Mo Donegal gives trainer Pletcher his fourth Belmont Stakes victory
NEW YORK - Mo Donegal won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, giving trainer Todd Pletcher a one-two finish ahead of stablemate Nest in the 2,400m event that capped US flat racing’s Triple Crown.
It was Pletcher’s fourth triumph, after wins with Rags To Riches in 2007, Palace Malice in 2013 and Tapwrit in 2017.
Fifth in the Kentucky Derby, Mo Donegal went off as the 5-2 favourite with Irad Ortiz Jr in the irons.
He swept past the early pace-setter We the People and powered down the stretch for the win.
The filly Nest, ridden by Irad’s brother, Jose, stumbled out of the gate but also closed in strongly to take second, ahead of Skippylongstocking.
“We were really pleased with the way both horses were training,” said Pletcher.
“It was sort of deja vu when Next stumbled. But she recovered and got in good position and I thought both horses travelled great the whole way.”
Mo Donegal’s owner Mike Repole said it has been a dream he has had for 40 years.
Added the native New Yorker: “This is New York’s biggest race, and to win it here, with family, friends, I’m sort of overwhelmed.”
We the People, saddled by US-based French trainer Rodolphe Brisset and ridden by French jockey Flavien Prat, broke smartly from the first gate and led for almost 1,600m before finishing fourth.
Rich Strike, who stunned the racing world with a Kentucky Derby victory as an 80-1 long shot, could not repeat the magic.
Breaking from Gate 4 in the eight-horse field with Venezuelan Sonny Leon again aboard, he trailed the field early.
Unlike at Churchill Downs five weeks ago, he could not find a way through and finished sixth.
“I guess we made a mistake not putting him on the fence,” said trainer Eric Reed, on the decision not to have Leon take Rich Strike to the rails.
He added that Rich Strike “was not aggressive” running in the middle of the track and never dug in for a late move.
“I think we made a tactical error. We’ll have to teach him how to run around horses.
“Our biggest change today was that we decided to stay a little out off the rail and try to give him a good open run when he would take off.
“He is a routine horse and this is the first time he has not been on the inside rail.
“The whole way. If you watch, his head turned he’s trying to get to the inside I guess we made a mistake not putting him on the fence.”
Rich Strike had given up any shot at the Triple Crown when his owner, Rick Dawson, decided to skip the second jewel the Preakness Stakes to rest the chestnut colt for the Belmont marathon known as the “test of a champion”. - AFP, REUTERS
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