The Belmont Stakes alibies are just that as the winner Tapwrit won on the square and the second finisher Irish War Cry ran his race but just was beaten. Todd Pletcher ended up running one-three in the classic so there are no Belmont Stakes alibies for one of the best trainers in the country.
The race took on a complete new complexion when Classic Empire was declared before the race. The runner developed a hoof abscess in the bulb of his right front. It is the same issue that surfaced after his third-place finish in the February 4 Holy Bull. What this did is change the dynamic of the pace. Classic Empire figured to be well placed early and that would have changed things as far as the early splits were concerned. My selection, Meantime, did not have the muster to make the lead and you could have stuck a fork in him as soon as he did not command respect out of the gate.
Tapwrit deserved to win and he was determined in his success. Irish War Cry was away alertly in the Belmont Stakes and pretty much glided to the lead. He began to edge away from Meantime coming to the five-sixteenth pole but had nothing left for the drive. Patch had to deal with the outside post and was bothered a bit at the start of the race. He swung wide in the stretch and basically passed tired horses.
For the record, Irish War Cry led through fractions of 23.88 seconds for the quarter, 48.66 for the half, 1:14.01 for six furlongs, and 1:38.95 for a mile. He was ridden by Rajiv Maragh.
Tapwrit was clocked in 2:30.02 and was ridden by Jose Ortiz. The victory brought his record to four wins in eight starts and it also was a triumph for runners that ran in the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness and then won the Belmont Stakes.
Half of the last eighteen Belmont Stakes winners used this pattern.
As you would expect, the winning Belmont Stakes trainer was all smiles, Pletcher: “Tapwrit was getting a beautiful trip. It was everything we talked about in the paddock before the race. We were hoping he had enough when it came to crunch time. It looked like Irish War Cry still had a little something left, but the last sixteenth, he dug down deep.”
For Irish War Cry’s trainer Graham Motion, things did not unfold perfectly, Motion: “It actually wasn’t our plan to be on the lead. We kind of hoped that somebody else would go for it, but he had to go to Plan B and Rajiv did a great job. At the eighth-pole, I thought we might be home free, but it’s the Belmont. It’s a tough race.
I’m very proud of how he ran. I thought he ran a very game race. Yes, it’s very vindicating – for the horse and for me and the owners and everyone. I thought he ran very game, honestly. We were hoping we might get a little bit of a stalking trip. He went three-quarters in (1:14). Turning for home, I thought we might have it but it’s a long way home. He slowed it down. About the eighth pole, I felt pretty good. He certainly showed that he’s legit. But it’s tough to get run down like that. The Haskell has always been our goal, and I think it will still be our goal.”
Pointing to the Haskell Stakes makes a great deal of sense. The owner of Irish War Cry is Isabelle de Tomaso and the Haskell is named for her father.
The fourth finisher Gormley was not one that could hang his head complaining about Belmont Stakes alibies. His trainer John Shirreffs was honest about the outcome, Shirreffs: “I thought he ran really well. I’m pleased with the effort he made. He bobbled a little out of the gate but he recovered nicely. I thought he ran a very creditable race. Jockey Victor Espinoza said he started looking around a little bit, so we probably can improve on that. This is the first time he’s gone the mile-and-a-half and they are young three-year-olds. I didn’t think the distance was a problem for him. When the horse came back he wasn’t breathing all that hard. We’ll take him back to California, and we may come back east with him. It depends upon how things are going. If they’re going well, there’s a possibility of Saratoga.”
As for the also rans, there was some drama as far as Belmont Stakes alibies are concerned. Senior Investment was in tight quarters and was bumped going into the first turn. Twisted Tom was clipped by Hollywood Handsome and lost his action for a few strides.
Hollywood Handsome was one of the few horses that can be honest about his Belmont Stakes alibies. He came out of the gate slowest of all, clipped heels and then the worst happened. His rider Florent Geroux lost his irons.
When this happens, it is similar to having the steering wheel come out of its socket when you are driving down the freeway. A jockey has no control and no way to stay on a horse except by using his experience and hoping nothing gets in his way. Geroux had no choice but to pull the horse up.
Pletcher became the first trainer since D. Wayne Lukas in 1996 to win the Derby (with Always Dreaming) and Belmont in the same year with different horses.
It is not fair to evaluate 3-year-olds until later in the year when they face older horses but the inconsistencies shown by this crop are evident.
What is next for some of these stars? Well, Tapwrit and Pletcher’s Always Dreaming have the usual summer goals ahead of them. The Grade 2 Jim Dandy would be a logical step for either one of these runners. After the Jim Dandy, the Travers Stakes and the Haskell would also come into play.
The horse that had a horrible trip in the Belmont Stakes, Hollywood Handsome, will likely have to take some time off. He came out of the Belmont with a major laceration behind his left knee and at this point of the season, there is no reason to push this horse. He is trained by Dallas Stewart, who learned under Pletcher, so he will do the right thing.
One thing that has been lost in the shuffle is the unfortunate injury to Classic Empire. This Mark Casse trainee would have been one of the major players in the Belmont Stakes but he will likely just ship back to Kentucky and gets some well-deserved R and R. Mark’s son Norman Casse assists him around the barn and he mentioned on Twitter that is was a bittersweet day.
