Word: alydar
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Dates: during 1978-1978
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...thrilling races in the history of the sport. They measured up to the demanding 1½-mile Belmont Stakes-"test of the champions" -and moved into the most select circle of racing royalty. Affirmed's honor was made grander still by the rousing challenge of his gallant rival, Alydar, who shadowed Harbor View Farm's chestnut in lockstep around the graceful, sweeping turns and down the long, open straightaways of New York's Belmont Park. At the wire, Affirmed won this race of matchless drama by a head...
...five-horse field got away cleanly, Cauthen steering Affirmed into an immediate, if slow-paced lead. Alydar's trainer, John Veitch, had feared a repeat of Affirmed's easy gallop on the lead at the Preakness and planned to up the pace if Cauthen tried to lope off with the race once more. Said Veitch: "Alydar will be Affirmed's shadow...
...second turn, with slightly less than a mile to run, Jockey Jorge Velasquez moved Alydar up on the outside and parked his big, handsome colt on Affirmed's right shoulder. Down the long backstretch the two colts ran stride for stride, coats glistening in the big move to the finish. The field was already left far behind. Affirmed and Alydar flew out of the final turn and into the home stretch, driving for the wire, joined in desperate struggle. With 3/16 of a mile to go, Alydar pushed in front by a nose, but Affirmed, running now on heart...
...precision, he then cut the pace, lulling the field into marching to his drumbeat. Affirmed ran the first half-mile in a plater-slow 47 3/5 sec., Cauthen actually managing to rate, or husband, his horse while loping on the lead. Thus, when Jorge Velasquez pushed Calumet Farm's Alydar into his stretch surge, Affirmed was rested and ready to run. Said Cauthen simply: "He came up and set his horse down in the lane and I set mine down. Mine won." Affirmed flashed across the finish in 1 min. 54 2/5sec.?just 2/5 sec. short of the track...
From then on, Affirmed ran as though he knew the race was his. Cauthen was not so sure: "I was waiting for the other horse [Alydar] to come, but he never did, so I started riding my horse. His ears pricked up and he picked up. It went real smooth." After a perfect ride from his jockey and a few flicks of the whip, Affirmed eased home the winner in as relaxed and smart a race as Derby fans have seen in years...