver of solace on a tragic day when Therapist prevailed in a photo finish and then survived a steward's inquiry/jockey objection to win the $80,000 First Defence Stakes at Belmont Park on Sunday.

Oak Bluff Stable's Therapist came from off the pace under Irad Ortiz Jr. and, on the outside, got his nose down on the wire to nip Majestic Dunhill in Belmont's feature. Majestic Dunhill's rider Reylu Guttierez would claim foul against Therapist and Ortiz for bumping in deep stretch, but steward's decided to make no change.

"I thought he was going to go by easy, but he hung a little bit at the end," Ortiz said. "He got the job done. They went a little fast. I was sitting behind the horse that finished second [Majestic Dunhill] and I wanted to just follow him through the stretch. When I tipped my horse out, he responded really well."

Ortiz added he didn't feel there was reason for Therapist to be disqualified and place behind Majestic Dunhill.

"I held my line pretty well," Ortiz said. "Right there, at the wire, it got close, but I controlled him right away."

Therapist completed seven furlongs on firm turf in 1:21.39 and paid $18.60. Flavius and Seismic Wave filled out a superfecta that paid $901.95 for 10 cents. 

For Clement, it was a bright way to end a day that began in darkness. Prior to daybreak Sunday, a van carrying 10 horses from Florida to Clement's stable in New York was involved in an accident that claimed the lives of all horses involved. Earlier on Sunday's Belmont card, Clement also won the fourth race with Pandamom.

"The horses have been running well and we won two races today for the same owner, Oak Bluff Stable," Clement said. "I thought Therapist ran a very game race. He really likes the seven-eighths [of a mile].

"It was a bittersweet end to a difficult day after the accident this morning."

A 5-year-old gelding by Freud, New York-bred Therapist was making his first start since finishing off the board in a high-level optional claimer in October at Belmont. Last year, he won the Elusive Quality at Belmont and the year prior was a multiple winner of New York-bred stakes. The win in the First Defence pushes his record to 17 8-0-4 with more than $500,000 in earnings.