The 2014 Triple Crown came to an end Saturday as California Chrome failed in his bid to sweep the series in the Belmont Stakes. The popular Cal-bred colt came up 1 3/4 lengths short, finishing in a dead-heat for fourth with Wicked Strong behind Tonalist, Commissioner and Medal Count.
Plenty was said before and even more afterwards, and believe it or not it wasn’t all co-owner Steve Corburn. Our crew from This Is Horse Racing was on the scene in the third-largest Belmont Stakes crowd and serves up one final spring classics edition of Here & There.
Worth Repeating
“Thirty-six years of hope now compressed into the final three furlongs of the Belmont Stakes…Now he’s coming down the center of the racetrack…Time ticking away in the Triple Crown…California Chrome laboring late…The Triple Crown remains a 36-year memory…” - Showing why he’s the best there’s ever been, announcer Tom Durkin calling his final Belmont Stakes Saturday
“I needed to do this because I was wrong.” – Steve Coburn, co-owner of California Chrome while apologizing on Good Morning America for his outburst after the Belmont Stakes
“Cheering section of one right here.” – NBC’s Bob Costas after a fan yelled, “Yeah Bobby” as he made his way outside Saturday
“They don’t know it but they’re going to have a Smarty Jones crowd here today.” – NYTHA’s Jim Gallagher
“I would have never stayed if it wasn’t for him. Chief, if you’re listening, thank you, we are sorry you didn’t come back to New York and we miss you.” – Trainer Leah Gyarmati, moments after Sweet Reason won the Acorn, speaking to her mentor, Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens
“Doesn’t look good.” – West Point Thoroughbreds’ partner Rob Masiello, looking at red brake lights in the distance after the Belmont Stakes
“I’ve got a jumper for you in four years.” – Trainer Todd Pletcher after Charming Kitten won the 2-mile Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Friday
“Affirmed was a great horse.” – HRRN’s Jude Feld
“When you look at the pan shot, people are going crazy, they didn’t know what happened.” – Elliott Walden, describing the moment Victory Gallop and Real Quiet hit the wire in the 1998 Belmont Stakes
“I think he’s got a good shot, I was shocked to see 45-1 yesterday. He’ll be more tactically placed the way this race plays out, he’ll get the distance. He needs that breakout performance and if he’s going to get it, it’s today.” – Walden, the morning of the Belmont, about Belmont runner-up Commissioner
“Three…but I’ve still got two more shots.” – Ron Anderson, agent for Belmont-winning jockey Joel Rosario, when asked how many he had won on the card, before the 12th and 13th races (he won the 13th to make it four)
“I miss you guys.” – Former trainer John Fahey, when told he was missed on the racetrack
“We thought he got beat.” – Miguel Clement, son of trainer Christophe Clement, when asked about the finish of the Belmont Stakes
“Getting completely run off with.” – Assistant trainer Keith O’Brien, when describing watching the Belmont Parade Friday night with his children
“We stayed together.” – Jack Clancy, 18, when asked what it was like walking three blocks to a subway station in Jamaica, New York after the Belmont
“You still got it, Hall of Fame, you still got it.” – Jockey Edgar Prado, gently ribbing trainer Bill Mott after Close Hatches won the Phipps
“Where have you been?” – Belmont Stakes-winning trainer Christophe Clement to a late-arriving Belmont Stakes-winning jockey Joel Rosario in the paddock for Belmont’s 12th race (in which Rosario rode Red Vine for Clement)
“Look at Little Caesar up there, he’s mocking us.” – Hungry Belmont Stakes bus rider, while passing a pizza shop, late Saturday night
“Let’s stick together. We’ve got strength in numbers.” – Belmont Stakes bus rider being dropped off at the Jamaica subway station while trying to return to the city late Saturday night
“What are you reporting on down here?” – Fasig-Tipton’s Max Hodge to TIHR’s Tom Law after stepping off Long Island Railroad at far end of Belmont’s grandstand
“Look at her, you gave her a good workout.” – Owner Charles Fipke to Gary Stevens after Unbridled Forever finished third in TVG Acorn
“The good news is neither of those two are going to be in a sale.” – Ed Stanco hinting that King of Prussia Stable’s Princess of Sylmar will be sold later this year while two-time champion Beholder and Ogden Phipps winner Close Hatches will not
“I’m the press today.” – NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop donning a Belmont Stakes media credential
“Why not?” – Trainer John Shirreffs when asked if California Chrome would win
“I’m going to get a picture right here.” – Shirreffs, positioned inside the tunnel waiting for the Belmont field to walk through
“There are still two people on the racetrack that still know my name, Ben Huffman and Tom Law.” – Graham Wolfram, former assistant to Mike Hushion and current financial advisor at Wells Fargo
“Wait, make it three.” – Wolfram after NYRA assistant starter Mike “Pup” McMullen said hello
“I hope people can see him for the way he is. That wasn’t he way he normally is. He’s a very compassionate man and if people could have seen behind the scenes, the children he talked to, he embraced a young lady in a wheelchair at the Preakness, he handed her a bouquet of Black-Eyed Susans. A little boy in Kentucky that was a little mentally challenged that we’re going to send a picture to and some of our hats. If people could see that part of him, they can forgive the other part of what happened.” – Coburn’s wife Carolyn on ABC
“I don’t know where they would have put another 18,000 people.” – First-time Belmont Stakes attendee Alyssa McClenning when told the 102,199 was about that much short of the record 120,139 that turned out in 2004 for Smarty Jones
“Well gang, I’m sorry.” – Dallas Stewart coming back to West Point Thoroughbreds’ post-Belmont Stakes party after Derby runner-up Commanding Curve finished ninth
Names of the Day
Marriedtothemusic, fourth race. A runner in Saturday’s Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park, Dutchess Views Farm’s New York-bred is by Disco Rico out of Significant Other.
Close Hatches, seventh race. Juddmonte Farm’s Ogden Phipps winner is by First Defence out of Rising Tornado.
Office Visit
Some décor highlights from a visit to the office of NYRA’s Jason Blewitt high atop the Belmont grandstand Saturday:
– A win photo of Petroski from the 1996 New York Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase at Saratoga.
– Stakes saddle towels from Uncle Mo, Chief Honcho, Saginaw and Irish Actress.
– A “pet” hawk just outside the window.
– Enough miniature hockey players to start a team, mostly New York Rangers as would be expected.
– A couch that must have been delivered by helicopter.
– The best view in town.
By the Numbers
12.9: Nielsen overnight television rating for NBC’s coverage of the Belmont Stakes, second best all time
102,199: Attendance Saturday at Belmont, third highest all time for Belmont Stakes
$19,105,877: On-track handle Saturday at Belmont, a NYRA record
20,600,000: Number of viewers who watched the Belmont, more than the NBA and NHL playoff games combined
$150,249,399: All-sources handle Saturday at Belmont, also a NYRA record
