2018 Belmont Stakes
 

Should be a lot of anticipation for this one, as we have a Triple Crown contender running in Justify.


After his Derby and Preakness wins, he does look beatable, so the wagering public will likely be out en masse as will a number of contenders to take the unbeaten monster down.



This is popcorn ready kind of stuff. :popcorn:


As for probables/possibles?:


Justify
Audible
Hofburg
Bravazo
Vino Rosso
My Boy Jack
Tenfold
Blended Citzen
Solomini
Machismo
Free Drop Billy
Gronkowski


I'm sure more names will come about in the next couple of weeks.



Bart Scott may have said it best: "Can't wait!".

Who is going to push Justify? I am looking to see if a "rabbit" is going to be entered.

I think Justify is very comfortable rating in 2nd or 3rd from a good post, the track conditions has kind of forced the hand.

I am hoping for a dry track, it probably wont be.

Me too. A wet track would make Vino Rosso a toss. I want to see him have a good race and if he can best Bravazo or not.

I doubt Audible runs because of WinStar. It would be a surprise anyway.

If they ran Quip, most likely, they will have no problem, whatsoever, running Audible.

Remember, they are, first and foremost, a breeding operation. Justify isn't a lock for the Triple Crown. Any three year old they own that nails the distance of the 1-1/2 mile Belmont Stakes is very good for their stallion roster.

Was Pletcher even in Baltimore yesterday? If not, he was likely at home in Floral Park sitting in front of his big screen TV, smiling. :)

Where's Instilled Regard?

Any kind of crowd would make Vino Rosso a toss. Horse was a nervous wreck with the Derby crowd

My boy jack is partly
 

owned by Justify owners, i think. So the horse might not run.

Thomas, he was taken out of training. Also Selcourt.

With more and more horses owned by syndicates, partners, (a trend that will continue and grow), if they didn't run due to common ownership there would barely be any horses on the tracks pretty soon.

I think not running them in prep races against each other is one thing, but running them in the big G1 races isn't a problem. In order to avoid each other they would all be lessening their chances across the board and would make no sense, financially, to sit out races where horses have a shot, esp. for their racing history/breeding fees..

https://www.horseracingnation.com/bl...iple_Crown_123


Following the piece, there are some interesting comments. What I believed a few days ago, I still believe...people do care who connections are and what connections decide as it pertains to their horses.


In the past, I've felt differently. When it's my money, only then, do I have the right to an opinion about where my horse goes. And even then, my opinion isn't worth much. I should leave this to my trainer.


But, in the long term, I feel if horses are taken out of the Belmont for one entry by those who own multiple entries this will be seen as this poster noted...manipulation of a Triple Crown.

Audible has a G1 win and a 3rd place in a Classic, Quip needs a better resume for the breeding shed. Plus Audible doesn't have the best feet, at least from what I've read, so perfect reason to skip this one.

Run Audible?


this one is simple; YES

If Justify is doing at all well, he'll romp in the Belmont. Audible at best runs a non-threatening 2nd in that scenario. Justify is faster, and has better stamina.
While the added distance will help Audible's poor tactical speed(he'll be able to sit reasonably close without a full-drive), he's not going to really love added distance and a fair setup(a mild pace).

He's not a threat, so they may as well tell them both to try to win.

If (like some on this board,) they were worried that Audible may be capable of a big race to spoil their Triple Crown by surpassing an otherwise winning effort from Justify, they'd instruct for a belated back-door rally.

As long as Audible doesn't flatten out badly, it will visibly look about the same, so everyone can feel they were right. :ThmbUp:

I left a comment about Instilled Regard on a Horse Racing Nation article about the Belmont - and a respondent who seems to know what he's talking about thinks that Instilled Regard is indeed being considered for the Belmont despite the article itself not mentioning him.