Hall-of-fame jockey Kent Desormeaux will saddle Preakness winner Exaggerator to run from the outside at tomorrow’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, the final leg of US thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. The 3-year-old colt and runner-up in the Kentucky Derby drew the No. 11 post position in the field of 13 for the 148th running of the 1 1/2 mile race in Elmont, New York.
“If I could have a dream run, he would be forwardly placed, and I would be able to dreamingly decide when to pull the trigger,” said Desormeaux of Exaggerator, who is trained by his brother Keith. Last year, American Pharoah won the Belmont to become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.
The 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is not running after dropping out last month because of a fever from a high white cell count. Nyquist, who finished third in the Preakness, is back in California.
Exaggerator is a 9-5 morning-line favourite for the race. The 46-year-old Kent Desormeaux doesn’t mind that his horse is challenging from the outside. “I’d like to establish position preferably without him getting a grain of sand in his face,” said Desormeaux, who returned to the track Tuesday after spending time in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Utah.
Stradivari, who ran fourth in the Preakness in his stakes debut, is the second choice at 5-1 from the number five post and Destin, sixth in the Kentucky Derby, is the third choice at 6-1 from the number two post.
Both are trained by Todd Pletcher, a two-time Belmont winner. Preakness runner-up Cherry Wine is 8-1 from the number three post.