Tonalist Wins Belmont Stakes

A Triple Crown championship try once again failed.  Some folks will blame the jockey, others the hyperbole of the media, and, a few, including one of California Chrome's owners, will blame the other horses entered in the race "fresh" - without running in the Derby and the Preakness. I am very sorry that California Chrome was unable to win the Belmont today - but I blame no one.
  Tonalist won the race in a battle with Commissioner by more than a nose, but less than a head.  Medal Count ran third, less than two lengths behind the first two finishers.  And California Chrome and Wicked Strong finished in a dead heat for fourth place.  It was a jockey's race - and, as soon as the race was over, some were blaming Victor Espinoza for his losing ride.  Others noted that California Chrome was behind a wall of three horses, which has not happened in his last six races....  And commentators were surprised at the sour, live, off-the-cuff interview with one of California Chrome's owners - who stated that, essentially, the race was stolen by the winning horses because they had not raced in all three Triple Crown races.  That was the shocking moment for me.  Poor sportsmanship - I know he was hurt that his colt could not win the Belmont, but there is no requirement that every horse entered in the Preakness and Belmont must have run in the Kentucky Derby...  One has to meet specific requirements to run in the Derby due to the "cachet" of being a Kentucky Derby runner - I remember the days when there were 30 or more starters in the Derby - if you could pay the entry fee, you could run, no matter if your horse had only raced in your back pasture.
  Tonalist, a son of Tapit, won the Belmont; a $2 winning bet on him paid back $20.40.  Commissioner finished in second place, and a $2 bet for place paid $23.20.  Medal Count, who had raced in the Derby, but not the Preakness, finished third; a $2 show bet paid $13.20.  (Both Tonalist and Commissioner were in their first, and only, Triple Crown race.)  A $2 perfecta bet of  Tonalist and Commissioner paid $348; while the $2 trifecta, with Medal Count, paid $6,871.
   There will be a lot of second-guessing this race - but the fact remains that California Chrome is not a Triple Crown champion.  He ran hard, but he didn't win.  A fresh horse won.  That is why the Triple Crown is such an illusive target - a Triple Crown champion must defeat all comers in 3 races of different lengths in a period of 5 weeks.  Nowadays it takes a  super horse to do that.
   The horse I worship and adore - Man o'War - did not even enter the Kentucky Derby, as his owner thought it was terrible to ask a three-year-old to run 1 and 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May.  But Man o'War had no problem winning both the Preakness and the Belmont - could he have won the Derby as well?  I'd like to think so.    -    And, *Forli, the horse whose bloodlines I love, was bred in Argentina, and never ran in the American Classic races...  but his relatives can certainly run down a race track.
  So, once again, no Triple Crown winner - but, like every thoroughbred breeder, all I can do is shrug my shoulders and quote the old adage: "Breed the best to the best and hope for the best."  - That's horse racing.