Title Role wins Belmont Derby by a nose in Saratoga thriller
Title Role tracked the pace, ran down Touch of Fire and dug in to hold off West End Kid by a nose Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby at Saratoga.
John Velazquez rode the winner for trainer Simon Crisford in the invitational for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on firm turf.
Touch of Fire went to the front and showed the way down the backstretch, setting fractions of 23.65, 49.20 and 1:13.15. Title Role settled into second, stalking outside in the two path.
"I didn't want to be that close. We talked about (how there was) not going to be any pace here. The horse outside of me (Touch of Fire) will be the speed. Tyler (Gaffalione aboard West End Kid) took back, and I see Flavien (aboard Touch of Fire) and he is strangling the horse going to the lead. There is no speed, so I put (Title Role) right behind (Touch of Fire) on the first turn. And then somebody else got to my outside and my horse got a little keen, so I put him into the clear. He relaxed pretty good there. And then from there I just wanted to wait, wait, wait, and try to save for the end. And he saved it," Velazquez said.
Title Role launched his bid with three furlongs to run, collared Touch of Fire and took the lead in upper stretch after passing a mile in 1:36.04. West End Kid rallied along the outside and gained into the final sixteenth, but Title Role held firm to the wire in a final time of 1:47.55 on the firm turf. He paid $16.68, $8.10 and $4.44.
"To tell you the truth, I thought I got it, but the jump after the wire, I was like, 'did they (get) me, or was it after the wire?' But I'll tell you what, I have to give it to him because I asked him down the lead, he put the head down, and he was rolling. He was rolling like he just came out running. Even if he got beat, he ran a really good race, but I'm glad that we got it," Velazquez said.
"They were closing him down. Johnny (Velazquez) rode a good race. He jumped well and found himself in a good position early, but they were going pretty quick. They slowed it down on the backstretch, but that last furlong he was just treading water a bit, but he did it well," said Ed Crisford, son and assistant to trainer Simon Crisford.
West End Kid, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer William Walden, held second and returned $6.70 and $4.00. Beaten favorite Remember Mamba, with José Ortiz aboard for Cherie DeVaux, rallied from off the pace to finish third and paid $2.70 to show.
"Everything went to plan. He ran a big race. Hats off to the winner," Gaffalione said. "He is always a forwardly-placed horse. I put him where he wanted to be, just came up a nose short today. He kept running, he kept trying, he gave me a good run, just a nose short today."
"Obviously, the winner ran very good, and the second horse is a very nice horse. They got first run on a slow pace. I was following right behind them. They got that jump on me. I think my horse ran pretty good. We should be fine next time in the (Grade 1) Saratoga Derby going a little longer. I like my chances," Ortiz said.
Ed Crisford said Title Role will stay in North America, with the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Derby (G1) on Aug. 8 a possible next start.
"He's going to stay in America. I'll need to speak with the owners whether we keep him for another race or not. Hopefully, we can and then he's going to stay in America. He'll suit America," Ed Crisford said. "I don't think (going longer in the Saratoga Derby) is too much of an issue for him. If he can ride more of a race in terms of not using so much petrol up early, I think he'll get the trip."
Touch of Fire tired to fourth after setting the pace. Bottas finished fifth, followed by Third Coast, Pacific Avenue, Blackmail, Tiernanogue and Turf Star.