2020 Belmont Stakes

The 2020 Belmont Stakes was the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes and the 109th time the event took place at Belmont Park. It was run June 20, 2020, and was won by Tiz the Law, the first New York-bred winner of the event since Forester in 1882.[1] The race is one of the three legs of the American Triple Crown, open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds.

152nd Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Grade I stakes race
"The Run for the Carnations"
LocationBelmont Park
Elmont, New York, U.S.
DateJune 20, 2020 (2020-06-20)
Distance1 1⁄8 mi (9 furlongs; 1,811 m)
Winning horseTiz the Law
Winning time1:46.53
JockeyManny Franco
TrainerBarclay Tagg
OwnerSackatoga Stable
ConditionsFast
SurfaceDirt

Due to concerns relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the race, which is normally the last Triple Crown race of the season, was run as the first race in the 2020 Triple Crown series and was shortened to 1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) instead of the usual 1 1⁄2 miles (12 furlongs), which it had been run at since 1926.[2] This was the first time since 1931 for the Triple Crown races to be run in a different order, and the first time for the Belmont Stakes to be run as the opening leg of the Triple Crown.[3]

Background

Since 1969, the American Triple Crown has been scheduled to begin with the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, followed by the Preakness Stakes two weeks later in mid-May, and the Belmont three weeks after that in early June.[4] Major prep races for the series are normally run from three to six weeks before the Derby. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the shutdown of several race meetings starting in mid-March, which led to the postponement or outright cancellation of several of these major preps.

The shutdowns led Churchill Downs to reschedule the 2020 Kentucky Derby to the first Saturday in September. Pimlico followed suit by rescheduling the 2020 Preakness Stakes to the first Saturday in October. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) decided instead to hold the Belmont Stakes on June 20, three weeks after racing in New York reopened on June 3. Because of the disrupted racing schedule, NYRA also decided to shorten the race from its traditional distance of 1 1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) to 1 1⁄8 miles (1.8 km). The race thus went from being the longest race of the series, the so-called "test of the champion", to the shortest. NYRA had considered running the race at 1 1⁄4 miles (2.0 km), but this would have meant starting the race on the clubhouse turn — a serious disadvantage for some horses in a large field. "I think given the circumstances this was the best choice," said trainer Todd Pletcher of the revised distance. "A mile and a half wasn't going to fit many horses at this stage. It was the right move."[5][6]

The Belmont was the first major sporting event in New York state since the pandemic began. There were no fans in attendance, and thus no on-track betting.[7] Total prize winnings for the race was $1 million, down from $1.5 million the prior year.[8]

Field

After the new date and distance was announced in mid-May, the field was expected to have up to 16 starters. However, Nadal and Charlatan, both leading contenders trained by Bob Baffert, were subsequently injured. This left Tiz the Law as the clear favorite, and connections of several other contenders decided to skip the Belmont to focus on preparing for the Kentucky Derby. "There's other opportunities out there," said owner Barry Irwin of his decision to bypass the race. "Even though it's the Belmont Stakes, it's not the Belmont Stakes. Whatever prestige that would have come from it, that little extra something that makes you run in a race like that is lacking this year. If your goal is to get into the Kentucky Derby, why do you want to get your socks knocked off by Tiz the Law when you can go elsewhere?"[7]

The ten starters were:[9][10]

Results

Only essential personnel such as trainers, grooms and a limited number of press were allowed to attend the race – not even the owners were allowed on site. Governor Andrew Cuomo gave the traditional call for "Riders up" remotely. Several sources commented on the eerie silence of the racetrack, with one comparing the experience to filming a movie.[11] "You come out of the tunnel on your horse and there's nobody there," said jockey Manny Franco. "But this is the world we are living in."[12][13][14]

Given the shortened distance and the dimensions of Belmont Park, the race started in a chute at the end of the backstretch. Tap It to Win went to the early lead and set a moderate pace. Tiz the Law raced in stalking position a few lengths behind, then launched his move on the turn. He moved by Tap It to Win near the head of the stretch and continued to draw away, winning by ​3 3⁄4 lengths. Dr Post closed ground late to finish second.[13][14]

Barclay Tagg became the oldest trainer, at age 82, to win the Belmont.[14] Tagg was previously best known as the trainer of 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide, who also won the Preakness but failed in his Triple Crown bid by finishing third in that year's Belmont. Both Funny Cide and Tiz the Law are owned by Sackatoga Stable, although the composition of the ownership group has changed over the years. Sackatoga's managing partner Jack Knowlton remarked on how rare it was for such a small operation to have such success. "We buy New York-breds — that's our game — and we don't spend a lot of money. We've been with Barclay Tagg for 25 years, and I keep telling everybody Barclay doesn't get a lot of big horses, big opportunities, but when he does, he knows what to do."[13]

Jockey Manny Franco earned his first win in the Belmont Stakes in his first start in the race. Tiz the Law became the first New-York bred to win the race since Forester in 1882.[14]

Finish PP Horse Jockey Trainer Record Morning
line odds		 Final odds Margin
(lengths)		 Winnings
1 8 Tiz the Law Manuel Franco Barclay Tagg 5–4–0–1 6–5  0.80 — $535,000
2 9 Dr Post Irad Ortiz Jr. Todd Pletcher 3–2–0–0 5–1  7.90 3​3⁄4 $185,000
3 3 Max Player Joel Rosario Linda Rice 3–2–1–0 15–1 14.20 5​1⁄4 $100,000
4 10 Pneumatic Ricardo Santana Jr. Steve Asmussen 3–2–0–1 8–1 17.80 7​3⁄4 $65,000
5 1 Tap It to Win John Velazquez Mark Casse 6–3–1–0 6–1  5.20 14 $40,000
6 2 Sole Volante Luca Panici Patrick Biancone 6–4–1–1 9–2 11.20 15​3⁄4 $30,000
7 4 Modernist Junior Alvarado Bill Mott 5–2–0–2 15–1 23.40 20​1⁄2 $25,000
8 5 Farmington Road Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 6–1–2–0 15–1 17.60 21​1⁄4 $20,000
9 6 Fore Left José Ortiz Doug O'Neill 9–4–0–2 30–1 25.25 22​3⁄4 —
10 7 Jungle Runner Reylu Gutierrez Steve Asmussen 8–2–0–0 50–1 29.50 39​1⁄4 —

Starts–Wins–Places–Shows, prior to the Belmont Stakes

Times
DistanceFractionalSplit
​1⁄4 mile23.11—
​1⁄2 mile46.1623.05
​3⁄4 mile1:09.9423.78
1 mile1:34.4624.52
Finish1:46.5312.07

Source: Equibase chart[15]

Payouts
Program
number		 Horse name Win Place Show
8 Tiz the Law $3.60 $2.90 $2.60
9 Dr Post – $5.80 $4.20
3 Max Player – – $5.20

Source: Equibase Chart[15]

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gollark: It's *pretty* tarpitty.
gollark: Command blocks are mostly just that but higher-level, I guess. They can't really adjust their own rules or whatever. Though what they can do does lead surprisingly often to crazy complex stuff.
gollark: It... seems an odd thing to do.

References
  1. Zanzucchi, Mia (June 20, 2020). "Tiz the Law wins 2020 Belmont Stakes". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. "Belmont Stakes to be held June 20 at shorter distance". ESPN.com. May 19, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  3. Darcy, Kieran (June 18, 2020). "What to know ahead of an unusual Belmont Stakes". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  4. Janack, Phil (2020). "Delayed Preakness Poised to Make History". pimlico.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  5. "Belmont Stakes Goes From Longest Classic to Shortest". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  6. "Horse Racing: Trainers Adapt to COVID-19 Era Ahead of Saturday's Belmont". The New York Times. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  7. "Despite the Differences, It's Still the Belmont Stakes". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  8. Elkins, Kathleen (June 20, 2020). "Here's how much prize money will be awarded at the 2020 Belmont Stakes". CNBC. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  9. Drape, Joe; Hoppert, Melissa (June 19, 2020). "Belmont Stakes Experts' Picks: Who Will Win?". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  10. "Keeler Johnson's Belmont 152 Selections". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  11. "Inside a Very Surreal, Very Symbolic Belmont Stakes, as a Sports Crown Jewel Returns". Time. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  12. Layden, Tim (June 21, 2020). "On a day with no fans at Belmont, Tiz the Law wins for Everyman". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  13. "Tiz the Law Earns Clear Victory in Belmont Stakes". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  14. Drape, Joe (June 20, 2020). "Tiz the Law Wins an Unusual Belmont Stakes". The New York Times. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  15. "Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets Grade 1 – Thoroughbred" (PDF). equibase.com. June 20, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
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