Sarava Checked War Emblem's Triple Crown Chance
Winner Among Seventeen Belmont Win Names Beginning With Letter S
May 26, 2009
Twelve Thoroughbreds have won the last two races of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, in their one-chance three-year-old seasons since the incomparable Man o' War turned the trick in 1920. Before the mighty Man, five others scored in the final two legs in the 1800s.
Sarava scored loudly in 2002. Jockey Edgar Prado piloted the colt to the wire as a 70 to 1 longshot after War Emblem, shooting for the twelfth Triple Crown title in history, stumbled leaving the starting gate. Sarava's payoff of $142.50 was the highest in modern Belmont Stakes history.
Belmont Stakes Longshot Winners and Payoffs
- 2002 --- Sarava at $142.50
- 1961 --- Sherluck -- $132.10 --- defeated TC bid of Carry Back
- 1980 --- Temperance Hill -- $108.80
- 1971 --- Pass Catcher -- $71.00 --- beat TC bid of Canonero II
- 1999 --- Lemon Drop Kid -- $61.60 --- defeated TC bid of Charismatic
- 2000 --- Commendable --$39.60
- 1944 --- Bounding Home -- $34.70 --- beat TC bid of Pensive
- 1993 --- Colonial Affair -- $29.80
- 1975 --- Avatar -- $28.40
- 1952 --- One Count -- $27.60
Prado Elected to Hall of Fame in 2008
For trainer Ken McPeek, Prado won his fifth stakes race in seven tries. The jockey was at his hottest from 1997 through 1999, leading the country in Thoroughbred wins in all three years.
Prado's three-year winning streak looked like this:
- 1997 --- 536 wins
- 1998 --- 470
- 1999 --- 402
Prado was inducted into the national Museum of Thoroughbred Racing and Hall of Fame in 2008.
Preakness and Belmont Winners Since Man o' War
- 2005 --- Afleet Alex
- 2001 --- Point Given
- 1994 --- Tabasco Cat
- 1991 --- Hansel
- 1988 --- Risen Star
- 1974 --- Little Current
- 1967 --- Damascus
- 1955 --- Nashua
- 1953 --- Native Dancer
- 1949 --- Capot
- 1940 --- Bimelech
- 1922 --- Pillory
Preakness and Belmont Winners Before 1920
- 1877 --- Cloverbrook
- 1878 --- Duke of Magneta
- 1880 --- Grenada
- 1881 --- Saunterer
Sarava was the last Thoroughbred to win the Belmont from the large circle of horses whose names begin with the letter "S". There are sixteen others.
- 1873 --- Springbok
- 1874 --- Saxon
- 1879 --- Spendthrift
- 1881 --- Saunterer (see above winners list)
- 1888 --- Sir Dixon
- 1897 --- Scottish Chieftain
- 1910 --- Sweep
- 1919 --- Sir Barton (first TC victor)
- 1942 --- Shut Out
- 1959 --- Sword Dancer
- 1961 --- Sherluck (see above longshot list)
- 1968 --- Stage Door Johnny --- defeated Forward Pass's asterick (see below)
- 1973 --- Secretariat --- ninth TC champion
- 1977 --- Seattle Slew --- tenth TC champion
- 1981 --- Summing --- beat Pleasant Colony's TC bid
- 1984 --- Swale
Shut Out was no fluke. In 1942, he won the Kentucky Derby, as well as the Belmont.
In 1968, Dancer's Image won the Kentucky Derby but was disqualified when he tested positive for illegal drugs in Churchill Downs' routine post-race drug analysis. Forward Pass was awarded the Derby title, then went on to win the Preakness.
Swale was also a Derby winner in 1984. The star-crossed, talented son of Seattle Slew collapsed and died several days after his Belmont win.
