Originally Posted by Spalding No!
The Belmont Derby utilizes (1) its position on the calendar and (2) the graded status of its precursor the Jamaica Handicap to support its Grade 1 ranking.
You suggest that there are no preps leading up to the race, but a quick glance of the PPs shows that races like the Dania Beach G3, the Palm Beach G3, the Transylvania G3, the American Turf G2, the Pennine Ridge G3, and the Penn Mile G2 serve as a more than an adequate source of runners for a major championship-style race with a big purse run at a classic distance.
While the race does have some riffraff courtesy of Paul Reddam and Calumet Farm, the rest of the field features several multiple graded stakes winners and a couple of well meant European imports. Hunting Horn ran a solid race in the French Derby, a true classic race. Until his defeat at the hands of dual surface threat Catholic Boy, Analyze It was being compared to the best of past 3yo turf stars. Perhaps he'll rebound here and reconfirm those sentiments.
Last year's Belmont Derby played out in similar fashion as Oscar Performance, who had dominated the juvenile turf division stateside, was coming up short in his early 3yo races before breaking out in this race. He later took down another Grade 1 in the Secretariat.
At any rate, graded status is based on past runnings not the current renewal. The Jamaica Handicap certainly earned its Grade 1 ranking via the exploits of participants such as Subordination, King Cugat, Artie Schiller, Stroll, Showing Up, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Kicken Kris, Red Giant, Gio Ponti, and Court Vision.
In just 4 runnings as the Belmont Derby, the race has had international implications with participants like Pornichet (G1 in Australia), Toast of New York (2nd BC Classic), Gailo Chop (G1 in Australia), Adelaide (G1 Cox Plate, G1 Secretariat), Bobby's Kitten (G1 BC Turf Sprint), Divisidero (G1 Turf Classic 2x), Deauville (placed Arlington Million 2x), Beach Patrol (3 G1s), Good Samaritan (Jim Dandy), and Yoshida (G1).
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