Belmont Stakes 2012 Replay: Video, Highlights and Recap

Union Rags has taken the test of the champion and passed it with flying colors, as he is the official winner of the 2012 Belmont Stakes.

It may not be the historic win many people were hoping for—as Triple Crown candidate I'll Have Another was retired due to an injury on his left front tendon, via ESPN—but a win at the Belmont Stakes is an epic win nonetheless.

The moment was up for grabs, and Union Rags literally ran with it all the way to the finish line. He endured the long track, tamed the huge turns and wrote his own page in the history books as the winner of the 2012 Belmont Stakes.

Recap

It was a race that looked a lot like the first two legs of the Triple Crown, with a Bob Baffert horse taking the lead right out of the gate. This time instead of Bodemeister, though—who wasn't in the race—it was Paynter who shot out to the lead. Paynter got a good jump off the No. 9 post and was able to get near the inside of the track, where he found himself in a sprint with Optimizer, and then Unstoppable U.

Going into the far turn Paynter still had a commanding lead, but you could tell the rest of the field was starting to get into position to overtake him.

Into the homestretch it was a three-horse race with Paynter in the lead, but Atigun and Union Rags were flanking him to the outside and on the rail, respectively, and barely off the lead.

That's when Paynter seemed to run out of steam—eerily similar to Bodemeister in the past two races, may I add—and Union Rags was able to push through the inside gap on the rail, overcome the leader and take the 2012 Belmont Stakes in a beautiful finish.

Payouts

Horse	Win	Place	Show
1. Union Rags	7.50	4.20	3.40
2. Paynter		5.10	3.90
3. Atigun			10.60

Replay

The Winners Circle: Union Rags

This was the race that we have been waiting to see out of Union Rags. Ever since the Kentucky Derby, this horse has been hyped up but hasn't been able to deliver.

There's no doubting that he delivered today, though, as he ran an absolutely fantastic race. Not only did he show the patience and discipline to ride out the track and wait for his moment to turn it up, but in that moment he displayed incredible speed and power to take the inside rail and overcome Paynter.

Many may feel slighted about the fact that we didn't get a chance at a Triple Crown try at the Belmont Stakes, but let me assure you—Union Rags is a deserving champion.