The Belmont Stakes: Calvin Borel’s Historic Bid for a Jockey Triple Crown

Calvin Borel Is Enjoying a Dream Season

Back on Mine That Bird which he rode to the Derby title, Calvin Borel, taking on nine other 3 year-olds in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, is a 2-1 favorite to become the first jockey to win the Triple Crown with different horses (Borel also won the Preakness aboard Rachel Alexandra who will not be racing here).

Borel guided Mine That Bird to a brilliant last-to-first run along the rail to win the Derby by 6 3/4 lengths just over a month ago overcoming 50-1 odds.

There has not been a Triple Crown winner since June 7, 1978. At thirty-one years, this is the longest drought in Triple Crown history. And there won’t be one this year either, but at least an unprecedented version of the Triple Crown is at stake here. Since 1978, eleven horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Of those, Real Quiet has come the closest to winning the Triple Crown, losing the Belmont Stakes by a nose in 1998. Charismatic led the Belmont Stakes in the final furlong in 1999, but broke his left front leg in the final stretch and fell back to third.

With a victory, Mine That Bird, a son of 2004 Belmont winner Birdstone, who spoiled Smarty Jones’ Triple Crown bid with a dramatic come-from-behind, one-length upset, would become the 12th Derby-Belmont winner and first since Thunder Gulch in 1995. But this is no shoe-in, drawing the No.7 position, the Derby winner must compete in the longest and most grueling of the Triple Crown races at this 1 ½ mile track.

However trainer, Chip Woolley said his little gelding is ready for one more big run.

Borel and Mine That Bird Take the Derby at 50-1

“The horse is doing super,” Woolley said. “He’s gotten stronger every day since the Preakness.”

Despite the overall distance in the Belmont, Mine That Bird may be closer to the leaders because the early pace usually is not as fast as in shorter races.

The biggest threat to Borel’s historic run is expected to come from Charitable Man, who missed both the Derby and the Preakness, but won the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont on May 9.  He is second at 3-1. Drawing the No. 6 post Charitable Man will be ridden by Alan Garcia, winner of last year’s Belmont with 38-1 long shot Da’ Tara.

Charitable Man’s trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had the 2006 Belmont winner Jazil. The colt, son of 1999 Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid, is 2-for-2 at Belmont and 3-for-3 on dirt tracks. Good blood lines with this track  for McLaughlin.

Watch out for Dunkirk. It won’t be any miracle if the horse coming out of Gate 2 takes it.

Distance: 1 1/2 miles.

Purse: $1 million. First place: $600,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $110,000. Fourth place: $60,000. Fifth place: $30,000.

Post time: 6:27 p.m. EDT.

Race day complete TV coverage airs on ABC beginning at 5 PM ET.

In over one century, there have been only 21 horses who have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, giving hopes of another Triple Crown winner, only to lose in the Belmont Stakes. Here they are along with where they finished and who beat them.

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