Post by NJTank on Jun 12, 2016 11:51:47 GMT -5
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Smelling Victory
With Nyquist winning the Kentucky Derby and Exaggerator taking the Preakness Stakes, the buzz of a Triple Crown was absent at the Belmont Stakes Saturday, but that did not take away from the race which had one of the closest finishes in the history in the 148-year history of the race. With Nyquist not running, all eyes were on Exaggerator who entered the race a 6-5 favorite. However, the heavy favorite attempting to become the first horse to finish second in Kentucky and win the next two jewels in 61 years never quite could find a lane to victory and finished a distant 11th. Gettysburg started the race out front and set the pace, before fading down the stretch. As Gettysburg lost his steam Destin and Lani appeared to be out front, before like a bolt Creator came from the outside, Lani would slip as Destin and Creator cross the line in a photo finish with Creator a 14-1 choice ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. was declared the winner by a nose.