Well, of course, Essential Quality had to complete the messiest Triple Crown ever by winning yesterday’s 153rd Belmont Stakes at Elmont, NY. The series has been beset by controversy since trainer Bob Baffert’s Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby five weeks ago at Churchill Downs, only to become the second Derby winner in 147 years to face disqualification when an illegal medication was detected in his post-race urinalysis.
Now Baffert has company in the sport’s doghouse. The owner of Essential Quality, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has been under fire from human rights groups around the world for allegedly masterminding the disappearance of three of his daughters. Nobody knows their whereabouts.
Billy Reed is a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and the Transylvania University Hall of Fame. He has been named Kentucky Sports Writer of the Year eight times and has won the Eclipse Award three times. Reed has written about a multitude of sports events for over four decades and is perhaps one of the most knowledgeable writers on the Kentucky Derby. His book “Last of a BReed” is available on Amazon. About all that’s clear at this point is that Essential Quality, as of the moment, is the best of this Triple Crown bunch. The unbeaten favorite in this year’s Derby, the colt got banged around leaving the starting gate and never recovered, finishing 4th in the race.
Trainer Brad Cox, a native of Louisville who grew up near Churchill Downs, skipped the Preakness and prepared Essential Quality for the Belmont, the race he had in mind. In fact, he predicted last summer that the handsome gray colt would win the Belmont.
It wasn’t easy, but it was authoritative.
When the starting gate sprang open, Hot Rod Charlie went to the lead and stayed there until the eight-horse field turned for home.
Essential Quality, who had been kept back in the pack, suddenly loomed up on Hot Road Charlie’s right flank and the race was on. The two ran as a tandem, matching each other stride for stride until inside the eighth pole, when Hot Rod Charlie grudgingly gave up the lead for good.
The winner’s final margin in the 1 ½ Belmont, longest of the Triple Crown races, was a length and a half. Preakness winner Rombauer never challenged, but got up for third.
It was Cox’s first official win in a Triple Crown race, but he could get another if, as anticipated, Medina Spirit’s Derby win is nullified. That would move second-place Mandaloun, also trained by Cox, the Derby’s official winner.
Of course, no horseman gets much pleasure winning on a disqualification. It’s much more satisfying to saddle the winner and watch him verify your horsemanship.
Usually, the Triple Crown horses get a breather until the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in late August. In this misbegotten year, it’s impossible to tell who might come back to travel the Road to the Breeders Cup.
Just as it’s impossible to tell the whereabouts of the Sheikh’s daughters. Are they still alive? In captivity somewhere? Is the Sheikh really guilty or the victim of a plot by his enemies?
At least the Belmont winner can’t be disqualified due to alleged human rights violations by his owner. That’s as it should be because Essential Quality stands out in this crop of Triple Crown horses.
Essential Quality finished 4th in the Derby, not 17th.
Thank you. This change has been made.