In spite of absences, Belmont Stakes figures to be exciting

The word on the street is that Saturday’s Belmont Stakes won’t be worth watching because neither Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro or Preakness winner Bernardini will compete.
Actually, I am very excited about the field of 12 horses entered in the third jewel of the Triple Crown. The depth of this year’s 3-year-old crop is amazing. Throw in some rain that may fall on Saturday and the race has all of the makings of an old-fashioned test.
The potential field of 12 starters may be trimmed by the time Saturday arrives. Trainer Tom Albertrani, who also trains Bernardini, has said Deputy Glitters will not run if the track comes up muddy. The reason — both of Deputy Glitters’ races on off-tracks were horrendous. Platinum Couple is also entered in a race today, so he may not go in the Belmont.
The race seems fairly simple to me. I was able to throw out seven of the potential starters who I don’t think have a chance to win.
I think the victor will come from a group that includes Sunriver, Jazil, Steppenwolfer, Bob and John and Bluegrass Cat. A victory by any of the five would not surprise me. Bluegrass Cat and Sunriver are the two morning-line favorites and are both trained by Todd Pletcher.
Let’s start with the horses I eliminated. Platinum Couple had better start in today’s race because he has no chance in the Belmont. Double Glance shows nothing to excite me and Hemingway’s Key’s merry-go-round, third-place finish in the Preakness did nothing to impress me. Sacred Light has never crossed the finish line first in his seven starts. His lone win came via disqualification.

He did finish second to Nolan’s Cat in his last start. Nolan’s Cat ran third in last year’s Belmont as a maiden. Deputy Glitters did run nicely twice against Bluegrass Cat at Tampa Bay Downs, but I don’t like him here. High Finance has run evenly behind some good horses and won easily when he races against inferior stock. Oh So Awesome could be a sleeper. He finished a fast-closing third on the slop in his only United States start. He ran long distances in his races in France so he shouldn’t come up short.
Now let’s take a look at the real contenders. Bluegrass Cat had been on the short list of Derby contenders until he ran a clunker in the Bluegrass Stakes. Many got back on his wagon after his second-place finish on the first Saturday in May. The experts are saying that, like so many other horses, he disliked the surface at Keeneland, where he ran badly in the Bluegrass Stakes.
Bob and John has been working like a wild horse in preparation for the Belmont. He had a horrendous trip in the Derby. He could relax on or near the lead and be tough to run down.
It is hard for me to separate my top three horses.
Steppenwolfer always closes well and has been working really well leading up to the Belmont. He is considered by many to be the wise-guy selection.
Jazil was my Derby pick at long odds. He was coming on late and finished fourth. He will be far back early and running at the end when many of the others are gasping for air.
Sunriver seems to be peaking at the right time and has the services of Rafael Bejarano. I think he may be the better suited of Pletcher’s two horses to win the Belmont.
Horses whose names begin with B have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown. There are two entrants who could complete an all B Triple Crown — Bob and John and Bluegrass Cat.
My picks — Sunriver, Jazil, Steppenwolfer, Bob and John, Bluegrass Cat, Oh So Awesome, High Finance, Deputy Glitters, Sacred Light, Hemingway’s Key, Double Galore and Platinum Couple. Source: www.thevillagesdailysun.com