HAPPY BELMONT DAY!
Today is such a fun day of racing! There are so many quality races taking place around the country this afternoon headed by the 143rd running of the BELMONT.
From all reports, it is still rainy and wet in New York. It is supposed to rain until early afternoon and then level off to a 40-50% chance of rain until early evening. The track surface, both turf and dirt, at this time is listed as ‘good’. Of course, all of this can change at any moment….weather being weather! Let’s hope all is comfortable for everyone!
The Belmont Stakes runs at approximately 6:35 East Coast Time. The horses usually leave the barn area to walk to the paddock about 30 minutes or so prior to post time. Thus, today’s 12 entrants will be leaving their stalls around 6ish and head to the paddock for the race. It is such an exciting time for everyone! Just imagine, you are participating in a TRIPLE CROWN RACE. Then, the ANTICIPATION of the race and how it will develop is so much fun. Racing is so EXCITING! My best wishes to ALL 12 of today’s Belmont starters. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
I’m thinking I will sit back, relax, and enjoy watching all of the great races today. In looking over the entries, I see ZAZU’S friend, Turbulent Descent, is running in the ACORN today at 2:34 NY TIME. Then at 5:39, my dear friend, Gio Ponti, is running in the Manhattan Stakes for the 3rd year in a row! I have such great memories of running with Gio Ponti in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic. What a guy! I really want to wish him well.
If you are not going to the race track today, these events…and many other races…will be on television. I know MY TEAM at Barn 55 and my friends at Lane’s End will be checking in on the updates, races and results all afternoon.
HRTV and TVG will be showing many of the day’s activities. Then a channel named VERSUS will be showing several of the stakes starting at 2 eastern time. At 5, the programing switches to NBC for the balance of the NY Stakes and the Belmont.
VERSUS is a relatively new channel that is going to carry quite a few races today and in the future. On your computer, if you go to NBCSPORTS, then click on TV LISTINGS, they will provide you with the TV schedules for today. If you put in your zip code, they will tell you the exact channels you need to go to in order to find the races you want to see on both VERSUS and NBC. This is really good to know. We have DISH and now we know exactly what channel to program in so we are ALL SET and READY TO WATCH GREAT RACING!
Which horses do you think will win today? Have fun handicapping!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Abigail from Montreal
Belmont Stakes 2011: prime example of how unpredictable horse racing can be! Not a single expert that I read had this colt on the radar. Not one. Like Judy Berube, I’m thankful that Animal Kingdom recovered so well from a disastrous start. Just heard Johnny V. say on NBC that he knew his race was done right after the start and decided to help AK get his legs back and just let him run. I thought the colt’s late charge showed just how good he really is. But congrats to Ruler On Ice — he showed Zenyatta-worthy heart!
Helen & Guido
Thanks for the channel info Z, TVG isn’t as good as it used to be. Too bad Gio Ponti didn’t make it today. And Animal Kingdom tried to replicate you coming from behind but no one does that like you Z!
Brenda
What a day!! Sad that your friend Gio Ponti didn’t win and my choices for the Belmont came in 4th, 5th and 6th so no cigar for me. Thank heavens that all the horses came home safely on that wet, mucky track and that Animal Kingdom was able to hang in after that awful start. Victoria and I are now looking forward to the Queen’s Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, in two weeks. Our tickets arrived and we have pretty good seats. I was able to get an appointment to see Giacomo when we visit Lexington in July so we have lots of horse experiences to look forward to – hopefully a hug or two when we’re in Kentucky. HUGS to you Zenny, eat lots of healthy Blue Grass.
Teresa
A nice Belmont run from every horse. It was a stunning ending to a crazy Triple Crown season. It was terrifying to see Animal KIngdom stumble. I really thought Johnny V was going down into that pack. But obviously there were some angels watching over him and he stayed safe.
Barbara Wood
Congrats to Ruler On Ice’s connections. I am still in love with Shackleford (he’ll go on to run another day, and hopefully a shorter race).I was so glad to see ROI’s jockey beaming so proudly. Let’s give the benefit of the doubt to the trainer. He was clearly extremely excited, and I hope he wasn’t being derogatory to the horse.
Kathy Kimber
@Susan in TN: Prayers continue for you and Lou.
@Charlotte Farmer: One day at a time and one step at a time. We are all here and willing to help. Prayer is a powerful force.
Congradulations to Ruler on Ice for a fantastic run and to his jockey for keeping his cool and not moving to soon. Congradulations to all the horses for a great race. I hope Animal Kingdom comes out of this OK it could have been very bad
It was a great race. Love and prayers for all.
LauraJ
Wow, did NOT expect that! Congrats to the winner. He’s a gelding, so maybe that means we will see him for a few years. Wouldn’t that be nice? So glad Johhny V. was able to stay on. That was a dangerous situation.
Celeste
Thank you for another lovely message!! How kind you always are to wish all the horses good luck – the same thing many of us are probably wishing too – good luck and safe trips for all! What a day of racing it has been – lots of upsets all around. Whew! Just sitting ( or standing or jumping up and down ) in front of the tv during these races wears me out! Ha! Thank you again!
Kathleen Marsh
Bernardini must be proud of Stay Thirsty. He sure tried! Maybe your foal will be Bernardini’s first classic winner!
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
Thought of you quite a bit today Zenyatta and remembering how excited I used to get when you were running. I don’t think there has been any races since you retired that do for me what yours did. You were always something else and you still are! Love you lots!
Paula Higgins
Congrats to Ruler On ice and his connections. A very special congratulations to Stay Thirsty and Mike Repole. I just imagine Zenny in this race and I know she would have run them down the stretch.
zenyen
@Maryann,
Its easy to sit and armchair quarterback from the safety of your desk chair. ROI was being extremely quirky at that moment, dangerously so and he was rapidly being surrounded by non horse people who were going to be in the line of fire if ROI exploded. Personally I think the trainer did well keeping his cool and not telling the TV reporter to eff off when they kept shoving a mic in his face as he was working with a very ill behaved horse. Instead he was polite to the reporters and handled ROI *himself* patiently and calmly till the colt calmed down and walked forward.
jeanie langford
Rough trip for Animal Kingdom. Congratulatons to the winner. He ran a great race.
Barbara Grimaldi
I was headed to Monmouth today so I could bet in the Belmont Stakes as well–but my area has been cloaked in a heavy fog since 7 this morning and I didn’t go. But I watched every pre-race, race and post-race minute for the Belmont. Thank heaven that neither jockey nor horse were hurt in the Animal Kingdom/MuchoMachoMan collision at the start of the race. How Johnny held on is a miracle… When I saw the slop at Belmont–a track I lived near and taught near years ago, I knew that all the odds makers were dead wrong. You cannot pick a winner on the mucky Belmont track unless you know that a specific horse loves such conditions. It was mentioned by a few handicappers that Ruler on Ice HAD successful experience on such track conditions, but his odds were so high he was pretty much ignored. He paid high…and if you got the 4 numbers of the finish of the race, you would have won $84,000!!!!!!!!! I wonder how many were that lucky!!! I think the exacta paid about $14,000…for 2 bucks!!! I was for Shackleford all the way and the race was just too long for him. Bernie’s son did fine!!!! Well, Zenny, now we all look forward to the great stakes races at Saratoga, the Travers, and then the Breeder’s Cup…what a sport!!!!!!!!!!
signofthetimes
Dear Zenny,
Racing is sure a lot of luck. Sooo glad Stay Thirsty, Bernie’s Boy,
finally sprouted wings and almost won. So happy for Mike Repole. Sooo glad for the winning long shot and very happy rider.
Glad JV is Ok and did not take a spill in the middle for running horses. What talent to lose an iron fall almost down AK neck and recover to ride a superb race even though he did not win. I do love Shakelford, he got a little upset, the pony horse let him go he ran a little and was fine. Commentator said that these are 3 year olds (babies). You are leading them to the dinner table and they want the food. Shak just really wants it.
TOO CUTE!!! Thought Master of Hounds was going to do it,
but not so. Liked the European break down the backstretch to keep his mind focused.
WHAT A GREAT BELMONT!!!! BUT THERE WILL NEVER BE ONE
LIKE SECRETARIAT and of course RAGS “and a filly won the Belmont”.
@Paula Higgins
Zenny probably would have been scratched because of the slop. Don’t think she ever ran on a sloppy track. John was always concerned about her beautiful long legs.
Robyn Mullhausen
Zenny, did you expect such an upset at The Belmont today? I don’t think anybody expected such an outcome. Felt bad for Animal Kingdom and his jockey, but thankfully neither one was injured. Very exciting race under very sloppy conditions.
The winning jockey (my apologies can’t remember his name) was so excited and funny. He said as he got closer and closer to the finish he kept thinking “Oh my God, oh my God, I’m going to win The Belmont!”..and he sure did. :)
Barbara Grimaldi
Forgot to add that Ruler on Ice’s trainer showed such rotten taste by saying his horse was a little crazy…the horse just ran the longest race of his life, the weather was so muggy it was hard to breathe, the track was so soft he was sinking in to his ankles, and this bozo calls him crazy or nuts–racing doesn’t need trainers like that…no class…I just hope the horse, because he is a gelding with no breeding future, will earn a well-deserved retirement and not be abused or abandoned.
Marshall (girl's name)
Zenny: Hope you had a great Belmont Day!
So glad that John V. and Animal Kingdom made it safely — what an awful start.
Happy that everyone made it to the finish line in tact. Congratulations to Ruler on Ice, Stay Thirsty, Brilliant Speed,Nehro, Shackleford,and Animal Kingdom!!
@Susan in Tn: Hope all goes well with Lou.
Your daughter, you and Lou are in my prayers. All the best!
signofthetimes
@Maryann
Thoroughbred’s are very quirky, hot and unpredictable. They have heart courage and determination, but when they don’t get what they want or are experiencing something they are not familar with they tend to balk. Some more than others. Zenny does have her moments, if you look at some of the pre races Mario is hanging on for dear life sometime to keep her from feaking out. It is part of the breed and occurs in varying degrees. Actually I am surprised the horse did not take a chunk out of the microphone. Sometimes we do refer to them as “nuts”. My TB was just as quirky. He could not have his ears touched, could not be lead by the reins and at times balked at the mounting block if he did not want to be there. That is the beauty of a TB and I truely love it.
I think it was soooo cute that Master of Hound liked the girls when he arrived from quaratine at Belmont. They are individuals and have feeling and act them out in horse language. My gelding always liked the girl, he herded them, called to them etc…..
Dmama
Congrats to Bernie’s son – Stay Thursty – finished 2nd in the Belmont. Watching these races just makes me think again how amazying YOU are……. no matter what YOU always fired! ! ! !
margie
Zenny, I was out of town last week (Vegas!) and just finished catching up here. I missed reading your daily news and great postings from your Z’ers. I love you tons, but you already know that :-) Hi to the fabulous Dottie!
@Susan in TN: I will include Lou in my prayers for a full recovery. My Golden Retriever Elvis was the love of my life and I totally get how your daughter feels. I will be looking for good news about Lou…
@Charlotte Farmer: What a journey you’ve been on for the great Noor, and I know you will not have reached the end until Noor is resting in the best place possible. God bless you for your dedication and passion on behalf of this equine athlete who deserves the best.
@Dawn Conrad – so glad you received good news!
Shema
Dear Zen, Thanks as always for all the good education. It would be great to be able to watch more racing on TV. I think you’re playing a part in racing popularity growing again. Oh, and please thank Dottie too! I know she is one of your key “insiders” helping to understand your newest career. I love you so. I made the photo of you grazing … you know the one that looks like a painting!!! oh my, I have it on my computer desktop. I see you every time I turn my computer on. You’re so pretty. I love you so. I wish I could see a new video of you again soon. It helps me get through a few months, to see something from you in present time. You really are an angel.
Loved the Belmont today.
judy berube
To Signofthetimes:
You are so right. Each TB is an individual and these are young ones. They can act up and react in difference ways. They’re still new to racing, the loud crowds and just their particular nature, can come into play. Hugs, J.B.
AJ from CA
That was a grueling Belmont and I applaud all those who raced their hearts out today but hats off to Ruler of Ice who I read has Fersaichi Pegasus in his bloodline (as is Premier Pegasus who was out of the Triple Crown due to injury.) Have fabulous rest of weekend Z and everyone else!
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Here’s an article from the DRF explaining why AK stumbled and some info on the winner http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-stakes-ruler-ice-surprises-24-1-shackleford-fifth-animal kingdom-sixth Hugs, J.B.
Karen Gogue
Hi everyone – just got in.
D-Day is on – sort of.
#1 Here’s my contact E-Mail for D-Day:
karenlg06@yahoo.com (l as in Larry and g as in golf) Please leave your E-mail or phone # and I’ll give you the plan as of now. This is only to get your feed back, suggestions, or whether you like it or don’t, or you wouldn’t want to participate. All are welcome.
#2 If enough agree (or like) then this will follow:
#3 What I need from you: (no $$$ involved remember) Via e-mail, my phone, snail mail. At this time, I’ll inform you of what is needed on your part to make this happen (really simple for you)
#4 Will give you my phone # and address and “We’re off and running”!
#5 Will supply updates, progress, via phone, mail, or e-mail (or if I need help!) for you.
So, once I let you know of the plot, you’ll understand everything more clearly. Mustn’t let “you know who” know. POS (plot off site) is the way to go. Thank you – hear from you soon! Love you Zenny more and more!
judy berube
Oops. Let me try that again http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-stakes-ruler-ice-surprises-24-1-shackleford-fifth-animal-kingdom-sixth
Karen Gogue
Please be assured no phone # or address, or e-mail of yours will be given to anyone! Only used to inform you and to get what is needed from you, ONLY! I would not do that to Zenny’s fans. Lotsa, lotsa love too!
Karen Gogue
BTW, I came in to show @ Belmont! Didn’t win any $$ – very excited for Jose Valdiva – he was once ours out here. LOL
Maryann
@zenyen yes the trainer was trying to move his clearly amped up horse out of harms way before someone got hurt. However his comments about his horse “is a little crazy” showed no respect for the animal who just ran his heart out, and showed that he is no horseman, and surely no gentleman of class. My opinion only. Horses have their own quirks, and if they are balky and sometimes act up it’s part of the breed. Shows that all he cares about is if he can get the horse to run or not, that is his only worry, has no interest in finding out about the horse’s personality and what makes them comfortable. For every kind and caring trainer like John you have a jackass like this one that gives us a bad taste for the sport.