“This is New York's biggest race and to win it here, with my family and friends and 70 people here, this will be a big winner's circle,” he said. Mo Donegal made a winner out of co-owner Mike Repole, a local entrepreneur known around the track as “Mike from Queens.” Repole also co-owns Nest. He found it Saturday, winning the 154th running of the $1.5 million race. Just like Rich Strike, Mo Donegal was at the back of the pack at the Derby, but the colt didn’t have enough kick at Churchill Downs. "I think we just made a tactical error," Reed said. Rich Strike spent much of the race in last place and couldn't recover. Reed said the team encouraged jockey Sonny Leon to try pushing Rich Strike from the outside, but the horse kept trying to get back inside - where he made a late charge past 19 horse to win at Churchill Downs. Rich Striker owner Rick Dawson and trainer Eric Reed held the Kentucky Derby winner out of the Preakness with an eye on Belmont, the first healthy horse to skip Pimlico after winning the Triple Crown's first even since 1985. Skippylongstocking was third and returned $5.60 to show. Nest - who nearly became Pletcher's second filly to win Belmont after Rags to Riches - paid $5.30 and $4.10. We the People led for much of the race, but Mo Donegal and Ortiz took charge coming out of the final turn. Mo Donegal entered the gate the betting favorite at 5 to 2. We the People, a monster in the mud, opened at 2 to 1 amid a rainy forecast but reached 7 to 2 by race time as showers held off. Mo Donegal beat an eight-horse field without a clear favorite. Pletcher, who lives on Long Island, adds another Belmont title following wins with Rags to Riches in 2007, Palace Malice in 2013 and Tapwrit in 2017. "She's coming over the Queen Mary and we're really excited about her.Mo Donegal rounded the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2 minutes, 28.28 seconds, three lengths ahead of Nest - ridden by Ortiz's brother, José. Every horse that kind of engaged her, she just exploded away from them. "She has had three or four pieces of work since then and all of them have been nice and steady and beautiful breezes. "The guy that gives the figures here really didn't want to give her a figure because he was sort of unsure thinking 'how could she run that fast?'. Ward added: "She had about the best debut race I've ever had here at Keeneland - she won by almost 10 lengths and just scampered away from them. The former made a huge impression on her Keeneland debut and is well fancied to provide her trainer with a fifth Queen Mary success. Ward's quintet is completed by a pair of two-year-olds in Love Reigns and Seismic Spirit, who are bound for the Queen Mary and Windsor Castle Stakes respectively. "She came back and won a Listed Stakes race here at Keeneland, so she's two from three, and I'm hoping she'll go there and run a big race." She shot right to the lead and then faded in the last part of the race," said Ward. "She's a very nice filly who won on her two-year-old debut last year and went over to Ascot for the Windsor Castle. The whole team had smiles on their faces after watching that, which was great to see."Īnother filly returning to Ascot is Ruthin, who disappointed in the Windsor Castle 12 months ago but better is expected in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes. "Then all of a sudden Julio moved his knuckles just a shade and within three strides Campanelle made up three lengths - she responded like a lion getting to an antelope. All these thoughts were going through my mind. "I was thinking 'Oh well, Kimari is a very good horse who has finished second twice at Ascot and she's a Group One winner'. "He eased out with a furlong to go and it almost looked like Kimari was going to keep rolling on and visually watching I was thinking 'uh oh, maybe Campanelle doesn't have it'. "He rode Campanelle, she broke behind Kimari and he tracked her all the way over five furlongs. He won thousands of race as a jockey before he retired and he rode all the Ascot horses in their last pieces of work. He said: "My work rider, Julio Garcia, has been with me for the last 16 years. She will bid to make it a hat-trick in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, with Ward particularly enthused about her chances following her final workout at Keeneland on Sunday morning. Golden Pal's stablemate Campanelle is already a dual Royal Ascot winner, having won the Queen Mary two years ago and claimed the Commonwealth Cup last year.
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