2006 Belmont Stakes

Last updated
138th Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Location Belmont Park
Elmont, New York, U.S.
DateJune 10, 2006
Distance1+12 mi (12 furlongs; 2,414 m)
Winning horse Jazil
Winning time2:27.86
Final odds6.20 (to 1)
Jockey Fernando Jara
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin
OwnerShadwell Stable
Conditions Fast [1]
SurfaceDirt
  2005
2007  

The 2006 Belmont Stakes was the 138th running of the Belmont Stakes. The race was held on June 10, 2006, and was won by Jazil; it was his second victory in eight career starts. The winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes did not compete. [2]

Contents

Pre-race

The 2006 Triple Crown series was marred by the injury of Barbaro, the brilliant winner of the Kentucky Derby, during the Preakness Stakes. In the following weeks, Barbaro had undergone surgery for a broken right ankle and was given a good chance at survival. On the day of the Belmont, the world's largest get-well card was set up for fans to sign – roughly 20,000 people did so. [3] [4]

The field for the Belmont was further weakened when Preakness winner Bernardini was not entered in the race. The colt had three races in quick succession and his connections felt he needed a break. [5] It was the first time since 2000 that both the Derby and Preakness winners were missing from the Belmont. The last time before that had been in 1970. [6]

With the absence of Barbaro and Bernardini, the race was considered wide open. Trainer Todd Pletcher had a strong hand with Kentucky Derby runner-up Bluegrass Cat and Peter Pan winner Sunriver. [5] Bob and John, who had won the Wood Memorial earlier in the year, had trained brilliantly at Santa Anita, while Steppenwolfer had put in a "spectacular" workout at Belmont. Jazil, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, was also given a good chance after his late-closing fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby despite having only won one race. [7]

Race description

Bob and John broke well and set a quick early pace, followed closely by High Finance and Deputy Glitters. Bluegrass Cat was not far behind the early leaders, while Jazil trailed the field. The horses maintained their positions down the backstretch, then Jazil and Bluegrass Cat started to make up ground together around the far turn. The early leaders started to fall back and Jazil pulled into the lead. Bluegrass Cat could not match Jazil's pace but was clearly second best. Sunriver made up ground late to get third place. [8]

It was the first Belmont win for all of Jazil's connections. "It is very hard to describe my feeling," said McLaughlin. "The people at Shadwell have been my biggest supporters for the last 12 years. It's great to win this race for your favorite people." [8]

Chart

FinishProgram
Number
HorseMargin
(lengths)
JockeyTrainerPost Time OddsWinnings
1st8 Jazil 1+14 Fernando Jara Kiaran McLaughlin 6.20600,000
2nd9 Bluegrass Cat 2+14 John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 4.90200,000
3rd2 Sunriver 1+14 Rafael Bejarano Todd Pletcher 6.00110,000
4th11 Steppenwolfer 5 Robby Albarado Daniel Pietz4.8060,000
5th6Oh So Awesome2 Mike E. Smith James A. Jerkens 12.0030,000
6th3Hemingway's Key4+12 Jeremy Rose Nick Zito 15.10
7th1Platinum Couple2+12 Jose L. Espinoza Joseph Lostritto38.00
8th4 Bob and John 4+14 Garrett K. Gomez Bob Baffert 4.70
9th12 Sacred Light 6+12 Victor Espinoza David Hofmans 26.50
10th5High Finance11+14 Eibar Coa Richard Violette Jr.10.40
11th7 Deputy Glitters Edgar Prado Thomas Albertrani 12.20
DNF [lower-alpha 1] 10Double Galore Mike Luzzi Myung Kwon Cho46.75

Source: Equibase [1]
Times:14 – 0:23.02; 12 – 0:47.36; 34 – 1:12.14; mile – 1:37.53; 1+14 – 2:02.69; final – 2:27.86.
Fractional Splits: (:23.02) (:24.34) (:24.78) (:25.39) (:25.16) (:25.17) [1]

Payout

138th Belmont Payout Schedule: [1]

Program
Number
HorseWinPlaceShow
8 Jazil 14.406.704.70
9 Bluegrass Cat 6.404.70
2 Sunriver 6.10

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preakness Stakes</span> American stakes race for Thoroughbreds, part of the Triple Crown

The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Preakness Stakes is a Grade I race run over a distance of 1+316 miles on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies 121 pounds (55 kg). It is the second jewel of the Triple Crown, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funny Cide</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse (2000–2023)

Funny Cide was an American Thoroughbred champion racehorse who won the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He was the first New York-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He was a popular horse and remained a fan favorite in retirement at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Afleet Alex is an American thoroughbred race horse who, in 2005, won two of America's classic races, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. He is owned by the Cash Is King Stable partnership, was trained by Tim Ritchey and was ridden by Jeremy Rose. In twelve lifetime starts, Alex won eight times, placed twice, and came in third once over 12 starts, for lifetime earnings of $2,765,800.

Bluegrass Cat is an American thoroughbred race horse. Although he won several major stakes races, he is best known for finishing second in both the 2006 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War Emblem</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

War Emblem was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Given</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse (1988–2023)

Point Given was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2001 American Horse of the Year. That year, he won the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Haskell Invitational, and Travers Stakes, becoming the first horse ever to win four $1 million races in a row. The only time he finished out of the money was in the 2001 Kentucky Derby, where he ran fifth. Point Given was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010.

Bernardini was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2006 Preakness Stakes and Travers Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Brown (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Big Brown is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2008 Kentucky Derby and 2008 Preakness Stakes and was the 2008 Champion Three-Year-Old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Belmont Stakes</span> 140th running of the Belmont Stakes

The 2008 Belmont Stakes was the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes. The race was won by Da'Tara, who led the race wire to wire. Da'Tara went off at 38–1 odds, making the win a monumental upset. Entrants included the favorite, winner of both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, Big Brown, but he eased on last place, a first for any Triple Crown hopeful. A win by Big Brown would have marked the first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. Other entrants were Derby runners Denis of Cork, Tale of Ekati, and Anak Nakal; Preakness runner up Macho Again and third-place finisher Icabad Crane; and Peter Pan runner, Ready's Echo. The sire of Anak Nakal, Victory Gallop, is a Belmont winner, while Casino Drive has two Belmont-winning siblings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Kentucky Derby</span> 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby

The 2006 Kentucky Derby was the 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 6, 2006, and was won by Barbaro. There was a crowd of 157,532 in attendance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyquist (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Nyquist is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2016 Kentucky Derby and 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, only the second horse to complete the Juvenile-Derby double. He became the eighth undefeated winner of the Kentucky Derby, and the first since Big Brown in 2008. He received the 2015 Eclipse Award for Champion Two-Year-Old. He is the second Kentucky Derby winner after Morvich to win the race while undefeated after winning Champion Two Year Old the year before, and then never winning again.

The 2005 Belmont Stakes was the 137th running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1+12-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion" and sometimes called the "final jewel" in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown series. It was held on June 11, 2005, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby.

The 2004 Belmont Stakes was the 136th running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1+12-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion" and sometimes called the "final jewel" in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown series, was held on June 5, 2004, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby.

The 2003 Belmont Stakes was the 135th running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1+12-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion" and sometimes called the "final jewel" in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown series, was held on June 7, 2003, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby.

The 2002 Belmont Stakes was the 134th running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1+12-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion" and sometimes called the "final jewel" in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown series, was held on June 8, 2002, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby.

The 2001 Belmont Stakes was the 133rd running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1+12-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion" and sometimes called the "final jewel" in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown series, was held on June 9, 2001, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby.

The 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 31st running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2014 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 1, 2014 at Santa Anita race track in Arcadia, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing</span> The four major races thoroughbred races

The Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing is an informal name for winning four major Thoroughbred horse races in one season in the United States. The term has been applied to two configurations of races, both of which include the races of the Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes—and either the Travers Stakes or the Breeders' Cup Classic as the final race.

Tiz the Law is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2020 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes. He was the first New York-bred horse to win the Belmont since Forester in 1882. He also won the 2019 Champagne Stakes and 2020 Florida Derby, and came second in the 2020 Kentucky Derby.

The 2022 Belmont Stakes was the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes and the 111th time the event would take place at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The 1+12-mile (2,410 m) race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final leg in the American Triple Crown, open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds. The race was won by Mo Donegal.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Chart of the 2006 Belmont Stakes". equibase.com. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  2. "Steady rally gives Jazil a victory in Belmont Stakes". sports.espn.go.com. June 11, 2006. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  3. "20,000 at Belmont Sign Giant Card for Barbaro". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  4. O'Meara, Brendan. "Triumph and Tragedy of Barbaro's Fateful Triple Crown Run, 10 Years Later". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  5. 1 2 Finley, Bill (25 May 2006). "Without Bernardini, A Starless Belmont". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  6. Haskin, Steve. "Lacking Derby, Preakness Winners, Belmont Shaping Up as Competitive Race". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  7. Haskin, Steve. "Belmont Report: Baffling Belmont a Bettor's Bonanza". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  8. 1 2 Mitchell, Ron. "18-Year-Old Jara Guides Jazil to Belmont Victory". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  1. Did Not Finish