Tapwrit hangs on to win Belmont Stakes

The Todd Pletcher-trained colt used a strong push down the home stretch to pass pre-race favourite Irish War Cry and win by two lengths. Tapwrit’s stablemate, Patch, came in a distant third.

It was the third Belmont Stakes victory for Pletcher, who also trained this year’s Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.

With all hopes of a Triple Crown success extinguished for this year, the final leg of the Belmont Stakes was notable for those horses who were missing, which included Always Dreaming and the Preakness Stakes winner, Cloud Computing. Last year’s leading two-year-old Classic Empire was also ruled out a few days before the New York Classic, whilst Japanese-trained Epicharis also joined the ranks of absentees on the morning of the race.

It left an 11-runner field which saw Rajiv Maragh make all the running on Irish War Cry and the pair seemed to be travelling comfortably as he galloped around the racecourse known as the ‘Big Sandy’. Most of his rivals were in trouble as they turned for home but Tapwrit, with jockey Jose Ortiz at the helm, emerged from just off the pace with a strong challenge.

Having moved the horse into second place, Ortiz delivered a telling burst three-quarters of the way down the home stretch to set up victory before wearing down his opponent in the final metres to win by two lengths.

The win became his trainer’s third winner of the race after Rags To Riches (2007) and Palace Malice (2012).

Pletcher, who is set to run American Patriot in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot later this month, said afterwards, “Tapwrit was getting a beautiful trip. It was everything we talked about in the paddock before the race. We were hoping he had enough when it came to crunch time.

“It looked like Irish War Cry still had something left, but the last sixteenth, he dug down deep.”

Ortiz, who was emulating his brother Irad, who won last year’s Belmont on Creator and also winning his first Triple Crown race, said, “It’s an unbelievable feeling that I can’t explain,”

“I’m very happy right now. It’s very exciting but it’s got to sink in. The distance – I was sure he could handle it. I always liked him and had a lot of faith in him.”

Swiss watchmaker Longines are the Official Timekeeper and Watch of the 2017 edition of the Triple Crown series, and owner, trainer and jockey were all presented with elegant Longines timepieces to honour their victory.

Longines also presented the Longines Just a Game race, which went to Antonoe, ridden by jockey Javier Castellano and trained by Chad C Brown. Castellano guided his mount to victory by three-quarters of a length from Sassy Little Lila in second and Dickinson in third.