Belmont Stakes Chart and Facts
Da' Tara Wins as 38-1 Longshot; Denis of Cork 2nd; Big Brown Eased
Jun 11, 2008
Once again, those who came to Belmont Park on a Triple Crown race day left disappointed as a 38-1 longshot, Da' Tara, captured the day, beating the steady Denis of Cork while favorite Big Brown was eased in the lane by jockey Kent Desormeaux when he encountered unexplained trouble with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion.
Twelfth Would Be Triple Crown Champ Denied
Da' Tara, a son of Tiznow (by Cee's Tizzy) out of Torchera, by Pirate's Bounty, left the gate smartly, springing to the lead, while Big Brown slipped momentarily and ran rank early under regular jockey, Kent Desormeaux. Da' Tara never relingushed his lead, extending in the homestretch and denying a twelfth Triple Crown attempt by a Derby-Preakness champion.
Denis of Cork, under new jockey Robby Albarado, came on for second, and Anak Nakal, Da' Tara's stablemate from the Nick Zito stable, finished in a dead heat for third with Ready's Echo. It was the Zito stable's second TC knockout in four years, as the barn's Birdstone caught Smarty Jones at the wire in 2004 to spoil that season's triple try.
Here's the Way They Finished:
Da' Tara wins by 5-1/4 lengths with jockey Alan Garcia aboard.
- Denis of Cork, 2nd, by 2-3/4 lengths; Harlan's Holiday (by Harlan) out of Unbridled Girl, by Unbridled.
- Ready's Echo, 3rd, by 3 lengths; More Than Ready (by Southern Halo) out of Menekineko, by Kingmambo.
- Anak Nakal, 3rd, by 3 lengths; Victory Gallop (by Cryptoclearance) out of Misk, by Quiet American. Note: Big Brown jockey Desormeaux rode Real Quiet by Quiet American to a nose loss in the 1998 Belmont Stakes in his first Triple Crown try. The winner who thwarted the crown was Victory Gallop.
- Macho Again, 5th, by 7-1/3 lengths; Macho Uno (by Holy Bull) out of Go Donna Go, by Wild Again.
- Tale of Ekati, 6th, by 6-1/2 lengths; Tale of the Cat (by Storm Cat) out of Silence Beauty, by Sunday Silence.
- Guadalcanal, 7th, by 1/2 length; Graeme Hall (by Dehere) out of Bessette, by Quest for Fame.
- Icabad Crane, 8th; Jump Start (by A.P. Indy) out of Adorahy, by Rahy.
- Big Brown, 9th; Boundary (by Danzig) out of Mien, by Nureyev
Casino Drive Early Saturday Scratch
Casino Drive, who was supposed to be Big Brown's main competitor in BB's attempt to grab the Triple Crown title, was scratched early Saturday morning when he showed lameness in his left hind leg. His Japanese trainer, Kazuo Fujisawa, who led the training ranks in that country for over 12 years, said the Mineshaft colt had stepped on something and bruised his foot.
Casino Drive's grandsire is A.P. Indy and he is out of the Deputy Minister mare Better Than Honour.
