Belmont 2012: Mark Valeski 'doubtful' to start; Dwyer a possibility

Bodemeister is a great horse! You nay sayers are right that he didn't win the derby and preakness. But I believe that Bode was installed too soon for these races. NEXT YEAR, we'll see who's the greatest.

Smart move Larry. This colt wants no part of 12f. Most of the contenders don't. Ironic in this era of bred for speed milers the Belmont fills like it does. MV will do well in the Dwyer and be a good Haskell or Jim Dandy candidate off do that.

ok folks ..i bet on CC to win the derby ..left out IHA becuz of the post ..no horse wins from 19 post in a 20 horse field.etc..he overcame that history ...bode over came almost as much to place in the derby ...now the preakness bias bode was trying to make IHA have to overcome he did..yes IHA will win the triple crown..believe me ..

Still can'Funny how prior to the Kentucky Derby, many racing fans were hailing this year's crop of three-year-olds as the deepest in years and talking in hallowed terms about Union Rags was the second-coming of Spectacular Bid. And now, instead of hailing IHA as a potential bright spot on the horse-racing industry's otherwise-gloomy horizon, people seem intent to diminish this budding superstar's accomplishments. Now, all of a sudden, this one deep crop is being denigrated as somehow lacking in quality. Why? After the Derby, one could have set one's watch to the drumbeat of the refrain about how this horse and that horse and the other horse were compromised by their bad trip and unfair racing luck. It was as if 19 horses were somehow dealt an unfair blow from the racing Gods and IHA was somehow the sole beneficiary of this inequity! And now, after the Preakness, in which he decimated the field, his Triple Crown competitors are suddenly being lambasted as somehow being weaker than those in a typical year, less devoid of talent than those running in a claiming cheap claiming race. Well, he's now four-for-four in the winner's circle this year and the casualty list is rather daunting, as just one of his Preakness competitors seems willing to re-enage him (Optimizer) in the Belmont. Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby contestants who skip the Preakness and re-emerge in Belmont historically have a very weak batting average when trying to win the Belmont. If the best of the combatants are Union Rags (who seems to bomb in his biggest races; he's afforded respect in a measure of respect that's at an inverse level to his accomplishments) and Dullahan (whose come-from-behind running style won't, counter-intuitively, flattered by the 1-12 miles of the race), Reddam and company seem to have little to worry about. IHA may be the best horse of all time, but it says here that he's going to be remembered as the best of his generation after the Belmont is run and he's alone in the winner's circle on June 9, joining history's other 11 Triple Crown immortals.

Smart move ,Larry. You can tell when a horse is out of sync. It has many negatives, and is usually easy to spot. Good horseman are always vigilant. A good rest is in order for Mark.

I may be an idiot, however, Union Rags was buried inside his last two starts. When he finally got to the outside, he leveled off and opened his stride. I belive the Belmont is made to order for him. I'm looking forward to cashing a ticket............

Looks more and more like if IHA does win the Belmont, a huge asterisk will go next to the accomplishment. With the greatest horse of all time, Bodemeister, not running, and others unwilling.....

when its all said and done it will be 6 starters max come post time. Only a idiot will try to ruin their horse to stop an unstoppable winner.

I have huge respect for Larry Jones as a trainer. Mark Valeski looked very ordinary winning the Peter Pan and if that knocked him out, running in the Belmont could ruin him. Larry's right the Belmont is no place for MV.

He doesn't belong with the top 3 year olds. Dullahan will be the factor in the Belmont. Sabrecat may also if allowed to run.