The horse racing world is set for a thrilling showdown as the 2023 Triple Crown contenders face off again in the Belmont Stakes. The event, held at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, features eight horses vying for the coveted title.
Sovereignty, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, and runner-up Journalism will headline the field. Journalism’s trainer, Michael McCarthy, acknowledges his horse is a strong contender, saying “Journalism is a very tough horse… He’s solid.” Meanwhile, Sovereignty’s owner, Michael Banahan, expressed confidence in his horse, stating “We’re delighted to have the first three horses out of the Derby challenging each other again.”
Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs, hopes to emerge victorious despite being outrun by the top two contenders. The half-brother of last year’s Belmont winner, Dornoch, aims to stride along and get past Sovereignty and Journalism.
Newcomers Hill Road, Uncaged, Crudo, and Rodriguez will also join the fray, with Rodriguez expected to take an early lead. Trainer Chad Brown hopes to end his drought at Saratoga by winning the Belmont Stakes, saying “We have a very unique time in history where there’ll be three Belmont Stakes run total at Saratoga before you’ll never see another one again.”
The stage is set for a captivating rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism, with Baeza and newcomers vying for a chance to claim the title.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/belmont-stakes-sovereignty-journalism-4724a5bd3456267c108de249eb5476f2