BELMONT STAKES

Here, below (thanks to NBC) is a video of the running of the Belmont States.

It was an exciting race, with RULER ON ICE (an unheralded longshot, but with top ancestry -- he's the grandson of Fusaichi Pegasus, the 2000 Kentucky Derby winner) coming in first, followed closely by the next two finishers, STAY THIRSTY and BRILLIANT SPEED.

The race was decided only in the last few seconds, with Shackleford, winner of the Preakness, leading most of the race, but then fading to fifth in the final quarter mile. Animal Kingdom, the Kentucky Derby winner and Monzon bumped into each other shortly after the start of the race, nearly unseating jockey John Velazquez on Animal Kingdom, and almost dumping the horse. After horse and rider recovered, Animal Kingdom made a race for the front, but only reached sixth place.

RESULTS AT THE FINISH OF THE BELMONT

 1 - RULER ON ICE (#3) 24-1
 2 - STAY THIRSTY (#2)
 3 - BRILLIANT SPEED (#5)
 4 - NEHRO
 5 - Shackleford
 6 - Animal Kingdom
 7 - Mucho Macho Man
 8 - Santiva
 9 - Monzon
10 - Master of Hounds
11 - Prime Cut
12 - Isn't He Perfect

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LINKS

QPORIT - ON THE PREAKNESS
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2011/05/preakness.html

QPORIT - ON THE KENTUCKY DERBY
AFTER: http://qporit.blogspot.com/2011/05/kentucky-derby-2011.html
BEFORE: http://qporit.blogspot.com/2010/05/mint-julep-for-kentucky-derby-2010.html

RULER ON ICE - RACING NATION
http://www.horseracingnation.com/horse/Ruler_On_Ice

FUSAICHI PEGASUS - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusaichi_Pegasus

OFFICIAL BELMONT SITE (SEE RACE 11)
http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqb4x9ProgramDisplay.cfm?TRK=BEL&CY=USA&DATE=06/11/2011&STYLE=BEL#11

THE PREAKNESS

From what I've heard, beer is the beverage of choice at the Preakness.  Not quite so interesting as a mint julep to my thinking.

Shackleford holds off Animal Kingdom (Kentucky Derby winner), who got a bad start.  So no Triple Crown again this year.

Here's the final results from the Preakness.  Numbers in parentheses are the final results from the Kentucky Derby.

1. (4) Shackleford
2. (1) Animal Kingdom
3. Astrology
4. (8) Dialed In
5. Dance City
6. (3) Mucho Macho Man
7. King Congie
8. Mr. Commons
9. Isn't He Perfect
10. Concealed Identity
11. Norman Asbjornson
12. Sway Away
13. (16) Midnight Interlude
14. Flashpoint

Replay from NBC, complete with commercial:

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