Belmont Stakes 2012 Video: Thrilling Ending Adds to Exciting Triple Crown Series

Every single Triple Crown race was great theater, even if the star wasn't present for the final act. There were no routs, there were twists and turns, disappointments and underdogs, and Union Rags provided the redemptive value.

He took home the 2012 Belmont Stakes after this thrilling come-from-behind victory. Watch it here:

These types of finishes were featured in all three Triple Crown races. I'll Have Another's injury prevented him from being the victor in all three instances, but it didn't stop trainer Bob Baffert from being the victim.

Not even switching the horses he ran spared the renowned trainer this fate.

I'll Have Another chased down his colt Bodemeister, like a thief in the night in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Baffert subsequently pulled Bodemeister from contention in the Belmont Stakes.

He injected the sprinting Paynter into the field instead.

He looked great to start off, just like Bodemeister, but at the end of the race he was chased down, just as Bodemeister had been. It had to be a tough thing to watch for the third time in a row, but second-place finishes in the Derby, Preakness and Belmont aren't too bad.

Another person that didn't have the greatest Triple Crown series is jockey Julien Leparoux. He had been the jockey for I'll Have Another for the Hopeful Stakes in September. That was the last race I'll Have Another ran before he started his four-race win streak.

He finished sixth in that race.

Leparoux was then the jockey for Union Rags from February to May. That span included one win, but it also included the seventh place finish at the Derby.

Leparoux was replaced for the Belmont Stakes by John Velazquez, and boom! Union Rags wins the race.

It almost seemed as though Leparoux had the kiss of death. He rode Atigun to a third-place finish at the Belmont, but I'm sure he's had better months as a jockey.

In all, this was a great set of races, and the horse-racing community will be lucky to get another year like this in 2013.

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