Word: belmonte
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...Belmont Stakes will be run on June 7th, 15 miles from New York City at Elmont, Long Island. Will Majestic Prince become the ninth winner of the Triple Crown Trophy, joining Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), and Citation (1948)? It seems unlikely, for Majestic Prince has been scratched from the race by his trainer John Longden. Longden said that he did this out of consideration for the horse. One tends to believe that it is Mr. Longden's reputation that is at stake...
...Derby is a mile-and-a-quarter, the Preakness is a mile-and-three-sixteenths, and the Belmont is a mile-and-a-half. The extra quarter-mile of ground makes a lot of difference...
Clearly Johnny Longden feels that Majestic Prince might not win the Belmont. Perhaps the horse is sore or cannot go the distance or both. We can discount Johnny's earlier statements about this horse being as good as Count Fleet. The Immortal Count won the Derby by 3 lengths, the Preakness by 8 lengths, and the Belmont by an incredible 25 lengths...
Longden asserted that the Count's short career as a race horse can be directly attributed to his single effort at a mile-and-a-half, thus justifying scratching Majestic Prince from the Belmont. Perhaps Count Fleet's fifteen races as a two-year-old contributed more to his unsoundness than his six races at three. Longden and Majestic Prince seem to be quitting a Channel swim in full stroke a mile from shore, but they are quitting winners. Anyway everybody knows that Mom, Apple Pie, and Undefeated Triple Crown Winners are just a mirage...
Without Majestic Prince, how does the Belmont shape up? There are three logical contenders. Dike ran down on his heels in the Derby. He is a one-run horse bred for distance who skipped the Preakness to heal and rest. He and/or his stablemate Jay Ray (third in the Preakness) have a shot at winning. 30 per cent chance...