------and down the stretch they come at the BELMONT

Charitable Man leads by 2 lengths, but Mine That Bird is gaining with
every stride----------they're neck and neck and as they cross the finish
line it is ---------------------------- by a nose. 
I will let you know the name of the winner on Sunday.

I'll be watching Mine That Bird. Two more good strides and he would have won the Preakness. The distance of the Belmont doesn't look like a problem for him.

The Cajun Jockey will be aboard again ! I'd bet him if I could!

Where are you putting you $$$$$$?

This will be one for the record books, the first time a jockey has won the Triple crown on more than one horse if he can win the Belmont.

Good luck to Calvin Borel.  He is one happy man when he wins a race.

I shall be betting my last buck on Mine That Bird with that Crazy Cajun in the saddle.  Ol' Calvin will
be breathing tobasc in that horse's ear, he can't lose !!!!!----------
I already lost the farm on the Derby so the last buck better be a lucky buck--------Go Calvin GOOO

Whats the best way to play?  Exacta, box, I usually just put $5 on 4 horses, I won't play more than $20.  I usually lose that way.

Mr Fabulous I have no idea which is the best way because no matter which way I go I lose.  I can not take you down the garden path with me------

By the way-----I am happy they are not running Rachel Alexandria  --- as Brother Brooks of Brooks Brothers said---she would have lost the Preakness in a few more strides and the Belmont's length is a killer.  She will race her races and do well and then go off and be a mommy for some great horses of the future.

It is D-Day and Belmont Day minus one.  And so I would like to un-invest my $2 on Mine That Bird and bet the bundle on Charitable Man---------that's it-------as Regis (a good ND man) would say---Is That Your Final Answer and I gotta say Yes it is.  Amen.  Barring a further change of heart and mind it's Charitable Man. 

Muddy Sloppy Rainy day today at Belmont Park on Long Island.
Tomorrow should be nice.
Mine that Bird, Charitable Man, Chocolate Candy and Mr. Hot Stuff have the money for my kid's shoes.
Something tells me I should have splurged on Dunkirk.  There's still the dog's treat money left.

Good luck!!

Hello All,
Mine that Bird is my bet.
I wonder how the food is at the Belmont
and other race tracks.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

Food at Churchill Downs rages from a decent Brat and Beer Combo for $6.00 to the often-described $1000 Woodford Reserve Mint Julep. Seriously, depending on what seats you purchase as to how elaborate the food choices get!  We always eat well when we go to the Track (once or twice a year!)
AL

I try not to eat much at the track------my mind is sharp as a wet noodle when I am full and content----to stay sharp, stay hungry-----then with your winnings you can stop at a top rated restaurant  on the way home. 

Charitable Man will buy you a thick steak.  Or at least a hot dog with mustard --- no ketchup.

Mine That Bird will find that 3 tough races in 5 weeks is too much ------- and the distance will wear him down. 

That race was for the BIRDS !!!!

Good thing I couldn't find anyone to take my bet. 

OH well, exciting race and all I can say is
"Wait til next year".

When does football start ?????????

The race is over. While I was disappointed in the results, I was More then Disappointed in the terrible coverage of the pre-and post race events by ESPN.

1. To insult the Jockey (Mike Smith) of the Winning Preakness horse by running a 'Virtual' replay depicting the same race if Calvin had been on Mine That Bird to show that the Jockey 'lost' the race for that horse is very unprofessional.

2. To interupt the concentration of the Jockey (Calvin) during the post-parade as he approached the loading phase of the gate area was another poor judgement.

3. Finally, While I like Caton Bredar's reporting she should have been sent out to intercept the WINNER for interview, not the 'Loser' of that race. Another example of watching the 'Celebrity, Not the Sport.

Espn is really a Bush-League (pun-intended) operation , full of Hype and BS and demonstrating a major lack of tact in their coverage of that race.

Hello all ,

They interviewed the jockey Calvin Borel of Mine That Bird right before the race and he was hesitant , I believe he said the horse was a little heavy ,
I told my wife right there that he is gonna have problems and he did .

Benzee

Man, that is a long track isn't it.  A mile and a half really is a challenge.  Race was ok...

Ancient - So when is football starting?

GO JETS

Major Al

I agree ESPN was terrible. 

Showing up Mike Smith was really a low blow. Making split second decisions while 2000 pound horses are racing all around you (at 40 MPH) must be mind boggling----even so MTB only lost the Preakness by a stride------I wonder if the same ESPN crew will blame Borel for moving too soon in the Belmont ???

Interviewing the loser instead of the winner was outragious.  And the re-run showing Summer Bird's run was never given any air time-------a really bad job by ESPN.

I thought Mine That Bird was going to have problems when he was more antsy than usual in the paddock.  I think he gave Corel some trouble on the track and that's why he launched him prematurely in the homestretch.   Mine That Bird is a heck of a horse and it's a shame he's a gelding. 

Summer Bird received far less post-race attention than he was given, as did his jockey because this Belmont was a grand win for him as he had to pull up Big Brown in the Belmont.
 
I would have liked to have seen the filly run, but am glad the owner and trainer did not race her after winning the Kentucky Oaks and the Preakness since they thought she'd had enough in that short period of time. 

Andrea

Andrea----I am glad Rachael Alexandria didn't run also.  3 big races in 5 weeks is a killer, and the mile and 1/2 makes it even more so.

Driving home from Mass this morning I was doing some math in my head regarding the race-------since doing math in my old head is sometimes a reason for big mistakes I just re-did it with a calculator to check me out and came up with the same answer------

Secretariat would have won the Belmont yesterday by almost 25 lengths over Summer Bird and even more over MTB ----what a horse Big Red was !!!!!!!!!  

I agree with most comments expressed. I'm no horse racing authority, nor a regular gambler. Usually I lose my $.  I watch the triple crown races annually when possible. This year I watched all three. Being a loyal and proud citizen of New Mexico, I'm naturally proud of Mine That Bird(owners live in Roswell) and enjoyed watching that  horse's ability to run well.
Al, I completely agree with your comment concerning "THE BIRD" and jockey Mike Smith's performance in the preakness. During the pre-race hype, I said to Nancy, "there's likely to be some media second guessing". That virtual re-run(woulda, coulda, shoulda) of the Preakness was irresponsible journalism to say the least.

Yes, The Ancient Mariner, Secretariat was the "man".  It's too bad  his offspring didn't do much, but a horse like Secretariat doesn't come around often.  That horse was a rocket.

It's a shame what happens to some of these T-Breds when their racing days are over.  I have two and they have a good home with me.  One of them is 8, and after giving his legs some time to heal up he's ready to ride (for pleasure, though he'd make a wonderful dressage horse).

I wonder why Mine the Bird was castrated --- maybe only one of his testicles descended or neither did.  He's small for a T-Bred, but maybe he'll make a nice show horse or event horse when his racing days are over, or maybe his owner will put him out to pasture and let him enjoy his life.

Andrea

It was terrible coverage.  I have the OTB channel (Off track betting)  and there was some dispute between OTB and NYRA so they did not show it either.  The coverage on WABC was awful, I couldn't even hear when they went off.  Well, it was a different Bird, thats all.  Next year I'm reading up on betting Exotic and I'm trying that next year.

Mr Oyster-----Exotic Betting is great when you win.  It's not so good when you don't.  There are some books published on the subject ----and I will bet my last few bucks, and box them, that the most money the authors ever made from Exotic Betting was from the sale of the books.  But having a few bucks on some pony's nose is mucho more fun than studing the books and driving yourself to drink. 

I was at Belmont some years ago, and coming down the escalator I was watching a man folding his program and inserting it into his shoes-----they had holes in the soles.  When you got a hole in your sole you are in big trouble, ask any preacher. 

ABC got their coverage from ESPN..That about says it all!  What could have been covered as a great race was lost in the soap-opera analysis and contrived scenerios.

I still prefer our local coverage of the Derby Events by local TV here in Louisville.  The Preakness was almost as well done. The Belmont is a wate of time. Even the fans of that race don't consider it worth the effort to spend a 'day at the track'! The stands were less than half full until a race or two before the Name-Race was called.

Kentucky is working on a special session of the Legislature now to see if they will permit Slots at the Horse Tracks to try to pump up the cash flow and increase the available purses to make-up the declining revenues of the racing industry in the State. As an Indiana resident I have no vote on the issue, but I hope they pass the additions as it would be a shame to see the horse industry fade from it's ranking position in Kentucky!

El Mayor----Belmont is a huge piece of Real Estate in a very busy area of Long Island -------it is not paying it's way so they are talking slots there also. 

I attended The Belmont twice and both times it was jammed.  Spectacular Bid's bid for the triple and Point Given's romp.  70 some thou for both if I am not mistaken.   

I sgree, the coverage was poor. I did enjoy Dunkirk's run. I am a fool for a big gray horse, and for once the gray didn't finish last!  

M Brookes you would have loved Spectacular Bid---won the Derby and the Preakness and stepped on a safety pin in his stall before the Belmont---got an infection and finished third------should-a could-a ------------ but he was gray all the way !!!!!!!!  I sometimes bet on a grey because it's easy to follow his (her) run when he stands out from the pack.  

Andrea------it must be fun (espensive fun) to own a race horse.  
I met Penny Tweedy at a cocktail party in Low-cost Valley back in the 80's----a very nice lady who never mentioned Secretariat until asked.  I would have a sign made and hung from my neck-----
I Own Secretariat-------she didn't.    

Hey they said the jockey on Mine That Bird ran a lousy race?  That he extended his horse too soon.  He needed to be more patient?  He was dead last out of the gate I believe.  The trainer was not happy.