And the race unfolds...

Payoffs (based on $2 bets)
Board Bets
7 (Post Position) Drosselmeyer: $28.99 (Win) $11.60 (Place) $7.70 (Show)
5 (Post Position) Fly Down: $6.80 (Place) $5.10 (Show)
11 (Post Position) First Dude: $4.90 (Show)
Exacta
7/5 Drosselmeyer/Fly Down: $144.50
Trifecta
7/5/11 Drosselmeyer/Fly Down/First Dude: $766.00
Superfecta
7/5/11/8 Drosselmeyer/Fly Down/First Dude/Game On Dude: $10,658.00

Order of Finish (Finish - Horse - Post Position - Jockey - Trainer - M/L* - C/L*)
1. Drosselmeyer - 7 - Mike Smith - Bill Mott - 12/1 - 13/1
2. Fly Down - 5 - John Velazquez - Nick Zito - 9/2 - 5/1
3. First Dude - 11 - Ramon Dominguez - Dale Romans - 7/2 - 5/1
4. Game on Dude - 8 - Martin Garcia - Bob Baffert - 10/1 - 17/1
5. Stay Put - 10 - Jamie Theriot - Steve Margolis - 20/1 - 26/1
6. Interactif - 12 - Javier Castellano - Todd Pletcher - 12/1 - 19/1
7. Stately Victor - 9 - Alan Garcia - Mike Maker - 15/1 - 14/1
8. Ice Box - 6 - Jose Lezcano - Nick Zito - 3/1 - 1/2
9. Make Music for Me - 4 - Joel Rosario - Alexis Barba - 10/1 - 12/1
10. Dave in Dixie - 1 - Calvin Borel - John Sadler - 20/1 - 14/1
11. Spangled Star - 2 - Garrett Gomez - Richard Dutrow, Jr. - 20/1 - 23/1
12. Uptowncharlybrown -3 - Rajiv Maragh - Kiaran McLaughlin - 10/1 - 10/1 (actually placed 5th but was DQ'd (disqualified) and placed last by the stewards because he lost his weight pad at the 7/8ths pole)

*M/L = Morning Line Odds
C/L = Closing Line Odds (the horse's betting odds when the race actually started)

A Belmont Breeze salute to the longshots who've won the Belmont Stakes

Let's hope today's Belmont Stakes (otherwise known as "The Test of Champions") winner joins the ranks of the longshot winners below. If the Thoroughbred Racing Gods allow it and it's meant to be it will happen - if not, it won't...

Sarava: 70-1 (2002)

Da'Tara:38-1 (2008)

Birdstone: 36-1 (2004)

Lemon Drop Kid: 29-1 (1999)

Other Notable Longshot Winners - Sherlock: 65-1 (1961); Temperance: 53-1 (1980)

By the by, I got every one of these longshots except Sherlock (I was not betting the Throughbreds in 1961)

The Belmont in Elmont

When most people think of New York they think "The Big Apple".



At the beginning of June this is what I think when I think of New York - the Belmont Stakes in Elmont. On the morrow the last leg of the Triple Crown will be run. With a Belmont Breeze in hand I shall be imploring the Thoroughbred gods to allow the second longest shot on the board to capture the place position and to bring the longest shot on the board to the winner's circle to wear the blanket of white carnations.

Belmont Stakes Post Positions drawn and Morning Line Odds assigned

The final leg (and the longest race at 1 1/2 miles) of the Triple Crown will be run this Saturday. Many feel this is a trainer's race due to the length of said race and the need for the horses to be well conditioned as this will be the only time in their lives they run a race of this length. Let us pray to the racing gods for longshots to come 1-2.