REAL QUIET TO TAKE OFF FROM NO. 8.Byline: Debbie Arrington Long Beach Press-Telegram The Long Beach Press-Telegram is a major daily newspaper published in Long Beach, California. Tracing its history to 1897, it is currently published by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. External links
Real Quiet will get some new competition in Saturday's Belmont Stakes Belmont Stakes Oldest of the three U.S. horse races that constitute the Triple Crown. The Belmont originated in 1867 and is named after August Belmont (see Belmont family). The stakes is held in early June at Belmont Park, near Garden City, Long Island; the course is 1.5 mi (2,400 m). . On Thursday morning, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion drew post No. 8 in a full field of 13 for the last jewel in his Triple Crown. Of the opposition, only two - Victory Gallop and Basic Trainee - ran in both the Derby and Preakness. Derby runners-up Chilito, a last-minute addition to the Belmont, Parade Ground and Hanuman Hanuman Monkey god of Hindu mythology, a central figure in the Ramayana. He was a guardian spirit, the offspring of a nymph and the wind god. His great heroic exploit was recovering Rama's wife, Sita, from captivity by the demon Ravana. Highway are back after a breather. Preakness also-rans Classic Cat and Hot Wells will try to silence Real Quiet's thunder again, too. But the five newcomers may have the best chance of upsetting Real Quiet, a 6-5 favorite to become the first Triple Crown champion in 20 years. ``I'm from the opinion that if Real Quiet gets beat, it will come from a new horse,'' said trainer D. Wayne Lukas Darrell Wayne Lukas (born September 2, 1935 in Antigo, Wisconsin) is a former educator who became one of the most successful horse trainers in American Thoroughbred horse racing history and a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee. , who will saddle highly regarded Grand Slam and Yarrow yarrow, a plant of the genus Achillea, perennial herbs of the family Asteraceae (aster family), native to north temperate regions. Several species are cultivated as ornamentals for their flat-topped clusters of flowers and scented foliage. Brae brae n. Scots A hillside; a slope. [Middle English bra, from Old Norse br for the Belmont. ``But I'm a terrible handicapper hand·i·cap·per n. Sports & Games 1. One who assigns handicaps. 2. One who predicts the winners in a horserace, especially one who publishes such predictions as a guide for bettors. Noun 1. .'' Thomas Jo and Raffie's Majesty both look like distance horses, say their connections, and have been pointed to this 1-1/2-mile marathon for months. Limit Out is a highly regarded sprinter who will try to carry his speed past a mile. None of the 11 Triple Crown champions has ever had to beat more than seven rivals for their place in racing history. Of the 13 Derby-Preakness winners who failed in the Belmont, only Canonero II in 1971 had to run against 12 opponents; he finished fourth to 34-1 long shot Pass Catcher. Belmont Park officials stuck with tradition instead of following ESPN's urging for a controversial NBA-style draw/draft used for the Derby and Preakness. ``Suddenly, the draw has become brain surgery,'' said Hank Greenberg of ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network . ``So, we'll do it the old-fashioned way.'' Real Quiet's post was the last picked. If the Belmont had followed the same draw format as the Derby and Preakness, he would have been stuck with post No. 13. BELMONT STAKES LINEUP Post Horse Jockey Trainer Odds 1 Hanuman Highway Santos Walsh 30-1 2 Thomas Jo McCarron Jerkens 30-1 3 Basic Trainee Bravo Romero 99-1 4 Chilito Davis Motion 30-1 5 Parade Ground Day Howard 20-1 6 Classic Cat Velazquez Cross 15-1 7 Limit Out Samyn Jerkens 10-1 8 Real Quiet Desormeaux Baffert 6-5 9 Hot Wells Borel Amoss 30-1 10 Raffie's Majesty Chavez Bond 20-1 11 Victory Gallop Stevens Walden 7-2 12 Yarrow Brae Smith Lukas 20-1 13 Grand Slam Bailey Lukas 6-1 Purse: $1 million total, $600,000 to the winner; Real Quiet can earn a $5 million bonus for sweeping the Triple Crown. Weight: Each horse will carry 126 pounds. CAPTION(S): Box Box: BELMONT STAKES LINEUP (See Text) |
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