Belmont Stakes 2014: Predictions for Final Leg of Horse Racing's Triple Crown
California Chrome has already proven to be a horse that shines in the spotlight. His wins at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes showed speed, determination and endurance.
To become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, the colt will need a lot of the latter, and a little luck.
The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the Triple Crown races. Should California Chrome take another commanding lead midway through the race, he'll need to have enough gas to hold off the field.
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Staying healthy is also a key component. In 2012, I'll Have Another won the Derby and the Preakness, but an injury wouldn't allow him to run at the Belmont Stakes.
However, injuries don't seem to be the biggest threat to California Chrome running in the Belmont Stakes. On Sunday, Claire Novak of BloodHorse.com tweeted this news, from ESPN:
This could all just be posturing by California Chrome's team, but, needless to say, it would be a shame for the sport to lose out on potential history over an equipment technicality.
Assuming he is 100 percent—and gets to wear his nasal strip—there isn't a three-year-old the horse racing world has seen that will outrun him.
The real race will be for second and third place.
Here are the two horses that, if included in the field, will be the runner-ups to California Chrome.
Ride on Curlin
Trainer Billy Gowan is excited about his horse's chances on the mile-and-a-half long track at the Belmont. But he also realizes the longer distance won't mean an easy win for Ride on Curlin.
Per Dave Grening of Daily Racing Form, Gowan said:
“I think my horse will like the mile and a half. I hate to say it, but I think Chrome might like it too.”
Ride on Curlin was clearly at his best at the end of the Preakness. But California Chrome wasn't exactly faltering.
In a field that didn't include the Derby and Preakness winner, Ride on Curlin would likely be the favorite.
In this race, second place will have to do.
General a Rod
It would have been easy to cite Preakness third-place finisher Social Inclusion as the horse likely to show at the Belmont, but let's go in another direction.
General a Rod was fourth at the Preakness, but he finished strong and could have possibly overtaken Social Inclusion with a bit more track to run.
He'll have that extra real estate at the Belmont. Look for him to make good use of it.
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