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Wednesday, June 1, 2005
Belmont Stakes Battle Pits Two Game Winners Posted @ 8:28 by Webmaster
By GREG MELIKOV HorsesWild Contributing Writer
Even though the Triple Crown isn’t at stake, the 137th Belmont Stakes should be an exciting race between winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
I can’t recall the last time when there were two sentimental favorites in the Belmont. Giacomo finally earned respect finishing a game third in the Preakness after becoming the second longest shot in Derby history to smell the roses.
Afleet Alex, beaten only a length at Churchill Downs, scored convincingly in the Preakness during the wildest ride in a Triple Crown leg since Alysheba’s victory in the ’87 Derby.
You be the judge from the footnotes in the past performances of each race:
ALYSHEBA, carefully handled when caught in close quarters between horses just after the start, advanced steadily to reach contention approaching the stretch, stumbled when he clipped the heels of BET TWICE just inside the final three-sixteenths, came out to avoid that rival again leaving the furlong grounds and proved best under strong handling.
AFLEET ALEX was angled towards the inside soon after start, gained a rail position down the backstretch, followed GREELY’S GALAXY into and around the far turn while saving ground, angled out three to four wide leaving the five-sixteenth’s pole, stumbled badly when clipping heels the heels of SCRAPPY T entering the stretch, quickly recovered, angled inside of that rival, surged to command a furlong out, then drew clear under steady right-handed pressure.
Alysheba won the Preakness, but finished fourth to Bet Twice in the Belmont.
Afleet Alex is aiming to become the 18th horse to complete the Preakness-Belmont double, which includes Point Given in ’01, Tabasco Cat in ’94 and Hansel in ’91.
Giacomo would be only the 12th horse to record the Derby-Belmont double, which includes Thunder Gulch in ’95 and Swale in ’84.
While each horse going in the Belmont on June 11 has a cheering section, the No. 1 fan of Afleet Alex is special. He’s the breeder who helped the colt survive when his dam, Maggy Hawk, didn’t produce any milk.
John Martin Silvertand, a friend of mine since the 1990s when I frequented South Florida tracks, has survived cancer more than two years longer than the doctors gave him.
After witnessing the amazing Preakness victory, he recently told me:
“It certainly was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life and the horse has kept me alive to see it all happen. What a great performance and I was there to capture the whole thing in living color.”
When the managers of John’s Classic Oak’s Farm in Ocala, Fla., couldn’t find a nurse mare, they didn’t think Afleet Alex would make it.
John, his wife Carolyn and their daughter Lauren happened to be in Florida the weekend the colt was born. For several days, the farm’s staff and John’s family took turns looking after him 24 hours a day, bottle-feeding him for several days.
Lauren, 9 at the time, even pitched in, feeding Afleet Alex out of a sterilized beer bottle with a nipple on it. Finally, a nurse mare was found at another farm.
Commenting on the June 11 race, John said, “I imagine the Belmont will not be as full as the Preakness. Maybe eight horses will go as some of these have had enough.”
In addition to Afleet Alex and Giacomo, committed starters for the 20005 Belmont Stakes include Andromeda’s Hero, trainer Nick Zito’s last chance that was off the board in the Kentucky Derby; Southern Africa, winner of the Lone Star Derby; and two runners from the Peter Pan.
Several other horses such as Buzzards Bay are on the fence so the field could be 10 or 11.
“If we keep going at this rate,” John said, “we will be in line for an Eclipse Award and maybe Horse of the Year. Oh, but I’m getting ahead of myself.”
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Mr. Greg Melikov has been handicapping and writing about horses for decades. His articles and columns appear in print and on the Internet around the world. Greg is a retired newspaperman who became a racing fan at 13 when he saw 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation, his favorite horse, whip 20 older horses at old Arlington Park.
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Delaware, Hollywood & Suffolk for Wed (6/1) Free Picks Posted @ 7:51 by Webmaster
10 days to the 2005 Belmont Stakes... check out our profiles of possible Belmont Stakes contenders, pardon our dreaming that Bellamy Road will run... We really like Nick Zito's chances to pull another Birdstone. The guy from New York knows Belmont, he should be able to pull one of the Triple Crown Jewels. We have also collected Preakness Stakes 2005 photos.
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Belmont Park Metropolitan Handicap for Mon (5/30) Free Picks Posted @ 6:59 by Webmaster
Wishing you all a great Memorial Day! Enjoy the time off with your family and friends! Bet some on the ponies, too! More picks and betting tips in our horse racing handicapping forum!
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Mr. Greg Melikov has been handicapping and writing about horses for decades. His articles and columns appear in print and on the Internet around the world. Greg is a retired newspaperman who became a racing fan at 13 when he saw 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation, his favorite horse, whip 20 older horses at old Arlington Park. 
