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In Case You Missed The Belmont
Paul Lafferty and James Goodman watch the Belmont and tell how they saw it
Paul Lafferty and James Goodman watch the Belmont and tell how they saw it
Justify isn’t American Pharoah. He wasn’t a 2-year-old champion bred and built to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont
Todd Pletcher trained his third Belmont Stakes winner on Saturday
Raise A Native is not only the male line ancestor of American Pharoah, but he is also the grandsire of Affirmed (Exclusive Native) – the last horse prior to American Pharoah to lift the US Triple Crown series
“I wanted to ride to the wire. I just dropped my hands and he just took off,” the jockey said
De Kock races horses in his native South Africa, where he is regarded as the Babe Ruth of the barn set, and also in Dubai and occasionally in the U.S. He’s saddled winners in England, Singapore and Hong Kong.
“We have a horse that’s a unique talent that is going for the Triple Crown, and we’re pleased to be associated with a beverage brand like Monster,” said American Pharoah owner Ahmed Zayat, whose riches came from selling his own beverage company to Heineken in 2002. “We hope the drink gives our horse that extra kick.”
Eighth-place Derby finisher Mubtaahij (10-1), with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. engaged to ride for the first time, will be assigned to the rail for trainer Mike de Kock.
Mike De Kock’s Belmont Stakes entrant Mubtaahij continued his preparations for the big race
He has ridden many popular horses throughout his young career, including 2012 champion 3-year-old filly Questing, Kid Cruz, Vyjack and Birdatthewire
Mike De Kock’s Belmont Stakes hopeful Mubtaahij took to Belmont Park’s inner turf course along with stablemate Umgiyo and posted a bullet five-furlong breeze two days after his arrival, on Sunday
The R1 million Gr1 Douglas Whyte Stakes Grade is the opening leg of the projected R15 million Pick 6 pool at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday
A Cape jockey has told of the enormous relief and the burden lifted from his shoulders on Friday after two well-known racing men took the cudgels up on his behalf some months ago to defend the father of four against an NHRA charge
A Pick 6 carryover of R2 million is set to take the exotic pool to R15 million, while the World Pool Gr3 Gold Cup sees a Quartet carryover of R1 million and a likely pool of R5 million