Word: belmonte
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Coastal upsets Spectacular Bid in the Belmont...
Since Sir Barton first won the Triple Crown of American Thoroughbred racing in 1919, eight horses have captured the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, only to have their hopes founder over the grueling 1½-mile distance of the Belmont Stakes. So it happened in 1969, when Majestic Prince, a handsome and bighearted chestnut, was unable to stave off the wearying effects of his hard campaign for the Crown and was beaten by Arts and Letters. Majestic Prince never raced again. But last Saturday his son Coastal came to the Belmont and avenged his father's defeat, dashing...
...marvelous race by the inexperienced colt and his veteran jockey, Ruben Hernandez. Coastal had raced but three times this year after an eye injury late in his two-year-old season forced a long layoff. He was fresh and ready to run the Belmont distance, and run he did. Hernandez held him off the lead through the first mile of the race, rating him gently behind the leaders, well outside of traffic. Meanwhile, Spectacular Bid's jockey, Ron Franklin, pushed his colt to the front as the horses moved out of the clubhouse turn and into the long backstretch...
...once Secretariat broke the spell in 1973, there followed in quick succession a parade of superhorses. Seattle Slew won the title in 1977, Affirmed last year, and this year Spectacular Bid is the favorite to capture the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and, with it, the coveted Triple Crown. The new question: Why are there suddenly so many champions...
...quarter-century between Citation and Secretariat, the vagaries of racing luck saw six horses win the first two races of the Triple Crown, only to falter over the 1 ½-mile course of the Belmont Stakes. In 1958 Tim Tarn was leading the field with one-eighth mile to run when he broke his leg. In the 1953 Kentucky Derby, Native Dancer was bumped and then forced to go so far outside that he could have stopped for a mint julep in the clubhouse. He won the Preakness and the Belmont, but his Triple Crown was lost. Nashua, Needles, Damascus...