(Reuters) – Todd Pletcher-trained Tapwrit took the lead from Irish War Cry on the final straight and won theBelmont Stakes in Elmont, New York yesterday.
Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Tapwrit entered the long home straight in second place and gradually drew level with the favored Irish War Cry before pulling away to win in an unofficial time of two minutes, 30.02 seconds for the 1.5-mile distance.
Tapwrit’s victory gave Pletcher two of the three races in the Triple Crown. Always Dreaming won the Kentucky Derby.
Tapwrit finished sixth at the Kentucky Derby and then skipped the Preakness.
The one-eyed Patch, also trained by Pletcher, finished a distant third in the 11-horse field.
Hollywood Handsome was pulled up after clipping heels with the horse in front of him, causing jockey Florent Geroux to lose his stirrups in the first turn. He guided the colt to the outside until he could be stopped. The on-call vet said Hollywood Handsome sustained a cut behind his left knee, and it would be closed with staples.
well I was talking about Patch all the time. you shud have gone with Patch.
I even told you that Victor Espinoza is riding like an arse hole ever since he began to think of himself as an old man, a senior with experience.
most jockeys when they get old on their way to retirement, start ride like such old white men drive on the streets..like deh suddenly become infirm and by their slow pace and feigned incompetence eff everything up
if it boils down to a tussle for third for example Espinoza wont try hard at all to get that position so he will likely get beat out..as he did by Patch.
JR Velesquez is very much like Espinoza now but he wont eff around with Tod Pletchers horses. JR will go the extra mile to win some money for Pletcher.
those are the little things you have to know in handicapping. let le tell you: I will not bet Espinoza, Mike Smith, Robbie Alborado and Kent Desormeaux on any horse save when they are on really, really good horses that have decided advantages over the rest of the field..and additionally when those horses are trained by jefes.
there are a few older riders who still ride for the money: Martin Pedroza, Corey Nakatani, Gary Stevens although I am looking at him now seriously. he may be slipping into old age.
there are few others as well on both sides of that equation who do not readily come to mind. but as a rule go with the younger winning riders always before those old jackasses who stiff horses as if that is what you do when you get older
you lost because of skunt Espinoza and nutten else. Espinoza is now a jockey problem...that is what I sad BEFORE the Belmont when I talked about Gormly
[quote author=mapoui link=topic=110099.msg739384#msg739384 date=1497203123]
well I was talking about Patch all the time. you shud have gone with Patch.
[/quote]
that 10..Multiplier was a hard horse to ignore. that Illinois Derby win was impressive..no less the time he did it in. 1:47:4 is a really good time for a graded stakes win at that track.
dont be too hard on yuhself fuh the 10. I had him too but he did not hurt me the way the bet was structured.
the scratch of Epicharis was very helpful. that horse cud have been anything.... from wiring the field to bombing out
[quote author=CHAIRMAN link=topic=110099.msg739396#msg739396 date=1497207234]
I'm not saying Secretariat is the greatest horse that ever lived, but he's dead and probably still could have won the Belmont yesterday.
[/quote]
well this was far from the greatest Belmont ever..neither were the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness fields
