Nice, Redboard. (as opposed to nice Redboard!
)
Thanks!
I think jockey is one of the main factors for the Belmont.
Belmont is like no other track in the country, and it's not the beer prices!
Jocks unfamiliar with the huge track may likely want to move too soon, thinking that like other tracks, they can move early on the turn and and open up on the field. There is a lot of real estate from the start of the turn to the finish line.
Watching reruns of many past Belmonts on TVG this week, a lot of horses make that early move and die in the stretch.
That stretch run looked like it was a mile itself when Smarty Jones was slowing
down through it.
If you are looking at a ride who has not ridden at Belmont before, I'd look to see that he gets a prep race this week, especially in the Suburban on Friday.