Belmont Fall Championship 2012: Stars come out for Super Saturday

It’s rare in modern American racing to find a horse that excels on the grass at the distance of a mile and a half. Give the sprint/mile/dirt focus of the large majority of racing in the country, fewer and fewer horses are bred to be top-class runners at the classic turf distance of 12 furlongs. In that respect, Point of Entry (winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park) is a bit of a throwback runner.

Sent off as the 3/5 favorite, Point of Entry and jockey John Velazquez were content to sit just off the early speed of Arlington Million winner Little Mile through the first half mile. Irish raider Treasure Beach (GB) and Jaime Spencer decided to take matters into their own hands as the field exited the back stretch, moving up to challenge the lead and putting pressure on Point of Entry to keep up or be left behind. The challenge extended by Treasure Beach only prolonged the inevitable; Point of Entry drew even with Treasure Beach after coming off the far turn and put away his rival inside the final furlong.

Saturday’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl was a showcase for the strength and depth of the European-bred turf horses as Nahrain (GB), Zagora (FR), Dream Peace (IRE) and I’m A Dreamer (IRE) all fought tooth-and-nail in the final quarter mile. Ultimately, Nahrain prevailed by a half-length over Zagora at the wire, providing her with a spot in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

The pace of the Flower Bowl, occurring over a Belmont turf course listed at “Yielding”, was quite soft in the early stages with Hit It Rich carving out early fractions of 25.33, 51.73 and a pedestrian 1:17.43 for the three-quarter mark. The early leaders all three in the towel at the top of the stretch paving the way for a mad dash to the finish line.

It’s been a long time since Flat Out last found himself in the Winner’s Circle following the conclusion of a race. In fact, it was almost exactly one year ago that Flat Out beat Drosselmeyer and Stay Thirsty to win the 2011 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. On Saturday, Flat Out successfully defended his Gold Cup title with a gutsy effort to beat Stay Thirsty by a head in the final strides.

Flat Out broke a little slowly from the gate and was content to sit near the back of the pack in the early stages of the race. Stay Thirsty set solid fractions on the front end and turned back the challenges of Ruler On Ice, San Pablo and Fort Larned as he rounded the far turn. Flat Out began to make his move after racing wide of the far turn, grinding down Stay Thirsty through the final quarter mile. Just when it looked as if Stay Thirsty would hold on for the victory, Flat Out found one final surge to push him past his rival.

To write that Royal Delta won the Grade 1 Beldame “easily” would be an understatement. To write that she “dominated” would also be an understatement. Simply put, Royal Delta was picture perfect at Belmont Park on Saturday afternoon.

Facing a rival that would likely have a tactical speed advantage over her (It’s Tricky), Royal Delta broke well and sat right off of the leader’s hip through the opening half mile. Once the two fillies were midway on the far turn, Royal Delta rolled up alongside her rival and found little resistance. From there, all jockey John Velazquez had to do was hold on and point Royal Delta towards the finish line. The final margin (nine and a half lengths) was minimized due to Johnny V. gearing down Royal Delta in the final strides.

Flat Out made a late surge at the wire to beat pace setting Stay Thirsty by a head and win the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup for the second consecutive year. Stay Thirsty finished second while the post time favorite, Fort Larned, faded to third. Long shot Atigun rounded out the superfecta.

Running over a dirt track rated as “good” following heavy rains overnight in New York, Stay Thirsty, Ruler on Ice and San Pablo set a solid early pace. Morning line favorite Ron the Greek was well back, almost 15 lengths behind in the early stages, while post time favorite Fort Larned raced in middle of the pack through the first mile. Fort Larned then made a move coming off the far turn but could find no more when challenged by Flat Out at the top of the stretch. Stay Thirsty, fighting on gamely in deep stretch, only surrendered the lead in the final stride.

Point of Entry powered past Treasure Beach (GB) inside the final quarter mile to win the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park, his fifth consecutive win and third straight Grade 1 win. Treasure Beach finished second, while long shot Kindergarden Kid rounded out the trifecta.

Little Mike set a soft pace right from the outset, clicking off an opening quarter in 25.70 seconds and a half-mile in 51.99. Treasure Beach and Point of Entry sat second and third, in no hurry to put pressure on Little Mike. Point of Entry and Treasure Beach decided to go to the front heading into the far turn, with Treasure Beach gaining a narrow advantage until John Velazquez took Point of Entry wide off the turn. One he he was asked for more run at the top of the stretch, Point of Entry surged to the front to capture the victory.

It was a European free-for-all in the closing stages of the Flower Bowl as a four-horse battle for the finish line saw Nahrain (GB) and John Velazquez squeeze in-between rival horses to beat Zagora (FR) by a half-length at the wire. Dream Peace (IRE) and I’m A Dreamer (IRE) were in the mix with the top two inside the final quarter mile. After a stewards inquiry (due to some bumping and grinding in the stretch drive) the final order of finish was confirmed as Nahrain, Zagora, Dream Peace and I’m A Dreamer - a top four of European-bred horses.

As is typical in may turf races at a mile and a quarter or longer, the pace was quite soft with an opening quarter and half-mile in 25.33 and 51.73. Nahrain sat in the middle of the pack for most of the early stages of the race, angled out three or four wide when coming off the far turn, produced a good turn of foot inside the final furlong and split horses to get the victory.

Before the birth of the Breeders’ Cup existed in 1984, the Belmont Fall Championship meet was considered the final destination for the top thoroughbreds on the continent. Today, while most horses competing at Belmont in the fall are hoping to run at the Breeders’ Cup on the first weekend of November, the six graded stakes races at Big Sandy feature many of this season’s best East Coast-based horses, along with some shippers from Europe to contest the races on the grass.

The highlight of Saturday’s stakes card at Belmont is the $1 million Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. First run in 1919, the Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious races in the history of American horse racing. Prior winners include such notable horses as Man o’War, Gallant Fox, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Princequillo, Nashua, Sword Dancer, Damascus, John Henry, Forego, Easy Goer, Curlin, and the King of the Jockey Club Gold Cup - five-time winner Kelso.

The Belmont Fall Championship meet typically features some of the best stakes races anywhere in North America, as well as the place where most East Coast-based horses will make their final starts before the Breeders’ Cup. This year’s Super Saturday card at Belmont is comprised of six graded stakes events, five of which carry the Grade 1 designation signifying the highest level of racing in the country. Additionally, all six graded stakes race on Saturday are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” program which guarantees the winner a spot in the starting gate for the corresponding Breeders’ Cup race (provided the horse is Breeders’ Cup eligible).

Let’s take a quick preview of the graded stakes action scheduled for Saturday at Belmont Park.