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141st Belmont Stakes: The End of a Trilogy

J.L. Orchard, Cinch Magazine

It wasn't his race … These same words that described Big Brown's infamous defeat in last years Triple Crown can now be used to describe Mine That Bird and Calvin Borel in the 2009 Belmont Stakes.

A week before the staging of the final race in the Triple Crown trilogy it was announced that filly and Preakness winner, Rachel Alexandra, would not be running. But aboard Mine That Bird, Calvin Borel still had his eyes set on the horizon that could have him named the first jockey in history to win the Triple Crown on two different horses.

It is called the most grueling race in the sport. The longest two and a half minutes in horseracing. In a mile and a half the Belmont Stakes has defeated more horses than have had Triple Crown dreams fulfilled. Both Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex were injured following their Belmont run in 2004 and 2005 consecutively and never raced again. We all remember Big Brown and the devastating outcome of that 2008 Triple Crown attempt.

For a gelding, shorter than filly, Rachel Alexandra, in stature, Mine That Bird has made his way from a 50-1 long shot to a dead on favorite in the American classics. In a swift month and a half, trainer Chip Woolley has become an emblem of determination on a pair of crutches. And in his first Belmont Stakes ever, Calvin Borel, the race announcer, and undoubtedly many others, moved too fast in believing Mine That Bird had it won.

This race was not about a streetlight to limelight horse, a determined trainer, or a hopeful Triple Crown Borel. This race was about last year. It was about finishing dead last aboard Big Brown. It was about battling old ghosts. Finishing an incomplete record. Defeating the Belmont Stakes before it could defeat you. This race was about Kent Desormeaux fulfilling what he had to pull away from in 2008 aboard a tired Big Brown.

On a track that was considered quite fast, with his horse Summer Bird pulled to the inside, and already three other wins that day, nobody was watching Desormeaux. But many were screaming while Mine That Bird and Dunkirk fought it out in front. Then from the outside he appeared. A half brother to Mine That Bird from their 2004 Belmont Stakes winning sire Birdstone, Summer Bird, an 11-1 long shot, pulled forward one length, then one and a half, finishing two and three-quarter lengths ahead of the second place horse.

Over the years Kent Desormeaux has won three Kentucky Derbies, and two Preakness Stakes, but the Belmont has eluded him, an empty page in his list of accomplishments. He had wanted it dearly the year before when the Triple Crown was at stake and was bashed harshly for his decision to pull up an empty Big Brown. This year it all belonged to him. He can now nod goodbye to that Belmont Stakes ghost that has haunted his career.

Desormeaux, if he wishes, can now retire knowing he's done it. But when asked in the winner's circle about retirement, Desormeaux quickly replied, "I'm not going anywhere."

Summer Bird's trainer, Tim Ice, has been training only a year now and also has his Belmont victory.

Dunkirk pulled his nose ahead of Mine That Bird in the very end to place second but faced inquiries from Charitable Man's jockey, Alan Garcia, that could drop him farther and give Mine That Bird place. The inquiry did not hold up and Mine That Bird officially finished third.

If you look over the Triple Crown this year you'll see a lot of horses with a lot of good chances. A lot of horses that it would have been nice to see win. And horses that surprised us when they did. But in a matter of who deserved this win most … this is horseracing. One can't rate that, here.