It was the most important race of the young colts life.  And JUSTIFY ran free in the Belmont Stakes- he liberated himself from the other nine runners as he went wire to wire and was never seriously threatened.  He was paroled of the fatigue and misfortune that put to ruin many a Triple Crown attempt prior to his.  Also gone was the pressure of the 2015 Triple … Continue reading ALL HAIL JUSTIFY

The Belmont Stakes is a grueling 1.5 mile ‘Test of Champions’.  Whether a Triple Crown is in the offing or not, horses (in America) generally top out at a mile and a quarter for their longest race(s).  Add to that the weight of having won the first two legs of the series, and in position to become a TC winner, it is a daunting task.  … Continue reading Belmont Picks

The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes were inaugurated as The Triple Crown of horse racing in 1875.  Since that time 35 colts have gone into The Belmont Stakes with a chance at racing history.  Twelve horses have basked in the glory while 23 others had Triple Crown dreams dashed.  Will JUSTIFY prevail Saturday?  Or will he become the 24th casualty to crumble in the 1.5 … Continue reading Full Belmont Stakes Field

Since the inception of The Triple Crown horse racing series in 1875 only twelve horses have won all three legs, which culminates with The Belmont Stakes held at Belmont Park.  If JUSTIFY wins on Saturday he will not only join that elusive, exclusive club, but he would be the second Bob Baffert trained horse to accomplish this feat in the last three years.  Here is a look … Continue reading Threat To The Crown?

DRB is always looking for value when it comes to wagering on the horses.  But in regard to The Belmont Stakes coming up next Saturday, it comes down to this: If morning line favorite JUSTIFY runs close to his best, the rest of the field is competing for 2nd place.  But if the grind of the Triple Crown bid (3 races in 5 weeks) leads to a regression … Continue reading Belmont Contenders or Pretenders?

The Belmont Stakes is ten days away.  Is there a horse that can beat JUSTIFY?  Or can he become racing’s 2nd Triple Crown winner in the last three years?  AMERICAN PHAROAH won all three legs of the Triple Crown series in 2015.  Prior to that it was AFFIRMED 37 years earlier in 1978.  The 70’s gave us three TC winners, beginning with SECRETARIAT in 1973, SEATTLE SLEW in 1977 and AFFIRMED the following year.  Could this … Continue reading Live Long-Shots

Founded in 1918 the United States Remount Service systematically began breeding horses for the U.S. Cavalry.  As a part of the Quartermaster Corps, its roots go back to the expansion of the Union Army during the early going of the Civil War.  Thoroughbred horses played a vital role in the U.S. Cavalry and Artillery.  Military vehicles were relatively new and prone to problems.  Horses were … Continue reading U.S. Army Remount Service

The Belmont Stakes is referred to as ‘The Test Of Champions’, and rightfully so.  It is the longest of the Triple Crown races at a mile & a half.  If there are aspirations of horse racing immortality one must win three races in a five week span.  A grueling schedule considering these animals perform at their optimal best with 3-5 weeks rest between races. Since … Continue reading Belmont Upset?

Here are a few more definitions to help you decode the not-so-secret language of horseplay.  It’s only a matter of time before you’re walking around the paddock area with a program in your hand claiming; “He looks good.  Had a bullet workout last week.  There’s an equipment change as he added blinkers, plus he’s light today because the bug-boy is riding him.”  If that sounds … Continue reading Track Talk Continued

It has come to the attention of DRB that some of the verbiage or horse-racing lingo used here is sometimes hard to grasp when talking about the races and/or wagering on them.  A special shout-out to regular readers of DRB, M. Lawrence & J. Gosney, both of Binghamton, NY for suggesting that perhaps everyone doesn’t know what a trifecta key, or a pick-3 or pick-4 is, or how … Continue reading The Language Of Racing