September 30, 2025 • 20 mins
Episode three examines the Belmont Stakes, the brutal final test that makes or breaks Triple Crown dreams. Host Marty Sinclair dissects why the punishing mile-and-a-half distance proves too demanding for most three-year-old thoroughbreds, even those who dominated the Derby and Preakness. Listeners relive heartbreaking near-misses including Real Quiet's nose defeat, Smarty Jones's stunning upset loss, and California Chrome's disappointing fourth-place finish. The episode also celebrates glorious triumphs like Secretariat's record-shattering thirty-one-length masterpiece and American Pharoah's drought-ending victory. Through dramatic storytelling, the episode reveals how Belmont Park's enormous track, accumulated fatigue, and crushing pressure combine to create racing's ultimate proving ground where only true immortals survive.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back, racing fanatics, dreamers and lovers of high stakes drama.
This is Marty Sinclair, your AI host, with total recall
of every thrilling stride, every heartbreaking stumble, every glorious triumph
in racing history. And now, my friends, now we arrive
at the ultimate test, the crusher, the dream maker and
(00:20):
dream breaker that has humbled more champions than any other
race in American sports. Welcome to episode three of Triple Crown,
and today we're talking about Belmont Stakes, the Test of champions.
So settle in, hold on to your hats, and prepare
yourself for a story about the one and a half
miles that separate the immortals from everyone else. Let me
(00:41):
tell you something about Belmont Park that'll make your appreciation
for this magnificent venue sore to New Heights folks. Located
in Elmont, New York, right on the border of Queen's
in Nassau County, Belmont Park opened its gates in nineteen
oh five, and from the very beginning it was designed
to be something special, thing grand, something worthy of hosting
(01:02):
racing's most important tests. The main track at Belmont is
the largest dirt thoroughbred racing oval in North America, a
sweeping expanse that measures a mile and a half around,
and when you stand at the finish line and look
back toward that first turn, the sheer scope of it
all takes your breath away, like standing at the base
of a mountain and contemplating the climb ahead. The Belmont
(01:22):
Stakes itself predates the current Belmont Park facility, first run
way back in eighteen sixty seven at Jerome Park in
the Bronx, making it the oldest of the Triple Crown races.
The grandfather of this magnificent trio, the race that was
testing champions before the Derby and Preakness even existed. It's
named after August Belmont Senior, a finance here and sportsman
(01:44):
who played a crucial role in establishing thoroughbred racing in America,
and over the decades, it has earned nicknames that tell
you everything you need to know about its character. The
Test of the Champion, the Run for the Carmatans, and
my personal favorite, folks, the Big Sandy, referring to that
enormous dirt surface that has swallowed up so many Triple
(02:05):
Crown dreams. Now Here's where we get to the heart
of what makes the Belmont Stakes the most punishing, the
most demanding, the most absolutely brutal test in American racing.
And it all comes down to one simple, terrible, magnificent fact.
The distance. Hold onto your hats. History is knocking. While
the Kentucky Derby runs at a mile and a quarter
(02:26):
and the Preakness at a mile in three sixteenths, the
Belmont Stakes demands that three year old thoroughbreds, many of
whom have never run beyond a mile and a quarter
in their lives, suddenly dig deep and find the stamina
to cover a full mile and a half. That's twelve furlongs, folks,
seventy two hundred feet two four hundred yards of racing
that tests every fiber of a horse's being. Think about
(02:48):
what we're really asking these magnificent animals to accomplish here,
my friends, and let the full weight of it sink
into your consciousness. These horses are only three years old,
still maturing physically and mentally, and they've already run them
the most important race of their lives five weeks earlier
at Churchill Downs, then backed it up two weeks later
with another maximum effort at Pimlico. Their bodies have been
(03:09):
subjected to incredible stress, their minds have endured crushing pressure,
and now, with just three weeks to recover from the Preakness,
we're asking them to run the longest, most demanding race
they've ever faced. It's like asking a college basketball player
to join the NBA Finals, play every game at maximum intensity,
and oh, by the way, we're extending the fourth quarter
(03:31):
to an hour long just to see if you can
handle it. The physical demands of the Belmont distance are
staggering when you break them down, absolutely staggering. At the
highest levels of thoroughbred racing, horses are bred and trained
primarily for speed over distances of a mile to a
mile and a quarter. That's the sweet spot where the
perfect combination of speed and stamina intersects, where the fastest
(03:53):
horses in the world operate at peak efficiency. But the
Belmont pushes beyond that comfort zone, demanding reserves of stamina
that many horses simply don't possess, revealing limitations that might
never have been exposed at shorter distances. A horse running
the Belmont Stakes will take approximately two thousand strides from
start to finish, each one pounding their legs with forces
(04:15):
equivalent to several times their body weight. Their heart rate
will stay elevated at near maximum levels for over two
and a half minutes, pumping massive amounts of blood to
muscles screaming for oxygen. Their respiratory system will process enormous
volumes of air as they gop breath after breath while
maintaining racing speed, and their minds, oh, their magnificent minds
(04:36):
must stay focused and determined even as fatigue screens at
them to slow down, to ease up, to stop fighting.
The Belmont track itself contributes to the racist brutal difficulty
in ways that go beyond just the distance folks. That
massive sweeping oval means the turns are more gradual than
at tighter tracks, which sounds like it would make things easier,
but it actually creates its own challenges. Horses must maintain
(05:00):
racing speed through longer turns, can't use the centrifugal force
of tight turns to slingshot pass competitors, and must sustain
their effort without the brief respites that shorter straightaways on
smaller tracks provide. The stretch run at Belmont is enormous,
giving horses who have conserved energy a chance to make
late runs, but also extending the agony for horses who
(05:20):
have used up their stamina too early in a race.
The mental pressure surrounding the Belmont Stakes when a triple
Crown is on the line, reaches levels that would crush
ordinary mortals. And I'm talking about everyone involved here, not
just the horses. The jockey sitting on a potential triple
Crown winner as they approach the Belmont carries the weight
of history on their shoulders, knowing that millions are watching,
(05:41):
that their every decision will be analyzed for decades, that
one wrong move could cost their mouth to place an immortality.
The trainer has to manage their horse through three more
weeks of training while the world watches every workout, questions
every decision, and builds expectations to impossible heights. The owners
must project confidence while their stomachs churn with anxiety, must
(06:03):
smile for cameras while internally terrified that something will go wrong.
And the horse, that magnificent animal who has no concept
of the triple crowd, or historical significance, or what riding
into the record book's means, must simply dig deeper than
they've ever dug before. Must find courage they didn't know
they possessed, must want to win badly enough to push
(06:23):
through fatigue that would stop lesser competitors. It's absolute bedlam, folks,
pure psychological warfare, played out on a dirt track in
front of the largest crowd of the year. Now, let
me take you through some of the most heartbreaking, most agonizing,
most cruelly dramatic Bellmont Stakes finishes that have crushed Triple
Crown dreams and left racing fans weeping into the programs,
(06:44):
because these moments define what the test of champions really means.
These aren't just races that were lost. They're dreams that
died in the stretch, hopes that evaporated in the final
furlong moments when inertality slipped through grasping fingers like water.
Real Quiet and Night ninety eight gave us perhaps the
most painful near miss and triple Crown estuary, a finish
(07:04):
so close, so agonizing, so absolutely heartbreaking that it still
brings tears to the eyes of racing fans who remember
that June afternoon, Real Quiet had won the Derby in
Preakness with determination and grit, had proven himself a legitimate
champion and came to Belmont with a real shot at immortality.
As the field thundered into the stretch, Real Quiet held
(07:26):
a small lead, was digging in gamely, was fighting for
every inch. His jockey, Kent Desormal, was riding with everything
he had, asking his mouth for one more surge, one
more burst of speed. But here came Victory Gallop, a
horse who had finished second in both the Darby and Preakness,
making one final desperate lunge at the wire. The two
(07:46):
horses hit the finish line together and for a moment,
for one glorious, terrible moment, no one knew who had won.
The photo finish revealed the crushing truth. Victory Galloped by
a nose, the smallest possible margin, the cruelest feet imaginable.
Real Quiet had come within inches of triple crown Glory.
Had run his heart out, had given everything he had,
(08:07):
and it wasn't quite enough. Smarty Jones in two thousand
and four seemed absolutely destined for triple crown. Glory. Folks,
this undefeated cult had captured America's heart with his front
running style, his warrior's courage, and his rags to richest
story that included surviving a fractured skull. As a young horse,
He'd won the Derby by three lengths, captured the Preakness
(08:28):
by a record setting eleven and a half lengths, and
came to Belmont as the overwhelming favorite, the People's champion,
the horse that simply couldn't lose. The crowd at Belmont
Park that day numbered over one hundred twenty thousand, the
largest attendants in the race's history, all of them believing
they were about to witness history. Smarty Jones went to
the lead as expected, was running his race, was doing
(08:49):
everything right. But in the stretch, as fatigue began to
set in, here came Birdstone, a thirty six to one
long shot who had never won a grated stakes race,
who had no business competing with smarter Jones. The roar
of the crowd turned to gasps of disbelief as Birdstone
swept past Smarty Jones in the final furlong, winning by
length and shattering dreams of a triple crown. Smarty Jones
(09:12):
had run himself into exhaustion, giving everything he had, but
the Belmont distance had proven just slightly beyond his capabilities.
California Chrome in twenty fourteen broke hearts in a different
way with a Belmont performance that saw him finish a
distant fourth after dominating the Derby and Preakness. Chrome, as
his fans lovingly called him, was a California bred gelding
(09:33):
with a fairytale story, owned by two regular guys who
had invested modest money and hit the jackpot with this
talented runner. He'd won seven straight races coming into the Belmont,
looked unbeatable, had captured the public imagination with his consistency
and professionalism, but on Belmont Day he was simply flat,
never fired his best race, couldn't summon the energy needed
(09:55):
to contend in the stretch. Whether it was the accumulated
fatigue of the Triple Crown campaign, the extra distance, or
simply an off day, California Chrome couldn't deliver when it
mattered most, and another Triple Crown dream died on the
Belmont stretch. But here's what makes the Belmont stake such
a perfect final exam for Triple Crown hopefuls. Such an
ideal test of championship medal. When a horse does conquer it,
(10:18):
When a three year old manages to win all three
races and complete the sweep, we know without question that
we've witnessed something extraordinary, something rare, something that deserves to
be called immortal. The Belmont serves as the ultimate validator,
the final proof that separates the truly great from the
merely excellent. Secretariot's nineteen seventy three Belmont performance stands as
(10:41):
perhaps the greatest single race in thoroughbred history, a display
of dominance so complete, so overwhelming, so absolutely breathtaking, that
it still gives n chills decades later. If Big Red
didn't just win the Belmont to complete the triple crown,
he destroyed the field, winning by thirty one links in
a track record time of two minutes and twenty four
(11:01):
seconds flat that still stands today. As Secretariot pulled away
in the stretch opening daylight, that became a gap, that
became a chasm, announcer Cheek Anderson delivered one of the
most famous calls in sports history. Secretariat is moving like
a tremendous machine. And that's exactly what he looked like, folks,
a magnificent red machine that had found another gear, another level,
(11:23):
another dimension of performance that left everyone's slack jawed in amazement.
That Belmont victory didn't just complete the Triple Crown and
announced that racing had witnessed one of the greatest athletes
in any sport, a horse whose brilliance transcended normal boundaries
of excellence. Seattle Slew in nineteen seventy seven became the
first horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated, and
(11:43):
his Belmont victory came after weeks of speculation that he
couldn't handle the distance, that his speed oriented style would
fail over a mile and a half. The skeptics were
silenced when Slew powered to a four length victory, confirming
that when a truly great horse is on their game,
the distance doesn't matter, the pressure doesn't matter, nothing matters
except their determination to win. His Belmont triumph validated his
(12:07):
Derby and Preakness victories and launched a stud career that
would influence thoroughbred breeding for generations. A Firm's nineteen seventy
eight Belmont Stakes provided drama of a different sort, as
he battled his arch rival Aladar through all three Triple
Crown races, with their Belmont showdown serving as the culmination
of one of racing's greatest rivalries. The two coats dueled
(12:29):
through fractions that would have broken ordinary horses, with AlIdar
pressing Affirmed relentlessly, refusing to let him get away, Fighting
for every inch, Afraim dug deep and held on to
win by ahead, completing the Triple Crown in the most
hard fought manner possible, proving that he had not just
the talent, but the heart to be a champion. The
image of those two magnificent horses locked in combat down
(12:51):
the Belmont stretch remains one of racing's most iconic moments.
American Pharaoh's twenty fifteen Belmont Stake's victory ended a drought
that had lasted thirty seven agonizing years, with twelve voses
trying and failing to win the Triple Crown between Affirmed
in nineteen seventy eight and American Pharaoh's breakthrough. The pressure
surrounding that Belmont was enormous, with over ninety thousand fans
(13:15):
packing Belmont Park and millions more watching on television, all
hoping to finally see the Triple crown drought end. When
American Pharaoh turned for home with a clear lead and
jockey Victor of Spinoza went to the whip asking for
that final surge, the crowd erupted with a roar that
seemed to lift the horse to even greater speed. He
won by five and a half lengths, running the final
(13:36):
quarter mile in under twenty four seconds, displaying the kind
of brilliance under pressure that defines true champions. As he
crossed the finish line, the relief and joy that swept
through the racing world was palpable. A collective exhale after
decades of near missus and heartbreak justifies. Twenty eighteen Triple
Crown campaign was remarkable for its compressed timeline, as he
(13:56):
became the first horse since Apollo in eighteen eighty two
to win when the Kentucky Derby without risking as a
two year old. His Bilmont victory came on a sloppy
track with rain creating challenging conditions that he handled with
professional ease, winning by one and three quarter lengths to
become the thirteenth Triple Crown winner. The Big Colt had
proven throughout his brief career that he can handle any distance,
(14:18):
any surface, any conditions thrown at him, and his Belmont
triumph confirmed that when everything clicks, when talent meets opportunity
meets preparation, the Triple Crown is still achievable despite all
its difficulty. The carnation blanket draped over Belmont Stakes winners
carries its own symbolism and tradition, folks. While the Derby
has roses and the Preakness has black Eyed Susan's, the
(14:40):
Belmont winner receives a blanket of white carnations representing more
than a century space precing and marvelous head funded stakers.
The winner also receives the August Belmont Trophy, an impressive
silver bull that becomes a permanent possession, unlike the Derby
and Preakness trophies, which are permanent but remain with their
respective tracks except for brief period. The impact of the
(15:01):
Belmont Stakes on a horse's legacy and breeding value cannot
be overstated, especially when a triple Crown is on the line.
A cult who wins the Triple Crown immediately becomes worth
tens of millions of dollars as a stallion prospect, with
breeding rights selling for astronomical sums before the horse even
retires to stud But even horses who win the Belmont
without completing the triple Crown boost their value significantly as
(15:24):
the race serves as proof of stamina and class that
breeding operations prize highly when evaluating potential stallions. The evolution
of training methods and veterinary care has helped more horses
arrive at the Belmont in condition to seriously challenge for
the Triple Crown. Though the race remains brutally difficult, modern
trainers have access to sophisticated monitoring equipment, advance nutritional programs,
(15:46):
and training facilities that earlier generations could only dream about. Yet,
despite these advantages, the Belmont still claims triple crown dreams
with regularity, still proves too demanding for most horses, still
serves as the ultimate test that separates the immortals from
everyone else. The media coverage of Belmont Stakes day when
a triple Crown is on the line, transforms the race
(16:08):
into a cultural phenomenon that transcends sports, bringing in casual
fans who might never otherwise watch horse racing. The nineteen
seventy three Belmont true television ratings that networks would kill
for today, with households across America tuning in to watch
secretariat attempt history, similar spikes and interest accompanied every subsequent
triple crown attempt, demonstrating that Americans still hunger for witnessing greatness,
(16:31):
still want to see history made, still respond to the
drama of an athlete attempting something extraordinary. The betting handle
on Belmont Stake's day reaches astronomical levels when a triple
crown bid is alive, with millions of dollars waged by
everyone from serious handicappers to first time betters. Caught up
in excitement, many casual betters simply wager on the triple
crown hopeful, regardless of odds, wanting to be part of
(16:54):
the story, wanting to say they backed the horse that
made history. This creates situations where potential triple Crown wins
sometimes go off at ridiculously short odds, with payouts so
small that winning tickets barely cover the cost of a beer,
but nobody cares because they're betting with their hearts rather
than their heads. The aftermath of fail triple crown bids
leaves everyone involved searching for answers, analyzing what went wrong,
(17:17):
wondering if different decisions might have changed the outcome. Trainers
second guess their preparation, jockeys replay the race in their minds,
looking for moments where different tactics might have worked, and
fans debate endlessly about whether their horse was good enough
or simply got unlucky. These what if conversations can last
for years, becoming part of racing lore, adding layers to
(17:38):
the sport's rich tapestry of near misses and might had bins.
The physical recovery needed after a Belmont stake's attempt, successful
or not, often takes months, with horses requiring significant time
off to heal from the accumulated stress of the triple
Crown campaign. Some horses never quite returned to their peak form,
the five weeks having taken too much out of them,
(17:59):
leaving them shato of their former brilliance. This reality adds
another dimension to the triple Crown challenge, as connections must
weigh the glory of potential immortality against the risk of
permanently diminishing their horse's abilities. The strategic decision surrounding the
Belmont when a triple Crown is on the line create
fascinating subplots, as other connections must decide whether to run
(18:20):
their horses against the favorite or skip the race entirely.
Some trainers relish the opportunity to play spoiler, to be
the one who stops the triple Crown bid, knowing that
even a second place finish against the Triple Crown winner
can significantly brisk their horse's value. Others choose to avoid
the race, not wanting to subject their horses to what
amounts to a suicide mission against a potentially historic champion.
(18:44):
The atmosphere at Belmont Park on Triple Crown Day is
electric in ways that are hard to adequately convey folks.
The anticipation builds throughout the afternoon as undercard races are run,
with the crowd growing larger and more excited. As post
time for the Belmont Stakes approaches, the paddock viewing area
becomes packed with fans desperate for a glimpse of the
(19:04):
potential Triple Crown winner. The walking ring buzzes with nervous energy,
and when the field finally emerges onto the track for
the post parade, the war from the crowd is deafening.
As we close out this journey through the Test of champions,
I want you to fully appreciate what the Belmont Stakes
represents and the grand drama of Triple Crown racing. This
isn't just another horse race, isn't just the third light
(19:26):
of a series. Isn't just a mile and a half
around a dirt track in New York. This is the
ultimate proving ground, the race that asks three year old
thoroughbreds to reach deeper than they've ever reached before, to
find courage they didn't know they possessed, to push through
walls of fatigue that would stop ordinary horses dead in
their tracks. The Belmont Stakes is where triple crown dreams
(19:46):
either become glorious reality or die painful deaths, Where champions
are confirmed or exposed, where immortality beckons or disappears like
Morning Mist. It's absolute bedroom, folks, the most dramatic, the
most demanding, most absolutely crucial mile and a half in
American sports. Well, folks, that's all the time we have
for today's exploration of the Belmont Stakes and its role
(20:09):
as racing's ultimate test. Thanks for listening, Please subscribe, and
remember this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please
Podcast Networks. For more content like this, please go to
Quiet Please dot AI. Until next time, this is Marty
Sinclair reminding you that in the sport of kings, the
final test separates the immortals from everyone else, and that's
(20:30):
exactly how it should be. Hold onto your hats, because
racing history is made or broken on the Belmont stretch. Quiet,
please dot Ai hear what matters.
Welcome back, racing fanatics, dreamers and lovers of high stakes drama.
This is Marty Sinclair, your AI host, with total recall
of every thrilling stride, every heartbreaking stumble, every glorious triumph
in racing history. And now, my friends, now we arrive
at the ultimate test, the crusher, the dream maker and
(00:20):
dream breaker that has humbled more champions than any other
race in American sports. Welcome to episode three of Triple Crown,
and today we're talking about Belmont Stakes, the Test of champions.
So settle in, hold on to your hats, and prepare
yourself for a story about the one and a half
miles that separate the immortals from everyone else. Let me
(00:41):
tell you something about Belmont Park that'll make your appreciation
for this magnificent venue sore to New Heights folks. Located
in Elmont, New York, right on the border of Queen's
in Nassau County, Belmont Park opened its gates in nineteen
oh five, and from the very beginning it was designed
to be something special, thing grand, something worthy of hosting
(01:02):
racing's most important tests. The main track at Belmont is
the largest dirt thoroughbred racing oval in North America, a
sweeping expanse that measures a mile and a half around,
and when you stand at the finish line and look
back toward that first turn, the sheer scope of it
all takes your breath away, like standing at the base
of a mountain and contemplating the climb ahead. The Belmont
(01:22):
Stakes itself predates the current Belmont Park facility, first run
way back in eighteen sixty seven at Jerome Park in
the Bronx, making it the oldest of the Triple Crown races.
The grandfather of this magnificent trio, the race that was
testing champions before the Derby and Preakness even existed. It's
named after August Belmont Senior, a finance here and sportsman
(01:44):
who played a crucial role in establishing thoroughbred racing in America,
and over the decades, it has earned nicknames that tell
you everything you need to know about its character. The
Test of the Champion, the Run for the Carmatans, and
my personal favorite, folks, the Big Sandy, referring to that
enormous dirt surface that has swallowed up so many Triple
(02:05):
Crown dreams. Now Here's where we get to the heart
of what makes the Belmont Stakes the most punishing, the
most demanding, the most absolutely brutal test in American racing.
And it all comes down to one simple, terrible, magnificent fact.
The distance. Hold onto your hats. History is knocking. While
the Kentucky Derby runs at a mile and a quarter
(02:26):
and the Preakness at a mile in three sixteenths, the
Belmont Stakes demands that three year old thoroughbreds, many of
whom have never run beyond a mile and a quarter
in their lives, suddenly dig deep and find the stamina
to cover a full mile and a half. That's twelve furlongs, folks,
seventy two hundred feet two four hundred yards of racing
that tests every fiber of a horse's being. Think about
(02:48):
what we're really asking these magnificent animals to accomplish here,
my friends, and let the full weight of it sink
into your consciousness. These horses are only three years old,
still maturing physically and mentally, and they've already run them
the most important race of their lives five weeks earlier
at Churchill Downs, then backed it up two weeks later
with another maximum effort at Pimlico. Their bodies have been
(03:09):
subjected to incredible stress, their minds have endured crushing pressure,
and now, with just three weeks to recover from the Preakness,
we're asking them to run the longest, most demanding race
they've ever faced. It's like asking a college basketball player
to join the NBA Finals, play every game at maximum intensity,
and oh, by the way, we're extending the fourth quarter
(03:31):
to an hour long just to see if you can
handle it. The physical demands of the Belmont distance are
staggering when you break them down, absolutely staggering. At the
highest levels of thoroughbred racing, horses are bred and trained
primarily for speed over distances of a mile to a
mile and a quarter. That's the sweet spot where the
perfect combination of speed and stamina intersects, where the fastest
(03:53):
horses in the world operate at peak efficiency. But the
Belmont pushes beyond that comfort zone, demanding reserves of stamina
that many horses simply don't possess, revealing limitations that might
never have been exposed at shorter distances. A horse running
the Belmont Stakes will take approximately two thousand strides from
start to finish, each one pounding their legs with forces
(04:15):
equivalent to several times their body weight. Their heart rate
will stay elevated at near maximum levels for over two
and a half minutes, pumping massive amounts of blood to
muscles screaming for oxygen. Their respiratory system will process enormous
volumes of air as they gop breath after breath while
maintaining racing speed, and their minds, oh, their magnificent minds
(04:36):
must stay focused and determined even as fatigue screens at
them to slow down, to ease up, to stop fighting.
The Belmont track itself contributes to the racist brutal difficulty
in ways that go beyond just the distance folks. That
massive sweeping oval means the turns are more gradual than
at tighter tracks, which sounds like it would make things easier,
but it actually creates its own challenges. Horses must maintain
(05:00):
racing speed through longer turns, can't use the centrifugal force
of tight turns to slingshot pass competitors, and must sustain
their effort without the brief respites that shorter straightaways on
smaller tracks provide. The stretch run at Belmont is enormous,
giving horses who have conserved energy a chance to make
late runs, but also extending the agony for horses who
(05:20):
have used up their stamina too early in a race.
The mental pressure surrounding the Belmont Stakes when a triple
Crown is on the line, reaches levels that would crush
ordinary mortals. And I'm talking about everyone involved here, not
just the horses. The jockey sitting on a potential triple
Crown winner as they approach the Belmont carries the weight
of history on their shoulders, knowing that millions are watching,
(05:41):
that their every decision will be analyzed for decades, that
one wrong move could cost their mouth to place an immortality.
The trainer has to manage their horse through three more
weeks of training while the world watches every workout, questions
every decision, and builds expectations to impossible heights. The owners
must project confidence while their stomachs churn with anxiety, must
(06:03):
smile for cameras while internally terrified that something will go wrong.
And the horse, that magnificent animal who has no concept
of the triple crowd, or historical significance, or what riding
into the record book's means, must simply dig deeper than
they've ever dug before. Must find courage they didn't know
they possessed, must want to win badly enough to push
(06:23):
through fatigue that would stop lesser competitors. It's absolute bedlam, folks,
pure psychological warfare, played out on a dirt track in
front of the largest crowd of the year. Now, let
me take you through some of the most heartbreaking, most agonizing,
most cruelly dramatic Bellmont Stakes finishes that have crushed Triple
Crown dreams and left racing fans weeping into the programs,
(06:44):
because these moments define what the test of champions really means.
These aren't just races that were lost. They're dreams that
died in the stretch, hopes that evaporated in the final
furlong moments when inertality slipped through grasping fingers like water.
Real Quiet and Night ninety eight gave us perhaps the
most painful near miss and triple Crown estuary, a finish
(07:04):
so close, so agonizing, so absolutely heartbreaking that it still
brings tears to the eyes of racing fans who remember
that June afternoon, Real Quiet had won the Derby in
Preakness with determination and grit, had proven himself a legitimate
champion and came to Belmont with a real shot at immortality.
As the field thundered into the stretch, Real Quiet held
(07:26):
a small lead, was digging in gamely, was fighting for
every inch. His jockey, Kent Desormal, was riding with everything
he had, asking his mouth for one more surge, one
more burst of speed. But here came Victory Gallop, a
horse who had finished second in both the Darby and Preakness,
making one final desperate lunge at the wire. The two
(07:46):
horses hit the finish line together and for a moment,
for one glorious, terrible moment, no one knew who had won.
The photo finish revealed the crushing truth. Victory Galloped by
a nose, the smallest possible margin, the cruelest feet imaginable.
Real Quiet had come within inches of triple crown Glory.
Had run his heart out, had given everything he had,
(08:07):
and it wasn't quite enough. Smarty Jones in two thousand
and four seemed absolutely destined for triple crown. Glory. Folks,
this undefeated cult had captured America's heart with his front
running style, his warrior's courage, and his rags to richest
story that included surviving a fractured skull. As a young horse,
He'd won the Derby by three lengths, captured the Preakness
(08:28):
by a record setting eleven and a half lengths, and
came to Belmont as the overwhelming favorite, the People's champion,
the horse that simply couldn't lose. The crowd at Belmont
Park that day numbered over one hundred twenty thousand, the
largest attendants in the race's history, all of them believing
they were about to witness history. Smarty Jones went to
the lead as expected, was running his race, was doing
(08:49):
everything right. But in the stretch, as fatigue began to
set in, here came Birdstone, a thirty six to one
long shot who had never won a grated stakes race,
who had no business competing with smarter Jones. The roar
of the crowd turned to gasps of disbelief as Birdstone
swept past Smarty Jones in the final furlong, winning by
length and shattering dreams of a triple crown. Smarty Jones
(09:12):
had run himself into exhaustion, giving everything he had, but
the Belmont distance had proven just slightly beyond his capabilities.
California Chrome in twenty fourteen broke hearts in a different
way with a Belmont performance that saw him finish a
distant fourth after dominating the Derby and Preakness. Chrome, as
his fans lovingly called him, was a California bred gelding
(09:33):
with a fairytale story, owned by two regular guys who
had invested modest money and hit the jackpot with this
talented runner. He'd won seven straight races coming into the Belmont,
looked unbeatable, had captured the public imagination with his consistency
and professionalism, but on Belmont Day he was simply flat,
never fired his best race, couldn't summon the energy needed
(09:55):
to contend in the stretch. Whether it was the accumulated
fatigue of the Triple Crown campaign, the extra distance, or
simply an off day, California Chrome couldn't deliver when it
mattered most, and another Triple Crown dream died on the
Belmont stretch. But here's what makes the Belmont stake such
a perfect final exam for Triple Crown hopefuls. Such an
ideal test of championship medal. When a horse does conquer it,
(10:18):
When a three year old manages to win all three
races and complete the sweep, we know without question that
we've witnessed something extraordinary, something rare, something that deserves to
be called immortal. The Belmont serves as the ultimate validator,
the final proof that separates the truly great from the
merely excellent. Secretariot's nineteen seventy three Belmont performance stands as
(10:41):
perhaps the greatest single race in thoroughbred history, a display
of dominance so complete, so overwhelming, so absolutely breathtaking, that
it still gives n chills decades later. If Big Red
didn't just win the Belmont to complete the triple crown,
he destroyed the field, winning by thirty one links in
a track record time of two minutes and twenty four
(11:01):
seconds flat that still stands today. As Secretariot pulled away
in the stretch opening daylight, that became a gap, that
became a chasm, announcer Cheek Anderson delivered one of the
most famous calls in sports history. Secretariat is moving like
a tremendous machine. And that's exactly what he looked like, folks,
a magnificent red machine that had found another gear, another level,
(11:23):
another dimension of performance that left everyone's slack jawed in amazement.
That Belmont victory didn't just complete the Triple Crown and
announced that racing had witnessed one of the greatest athletes
in any sport, a horse whose brilliance transcended normal boundaries
of excellence. Seattle Slew in nineteen seventy seven became the
first horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated, and
(11:43):
his Belmont victory came after weeks of speculation that he
couldn't handle the distance, that his speed oriented style would
fail over a mile and a half. The skeptics were
silenced when Slew powered to a four length victory, confirming
that when a truly great horse is on their game,
the distance doesn't matter, the pressure doesn't matter, nothing matters
except their determination to win. His Belmont triumph validated his
(12:07):
Derby and Preakness victories and launched a stud career that
would influence thoroughbred breeding for generations. A Firm's nineteen seventy
eight Belmont Stakes provided drama of a different sort, as
he battled his arch rival Aladar through all three Triple
Crown races, with their Belmont showdown serving as the culmination
of one of racing's greatest rivalries. The two coats dueled
(12:29):
through fractions that would have broken ordinary horses, with AlIdar
pressing Affirmed relentlessly, refusing to let him get away, Fighting
for every inch, Afraim dug deep and held on to
win by ahead, completing the Triple Crown in the most
hard fought manner possible, proving that he had not just
the talent, but the heart to be a champion. The
image of those two magnificent horses locked in combat down
(12:51):
the Belmont stretch remains one of racing's most iconic moments.
American Pharaoh's twenty fifteen Belmont Stake's victory ended a drought
that had lasted thirty seven agonizing years, with twelve voses
trying and failing to win the Triple Crown between Affirmed
in nineteen seventy eight and American Pharaoh's breakthrough. The pressure
surrounding that Belmont was enormous, with over ninety thousand fans
(13:15):
packing Belmont Park and millions more watching on television, all
hoping to finally see the Triple crown drought end. When
American Pharaoh turned for home with a clear lead and
jockey Victor of Spinoza went to the whip asking for
that final surge, the crowd erupted with a roar that
seemed to lift the horse to even greater speed. He
won by five and a half lengths, running the final
(13:36):
quarter mile in under twenty four seconds, displaying the kind
of brilliance under pressure that defines true champions. As he
crossed the finish line, the relief and joy that swept
through the racing world was palpable. A collective exhale after
decades of near missus and heartbreak justifies. Twenty eighteen Triple
Crown campaign was remarkable for its compressed timeline, as he
(13:56):
became the first horse since Apollo in eighteen eighty two
to win when the Kentucky Derby without risking as a
two year old. His Bilmont victory came on a sloppy
track with rain creating challenging conditions that he handled with
professional ease, winning by one and three quarter lengths to
become the thirteenth Triple Crown winner. The Big Colt had
proven throughout his brief career that he can handle any distance,
(14:18):
any surface, any conditions thrown at him, and his Belmont
triumph confirmed that when everything clicks, when talent meets opportunity
meets preparation, the Triple Crown is still achievable despite all
its difficulty. The carnation blanket draped over Belmont Stakes winners
carries its own symbolism and tradition, folks. While the Derby
has roses and the Preakness has black Eyed Susan's, the
(14:40):
Belmont winner receives a blanket of white carnations representing more
than a century space precing and marvelous head funded stakers.
The winner also receives the August Belmont Trophy, an impressive
silver bull that becomes a permanent possession, unlike the Derby
and Preakness trophies, which are permanent but remain with their
respective tracks except for brief period. The impact of the
(15:01):
Belmont Stakes on a horse's legacy and breeding value cannot
be overstated, especially when a triple Crown is on the line.
A cult who wins the Triple Crown immediately becomes worth
tens of millions of dollars as a stallion prospect, with
breeding rights selling for astronomical sums before the horse even
retires to stud But even horses who win the Belmont
without completing the triple Crown boost their value significantly as
(15:24):
the race serves as proof of stamina and class that
breeding operations prize highly when evaluating potential stallions. The evolution
of training methods and veterinary care has helped more horses
arrive at the Belmont in condition to seriously challenge for
the Triple Crown. Though the race remains brutally difficult, modern
trainers have access to sophisticated monitoring equipment, advance nutritional programs,
(15:46):
and training facilities that earlier generations could only dream about. Yet,
despite these advantages, the Belmont still claims triple crown dreams
with regularity, still proves too demanding for most horses, still
serves as the ultimate test that separates the immortals from
everyone else. The media coverage of Belmont Stakes day when
a triple Crown is on the line, transforms the race
(16:08):
into a cultural phenomenon that transcends sports, bringing in casual
fans who might never otherwise watch horse racing. The nineteen
seventy three Belmont true television ratings that networks would kill
for today, with households across America tuning in to watch
secretariat attempt history, similar spikes and interest accompanied every subsequent
triple crown attempt, demonstrating that Americans still hunger for witnessing greatness,
(16:31):
still want to see history made, still respond to the
drama of an athlete attempting something extraordinary. The betting handle
on Belmont Stake's day reaches astronomical levels when a triple
crown bid is alive, with millions of dollars waged by
everyone from serious handicappers to first time betters. Caught up
in excitement, many casual betters simply wager on the triple
crown hopeful, regardless of odds, wanting to be part of
(16:54):
the story, wanting to say they backed the horse that
made history. This creates situations where potential triple Crown wins
sometimes go off at ridiculously short odds, with payouts so
small that winning tickets barely cover the cost of a beer,
but nobody cares because they're betting with their hearts rather
than their heads. The aftermath of fail triple crown bids
leaves everyone involved searching for answers, analyzing what went wrong,
(17:17):
wondering if different decisions might have changed the outcome. Trainers
second guess their preparation, jockeys replay the race in their minds,
looking for moments where different tactics might have worked, and
fans debate endlessly about whether their horse was good enough
or simply got unlucky. These what if conversations can last
for years, becoming part of racing lore, adding layers to
(17:38):
the sport's rich tapestry of near misses and might had bins.
The physical recovery needed after a Belmont stake's attempt, successful
or not, often takes months, with horses requiring significant time
off to heal from the accumulated stress of the triple
Crown campaign. Some horses never quite returned to their peak form,
the five weeks having taken too much out of them,
(17:59):
leaving them shato of their former brilliance. This reality adds
another dimension to the triple Crown challenge, as connections must
weigh the glory of potential immortality against the risk of
permanently diminishing their horse's abilities. The strategic decision surrounding the
Belmont when a triple Crown is on the line create
fascinating subplots, as other connections must decide whether to run
(18:20):
their horses against the favorite or skip the race entirely.
Some trainers relish the opportunity to play spoiler, to be
the one who stops the triple Crown bid, knowing that
even a second place finish against the Triple Crown winner
can significantly brisk their horse's value. Others choose to avoid
the race, not wanting to subject their horses to what
amounts to a suicide mission against a potentially historic champion.
(18:44):
The atmosphere at Belmont Park on Triple Crown Day is
electric in ways that are hard to adequately convey folks.
The anticipation builds throughout the afternoon as undercard races are run,
with the crowd growing larger and more excited. As post
time for the Belmont Stakes approaches, the paddock viewing area
becomes packed with fans desperate for a glimpse of the
(19:04):
potential Triple Crown winner. The walking ring buzzes with nervous energy,
and when the field finally emerges onto the track for
the post parade, the war from the crowd is deafening.
As we close out this journey through the Test of champions,
I want you to fully appreciate what the Belmont Stakes
represents and the grand drama of Triple Crown racing. This
isn't just another horse race, isn't just the third light
(19:26):
of a series. Isn't just a mile and a half
around a dirt track in New York. This is the
ultimate proving ground, the race that asks three year old
thoroughbreds to reach deeper than they've ever reached before, to
find courage they didn't know they possessed, to push through
walls of fatigue that would stop ordinary horses dead in
their tracks. The Belmont Stakes is where triple crown dreams
(19:46):
either become glorious reality or die painful deaths, Where champions
are confirmed or exposed, where immortality beckons or disappears like
Morning Mist. It's absolute bedroom, folks, the most dramatic, the
most demanding, most absolutely crucial mile and a half in
American sports. Well, folks, that's all the time we have
for today's exploration of the Belmont Stakes and its role
(20:09):
as racing's ultimate test. Thanks for listening, Please subscribe, and
remember this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please
Podcast Networks. For more content like this, please go to
Quiet Please dot AI. Until next time, this is Marty
Sinclair reminding you that in the sport of kings, the
final test separates the immortals from everyone else, and that's
(20:30):
exactly how it should be. Hold onto your hats, because
racing history is made or broken on the Belmont stretch. Quiet,
please dot Ai hear what matters.
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