Drosselmeyer storms back to win Belmont Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Elmont, NY (Sports Network) - Longshot Drosselmeyer, ridden by Mike Smith, drove down the middle of the track to win Saturday's 142nd running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The victory is the first in the race for both the jockey and trainer Bill Mott.

Drosselmeyer is owned by WinStar Farm which also owns Kentucky Derby champ Super Saver. Neither Super Saver nor Preakness champ Lookin At Lucky ran in the race, the first time since 2006 that the Belmont was without both winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

Drosselmeyer and Smith were never far off the pace that was set by Preakness runner-up First Dude and Interactif. Racing right behind the top two were Uptowncharlybrown and Game On Dude. Running in the back of the 12 horse field was Kentucky Derby runner-up and 9-5 Belmont favorite Ice Box.

The top five runners, with Drosselmeyer fifth, entered the far turn in the 1 1/2-mile race with no change in positions. Jockey Jose Lezcano got Ice Box to begin moving toward the leaders with about three-furlongs to run.

At the top of the stretch three horses, First Dude, Game On Dude and Drosselmeyer, had moved as one to the front. Drosselmeyer was on the outside with First Dude inside of him and Game On Dude beginning to tire. Fly Down passed Game On Dude and got to within a length of the first two horses.

With less than a 100 yards to go Drosselmeyer took the lead and was able to hold off Fly Down by three-quarters of a length. Finishing third was First Dude with Game On Dude holding on to fourth.

Completing the order of finish was Uptowncharlybrown, Stay Put, Interactif, Stately Victor, Ice Box, Make Music for Me, Dave in Dixie and Spangled Star.

The time for the Test of Champions was 2:31.57 on a fast track.

"Great training and a great ride," said Doug Cauthen of WinStar Farm. "Mike put a great ride on him. He gave him a beautiful, clear ride."

Drosselmeyer was ridden for the first by Smith after having Kent Desormeaux in the saddle for seven of the first eight starts. Smith has now won all three Triple Crown events. He won the 2005 Kentucky Derby on Giacomo and the 1993 Preakness aboard Prairie Bayou.

The chestnut colt comes away with $600,000 for the victory, just his third in nine career starts. His lifetime earnings now stand at $801,170.

Earlier this year Drosselmeyer was fourth in the Risen Star Stakes as the 2-1 favorite, came back to be third in the Louisiana Derby and was second in the Dwyer as the 7-10 favorite. Fly Down won the Dwyer by six-lengths.

Drosselmeyer, sent off at 13-1, returned $28.00, $11.60 and $7.70. Fly Down paid $6.80 and $5.10, and First Dude paid $4.90 to show.