| With both Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro and | | | | part summed up by its trophy, a solid silver bowl and |
| Preakness winner Bernardini out of the race, the 138th | | | | cover made by Tiffany & Co. Topped by a silver |
| Belmont Stakes, horse racing's final leg of the Triple | | | | figure of 1869 Belmont winner Fenian the bowl is |
| Crown, appears to be up for grabs. | | | | supported by three horses - Herod, Eclipse and |
| This year's best prospect for the Triple Crown, | | | | Matchem, representing the respective superior |
| Barbaro, is recovering from a life threating injury | | | | grandsons of the three Foundation Sires of |
| sustained in the Preakness. In 131 years of horse racing | | | | Thoroughbreds: the Byerly Turk, the Darley Arabian |
| history 31 horses have gone to the starting gate with | | | | and the Godolphin Barb. The trophy was presented by |
| the Triple Crown on the line, but only 11 horses have | | | | the Belmont family as a perpetual award for the |
| managed to accomplish what is arguably the most | | | | Belmont Stakes in 1926 and the winning owner keeps |
| difficult event in all of sports. | | | | the trophy for a year until the next Belmont Stakes |
| As the race that can make or break a Triple Crown | | | | winner is crowned. |
| champion, the Belmont Stakes has established itself as | | | | In an era of athletes pumped up on steroids, rampant |
| the ultimate test of championship stamina in this | | | | drug abuse and fixed games, horse racing has come |
| country. At a mile and a half, its distance is a rarity in | | | | to represent what is great and noble about athletic |
| American dirt races although it has been shortened | | | | endeavor. For this year we can only applaud the |
| from its original mile and five eights length. First run in | | | | Belmont winner, wish a speedy recovery and long life |
| 1867, it's the oldest of the Triple Crown races and the | | | | to Barbaro and wait for next year to cheer on a new |
| fourth oldest Stakes race in North America behind the | | | | Triple Crown contender. |
| Phoenix Stakes (now Keeneland's Phoenix Breeder's | | | | The Triple Crown stands as the ultimate test of |
| Cup) in 1831, The Queen's Plate (Canada) in 1860 and | | | | greatness and the Belmont Stakes is the final jewel in |
| the Travers (Saratoga) in 1864. | | | | its crown. |
| Open to 3 year colts and geldings carrying 126 pounds | | | | Belmont Stakes Facts: |
| and fillies carrying 121 pounds it truly deserves its | | | | The Belmont Stakes was first run in 1867 for |
| soubriquet "the Test of the Champion" as few 3 year | | | | $2,500.00 at the Jerome Park Race Course in New |
| olds have the strength or stamina to maintain a winning | | | | York, and was originally a mile and five eights, but has |
| speed across such a distance. Starting with Silver | | | | also been run at a mile and one eighth and a mile and |
| Charm in 1997 we've seen 6 horses enter the Belmont | | | | three eights before settling at a mile and a half in 1926 |
| with the Triple Crown within reach, only to see them | | | | The first Belmont Stakes was won by a filly, Ruthless, |
| fall victim to this demanding race. In some cases, like | | | | who received $1,850.00; second place took $300.00 |
| 2004's Smarty Jones, we've seen them end their | | | | and an English racing saddle |
| careers here. | | | | The Belmont Stakes is known as the "Run for the |
| Even without the Triple Crown at stake, the Belmont is | | | | Carnations" and was named after August Belmont Sr. |
| deserving of attention for its challenge and tradition, it | | | | |