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The only way the Belmont Derby could have a G1 winner on turf was if the horse came from overseas. There are no stateside turf G1s a 3yo could have run in prior to the Belmont Derby (the race did attract a G1 winner, just not on turf). Generally the overseas 3yo shippers tend to be 2nd and 3rd string horses (Adelaide being a perfect example). You see the same in the Sec Stakes. If they are G1 quality they are going to stay in Europe and race for more prestige (even if less money). The only exception to this I can think of is Treasure Beach in the Sec Stakes a couple of years ago. But that was an anomaly, and a big deal was made about it at the time that an Irish Derby winner was shipping. If you remember at the time Coolmore had So You Think, St Nicholas Abbey, Pour Moi, Roderic O'Connor and even Recital and Await the Dawn running in 10-12f G1s in Europe so they needed to cast their net a little further a field to find spots where they weren't all running against each other.
The UN 'Cap has been hit and miss the last five or six years as to the quality of the field it attracts.
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