Essential Quality Masters Test Of The Champion; Cox, Saez Celebrate First Classic Winners Sponsored by:
Essential Quality (Tapit) and jockey Luis Saez win the Belmont Stakes (I) at Belmont Park 6/5/21. Trainer: Brad Cox. Owner: Godolphin Stable
Godolphin homebred Essential Quality entered the starting gate as the undefeated favorite in the Kentucky Derby, but a difficult start marred the first Saturday in May for the talented gray son of Tapit. Instead, the first Saturday in June proved to be Essential Quality s coming out party, with a 1 1/2-length victory over Hot Rod Charlie as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes. Tapit has now sired four Belmont winners.
winning a thrilling Belmont Stakes.
Hot Rod Charlie led most of the way, but Essential Quality pulled even as they made their way down the final stretch. Luis Saez was able to push Essential Quality just past Hot Rod Charlie before they got to the finish line.
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TOO GOOD.ESSENTIAL QUALITY WINS THE 153rd @BelmontStakes!NBC Sports // @WhiteClaw pic.twitter.com/hGMyNuVqV6
While much of the focus in horse racing over the past month has revolved around Bob Baffert and Medina Spirit for negative reasons, Saturday s run from Belmont Park gave Saez and trainer Brad Cox
Essential Quality outran Hot Rod Charlie during a stretch duel to capture the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Jockey Luis Saez dedicates Belmont Stakes win to brother nownews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nownews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Essential Quality wins 2021 Belmont Stakes By Jordan Freiman
June 5, 2021 / 6:55 PM / CBS News
Essential Quality has won the 2021 Belmont Stakes, finishing off this year s Triple Crown races. Essential Quality came into the race as the favorite at 9-5 odds while Rombauer, the Preakness Stakes winner, was given 6-1 odds just prior to post time.
The Belmont Stakes resumed its usual place as the final leg of the Triple Crown this year after it was held as the first of the three races in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic caused the order to change. The race at Belmont Park also returned to its typical length of 1.5 miles after being shortened to 1.125 miles last year. Attendance for this year s race had initially been capped at 11,000 spectators to comply with New York coronavirus restrictions that limit venue capacity to 33%, however, those restrictions have since been relaxed.