Two key moves in the week before the race had an impact on the finish.
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For Creator, the win marked the first Belmont Stakes victory for both Asmussen and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. – and a reaffirmation for the colt’s sire Tapit, now the leading sire in North America. Nine have been decided by a neck, six by a head and three by a nose – one of which quashed a Triple Crown.
Lani, the Japan-based colt with a flighty reputation, ran a strong third after finishing ninth in the Derby and fifth in the Preakness. It took an agonizing few minutes for the officials to determine Victory Gallop had won. A different horse won each leg Nyquist took the Derby and Exaggerator won the Preakness.This was Creators day, a hot, sticky one at Belmont Park with temperatures in the mid-80s. After a strong second to Nyquist in the Kentucky Derby and a dominant win in the Preakness, Exaggerator was a nonfactor in the Belmont.
Creator, owned by Kentucky’s WinStar Farm and celebrity chef Bobby Flay, had finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby. He was the race favorite at almost even money.
Or perhaps not. Exaggerator was parked wide for much of the race. He was broken in Marion County at Mayberry Farm by April Mayberry.
But according to Kent, the track couldn’t have been better. On Sunday morning, the blanket of white carnations draped over the fence was a clear signal to passersby that they indeed found the residence of the colt who inspired the latest bit of upheaval in the 3-year-old male division.
George Issacs, general manager of Bridlewood, said after the race that Destin ran as good a race as he could.
“[Destin] ran a great race”.
“Hopefully we can get some fans that are not every day fans to come in and watch us compete. It’s very, very important for me and I’m very happy”.
What you may not know is that the horse’s trainer hails from South Dakota! “I was praying to God the reins were lying to me because the horse that was keen to progress was not underneath me”.
“Racing, for me, is a family affair”.
“I nursed him to the quarter pole and I said, ‘Show me your stuff, ‘” Desormeaux said.
“I just needed somewhere to go but when he got clear, he started rolling”, Ortiz said. “The horse was empty”.
“When I picked him up at the quarter pole to try and go and win the race, there was nothing there”, Desormeaux said.
Bred by Mt Brilliant and named by WinStar president Elliott Walden, Creator was a $440,000 purchase by Maverick Racing at the 2014 Keeneland September sale and put in the care of Steve Asmussen. “Creator proved his worth today”.
It was also a tactical masterpiece, as longsot Gettysburg made the running at a decent pace to set things up for his Asmussen-trained stable companion. Then he faded, but not before sapping enough of Destin’s energy.
“I think that was the biggest difference”. Going to the rail and saving ground was the strategy, but the pace was not torrid like at Oaklawn.
Pletcher added that Gettysburg, who he trained up to a week ago, will remain in the Asmussen barn.
“Irad was beautifully patient”.
“Creator is a good son of a gun”, Keith Desormeaux said. “He stayed focused through the traffic and did all he could to get up and win a great race”.
Beneath an ominous gray sky, two thoroughbreds who matched its color sprinted Saturday toward the finish of the Belmont Stakes.
“I am so close to the situation, but it sure seems like Exaggerator has jazzed up some people”, the 43-year-old trainer said. The horse that (has been) keen to progress was not underneath me.
The next horse with Marion County connections was sixth place finisher Brody’s Cause. The first post parade in the US came in the fifth running in 1871. In hindsight I probably would have been better off letting him cruise rather than making him wait.
Also, Tom’s Ready ($17.20) rebounded from a 12th place finish in the Derby to win the Grade 2 $500,000 Woody Stephens; and Shaman Ghost ($9.60) won the $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational.
Gettysburg was still in front after running a mile in 1:37.96 before dropping back as Destin inherited the lead, straightening for home with a 1 ½-length advantage.
Keith Desormeaux says it’s rewarding to be in big races after all these years. “I think it’s mostly Belmont is a deep sandy surface and he might have had a little trouble with it”.
After winning the Arkansas Derby, Creator had finished 13th in the Derby after a lousy trip and skipped Baltimore. Two longer prices who could have a say are Tiz Imaginary, who flew late to win the Fury Stakes last month, and Neshama, an allowance victor on the Tapeta in her latest.
Exaggerator, the 6/5 favorite, faded down the stretch to finish 11th.
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Seeking the Soul at 55-1 and Forever d’Oro at 65-1, both broken by J.B. McKathan and brother Kevin, finished 12th and 13th, respectively. The attendance announced by the New York Racing Association late Saturday night was 60,114, far below the 90,000 that showed up past year.
