All of the inside scoop on Virginia's biggest day of Steeplechase racing -- the Virginia Gold Cup. Hey, 50,000 of your closest friends can't be wrong! Do you have your tickets yet?

Sunday, June 12, 2011

"THE BARTENDER'S EXACTA"

…A perfectly good name for the the outcome of the yesterday’s Belmont Stakes when Ruler On Ice and Stay Thirsty upset the final jewel of Triple Crown in what can only  be described as a disappointing outcome...Well, it obviously didn’t disappoint Ruler On Ice’s connections – jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., trainer Kelly Breen and owners George and Lori Hall.

Preakness winner Shackleford led from the start, but when the field of 12 turned for home in the 1 1/2 -mile  Belmont, 24-1 long shot Ruler on Ice took over winning by three-quarters of a length.  Stay Thirsy’s second place finish was small consolation to owner Repole Stable whose Uncle Mo was the favorite for the Kentucky Derby only to scratch because of illness.

The much-hyped contest between Shackleford and Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom never materialized as Animal Kingdom was involved in an incident just after leaving the gate almost losing jockey John Velazquez.  Velazquez showed some spectacular athleticism by merely staying aboard, but the popular Derby winner lost too much ground to make up.

Brilliant Speed finished third followed by Nehro, Shackleford and Animal Kingdom.

An elated Valdivia, riding in his first Belmont, described the final seconds before crossing the finish line.
“I’m a couple of yards from the wire and I’m thinking, `Oh my god, oh my god, I’m going to win the Belmont,”’ he said.

Ruler On Ice paid $51.50 to win and the $2 exacta with Stay Thirsty paid $928.

We did not have it. Damn.

To see the full results, click here

PICTURES OF THE DAY

Jose Valdivia, Jr. rides Ruler On Ice #3 to victory during the running of the 143rd Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 11, 2011 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

The statue of Virginia-bred Triple Crown winner and Disney movie star Secretariat as seen  prior to the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 11, 2011 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Friday, June 10, 2011

TWELVE TO TRY $1 MILLION BELMONT STAKES

SHACKLEFORD (Al Bello/Getty)
Twelve three-year-olds will look to win the carnations in the $1 million Belmont Stakes, the final leg of horse racing Triple Crown.  Although there will be no Triple Crown winner again this year, the Belmont field includes Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford.

For the 22nd time in history, the Belmont Stakes will serve as the rubber match between the individual winners of the first two races in the Triple Crown. The scorecard, in terms of Belmont wins, reads Preakness 10, Derby 5, with Afleet Alex the most recent Preakness winner to vanquish the Derby victor, taking the 2005 Belmont in which Giacomo, longshot winner of the Run for the Roses, finished seventh.

One has to go back to 1984, when Swale bested Preakness winner Gate Dancer, for a Belmont in which the Derby winner emerged victorious in a showdown. In spite of history, Animal Kingdom was tabbed the 2-1 favorite by The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) oddsmaker Eric Donovan, with Shackleford the third choice at 9-2 in the 12-horse field.

The Belmont Stakes has a 6:35 pm post time and will be telecast nationally on NBC beginning at 5 p.m., with coverage on VERSUS from 3-5 p.m. VERSUS will also carry post-race coverage from 7-7:30 p.m.

To see the full field, click here.

To read more, click here.

The Gold Cup blog likes Animal Kingdom, Nehro and Master of Foxhounds – in that order!  That said, if Shackleford will rate, he wins in a gallop…

PICTURES OF THE DAY

Animal Kingdom looks on after a morning training session in preparation for The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 8, 2011 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Exercise riders take two horses out for a morning gallop prior to tomorrow’s Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY.  (Photo by Al Bell/Getty Images)
Master of Hounds, with exercise rider Pat Lillis up, gallops on the track during a morning training session in preparation for The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9, 2011 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Exercise rider Carlos Rosas rides Nehro during a morning training session in preparation for The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9, 2011 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Viscount Nelson gets a bath after a morning training session in preparation for Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 9, 2011 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Jockey Mickael Barzalona (L) pats his mount Pour Moi after winning The Investec English Derby, Treasure Beach came second and race favorite Carlton House came third place during the second day of the Epsom Derby Festival, in Surrey, southern England, on June 4, 2011. The Queen's horse, Carlton House, ridden by Ryan Moore, was seeking to be the first Derby winner owned by a reigning monarch since Minoru won in 1909 for King Edward VII. (Photo by Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)

Thursday, June 2, 2011

PICTURE OF THE DAY


A runner makes its way to the start at Lingfield racecourse on June 02, 2011 in Lingfield, England.  (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Runners turn away from the grandstands in The Bet At bluesq.com Stakes at Haydock racecourse on May 28, 2011 in Haydock, England.  (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)