Belmont Stakes Wrap Up- Questionable Wingman Tactics

Yay! Justify won the Belmont and the Triple Crown! But against who? Hofburg? Bravazo? Gronkowski? Restoring Hope? A bunch of second rate plodding dogs, that’s who.

First of all, the best 3 year-old in training, Audible, was held out of the Belmont by WinStar Farms’ Elliot Walden so as to not interfere with the $15M-$25M bonus Justify would receive for winning the Triple Crown. WinStar owns both horses. In claiming the colt was injured or not training well, Walden is deceiving the public about his real intentions. Everyone on the backstretch was aware of the reality that they held Audible out because they were scared he’d derail Justify’s quest.

Second, and most importantly, while watching the race and confirming in replays, Justify got out to an easy start cruising along the rail while Noble Indy, from the 9 post, was expected to move up quickly with his natural speed and challenge for the lead. This would have made Justify work and expend some energy early. After 200 yards, as Noble Indy attempted to gain position, 37-1 longshot Restoring Hope broke somewhat erratically and wide and forced Noble Indy four paths wide as he attempted to engage Justify. Restoring Hope then, after fanning wide himself, angles in to cut off Bravazo as he attempts to confront Justify and pins Bravazo along the rail behind Justify for the next 1/4 mile. Restoring Hope continues along the backstretch a foot off Justify’s right rear end clogging the way for anyone else to mount a charge until it was too late. He acted like a wing-man or an offensive lineman running interference for the ball carrier. Isn’t it interesting that Bob Baffert trains both Justify and Restoring Hope? The notion of one long shot possibly “blocking” for a heavy favorite, not to mention one bidding for the Triple Crown, is extraordinary, however, take a look, you tell me?

Gary West, who owns Restoring Hope, was livid about the handling of his horse. As he apologized for entering the horse, saying he obviously didn’t belong, he was furious at his Jockey, Florent Geroux for his reckless handling of his colt giving him no chance to contend. Noble Indy’s Jockey, Javier Castellano, who was told to contest the lead early, never put his horse in position, and his owner Mike Repole questioned his tactics. Oh, by the way, WinStar co-owns Noble Indy. The other owners all thought something fishy was going on, and of course, the savvy Baffert brushed it off.  Gary West is asking the stewards to review the race for impropriety and Repole also wants them to examine the race, specifically concerning the actions of Restoring Hope’s rider, Geroux.

This may sound like sour grapes and The Bozos definitely give Justify credit, but the lack of decent competition, the spirit of the Belmont and the Triple Crown appears somewhat spoiled with the circumstances concerning Audible and the Baffert and WinStar connections of Restoring Hope and Noble Indy to Justify. It is not as pure as American Pharaoh’s 2015 accomplishment for sure. I know these concerns will go by the wayside and shuffled under the carpet but there is too much inbreeding in the sport, and I don’t mean the horses.

-HB