Belmont Notes

- Made it to Belmont for a few races on Saturday, and I lost; that for the guy who said I don't write about when I lose. In the fifth, Unbridled's Heart, a $1 million 3yo son of Unbridled's Song making his debut for Darley, was 4-1 morning line. He was dead on the board as can be at 13.90 to 1. Yet he went straight to the lead and stayed there throughout, drawing away willingly and ridden out to the end to win by ten. I lost, and I swear, you could run that race 1,000 times, and I would never have that winner. Just goes to show you that there's no such thing as 'never,' because I would generally say that those horses never win. No less by ten.

Unbridled's Heart is out of a stakes winning mare by the late Farma Way (paddock accident) who's a half-sister to the graded turf winner Man From Wicklow. The dam won on the grass too, so perhaps we'll see him on turf at some point.

I actually had Thatsrightofficer, the winner of the sixth, singled in some midday doubles. Wasn't going to let this Schosberg winner get by, and the barn is now 8-3-2-1 at Belmont thus far. However, I tried to beat the 7th race favorite, Boxitup, in the 7th, and I lost.

I didn't lose the G2 Bold Ruler, because I didn't bet. Alan Garcia had himself a handful on the turn with Lucky Island, and seemed ready to pounce on pace setting Man of Danger. Garcia may have thought he'd have an easy time, but had to shake up his mount to get past a stubborn foe. But he sprinted away at the end, closing in a solid 12.35 to give Kiaran McLaughlin his ninth graded stakes winner of the year. This is an Argentine bred, by Lucky Roberto (Belong to Me), who is now three-for-three since adding Lasix after his first US Start.

I tried to beat Casino Drive in the Peter Pan, so I obviously lost. I was at least right about how the race would be bet, but that was about it. I knew I was in trouble when I saw this colt in the paddock. Sure, he was bucking and kicking at first, and one might have thought he'd leave the race there. But once Kent D. got aboard, he was all business, and he looked fantastic. Not a strong edition of the Peter Pan, but that doesn't really detract much from what this colt accompished in his second lifetime start. He got the last three furlongs in a solid 37.04; final eighth in 12.61; those according to Formulator.

I'm pretty sure that no horse has ever won the Belmont off of two lifetime starts; but what the hell do these rules mean anymore? Say Big Brown does what we (mostly) expect him to do on Saturday; would you really think Casino Drive is ready to take him on? We might assume he'll get the distance because his siblings have; but I personally don't feel as if Big Brown has any breeding limitations as to how far he can go. Sure will make it interesting anyway....if Big Brown wins on Saturday, that is.