The 2025 Belmont Stakes
The 2025 Belmont Stakes – held once again at Saratoga Race Course while Belmont Park is being completely rebuilt brings to an end (no sighs of relief allowed!) this year’s missives from Your Faithful Correspondent (YFC).
Maybe.
Ha-ha. Just kidding.
This year’s Belmont represents a reunion of the winners of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes – Sovereignty and Journalism. Much heated discussion has taken place in the racing world this year over whether or not the spacing of these Triple Crown races should be lengthened to accommodate those who complain the races are too close together for their charges.
Well, in a crazy confluence of reunions and scheduling issues, the powers that be have committed a nearly unpardonable sin – YFC’s 50th high school reunion is scheduled to begin right around post time for the Belmont Stakes.
I know what you’re thinking – wait a second, I thought YFC was still in junior high based on the so-called humor. Nope – instead it’s more like YFC is the “I won’t grow up” Peter Pan type.
Which leads me to my long-shot selection for this year’s Belmont. Hill Road, winner of this year’s Peter Pan Stakes, traditionally used as a prep race for the Belmont, should benefit from a fast early pace likely to be set by Rodriguez and Crudo.
Rodriguez was a scratch for the Kentucky Derby after developing a crack in his foot prior to the race. Trainer Bob Baffert claims he is well healed – and well heeled – now and ready for the demanding mile and a quarter test on Saturday but one has to wonder if being pressed on the pace might just test that foot.
Crudo, owned in part by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, will look to be cooking on the front end right alongside Rodriguez. A sizzling early pace almost guarantees the race setting up for a closer, despite the well-earned reputation for the main track at Saratoga primarily benefitting speed horses in longer races. Rodriguez and Crudo won’t be wok-ing on the front end.
The 1, 2 and 3 finishers of the Kentucky Derby Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza are going to be hard to deny. Any one of those three is a likely winner, although the odds on Sovereignty and Journalism are likely to be short. Baeza will likely present the best value of those three. His strong 6 furlong work at Santa Anita preparing for the Belmont says this guy is ready.
You know who’s not ready? Heart of Honor flew 7,000 + miles for a drubbing in Kentucky on Derby day. Maybe the purse for the 8th place finisher this Saturday covers the shipping costs. That’s the only reason for running this horse here.
Uncaged goes out for owner Mike Repole, sports drink entrepreneur and thoroughbred racing devotee. Mike might have wanted to keep this one in his cage rather than sending him out against this crew. No amount of Vitamin Water is going to put this guy in the winner’s circle.
Hill Road is a confirmed late running type for trainer Chad Brown, who grew up within shouting distance of Saratoga Race Course. Winning here means a great deal to Chad and he may have found a good spot here.
Selections
Going to fool around in the trifecta pool here. Most observers seem inclined to think that the 1,2,3 finishes in the Derby will fill those slots again, perhaps not in the same order. YFC is hoping that one of the trio of Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza finishes out of the money while Hill Road crashes the board. If that happens, YFC will be buying the drinks all night for his high school mates.
Ha-ha again. Obviously kidding! Good luck and hold all tickets!
