Catholic Boy won't be denied in Belmont Derby

ELMONT, N.Y. – The sequel rarely is as good as the original, but in the case of the rematch between Catholic Boy and Analyze It, the Belmont Derby was every bit as entertaining as the Pennine Ridge Stakes.

Particularly if you were in the camp of Catholic Boy.

For the second time in five weeks, Catholic Boy was passed in the stretch by Analyze It, only to come back and beat him. Saturday, in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Belmont Derby at Belmont Park, the margin was a head. Five weeks ago, in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge, the margin was a neck.

The result left both Jonathan Thomas, trainer of Catholic Boy, and Chad Brown, trainer of Analyze It, in shock.

“I didn’t expect him to fight back this time,” said Thomas, who won his first Grade 1 as a trainer. “I thought we were going to finish a really good second. Somehow, he got it done.”

Brown thought Analyze It, under Jose Ortiz, got a great trip, stalking Catholic Boy and Javier Castellano from second before making the lead in midstretch.

“The horse that won earned it,” Brown said. “He came back and beat him. I don’t have any excuse.”

Brown said he believes Analyze It idles a bit when he makes the lead but he didn’t want to take away from Catholic Boy “because at least he fought back when most horses wouldn’t,” Brown said. “I thought the winner ran great, so did our horse. He just wasn’t good enough.”

The victory was the first Grade 1 for Catholic Boy, who won for the fourth time in five tries on turf. He also won the Grade 2 Remsen on dirt last fall.

Catholic Boy tried to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, but was taken off the trail when he bled while finishing fourth in the Florida Derby.

In the Pennine Ridge, Catholic Boy showed more early foot than he did previously, but battled back on the outside after Analyze It opened a length on him.

Saturday, Catholic Boy took the lead because “nobody wanted to take the lead, so I took it,” said Castellano. Catholic Boy led by 1 1/2 lengths after six furlongs in 1:13.38 and a mile in 1:36.75.

Analyze It made his move, but Catholic Boy battled back along the inside and won the bob.

“Analyze It has light feet, he’s more quick, and my horse he takes a little while to come back, but he’s such a brave steady horse, he finished really well,” Castellano said.

Ortiz said when Analyze It went by Catholic Boy, he thought he was going to win.

“When I passed him today, I thought I was going to open up on him,” Ortiz said. “But he came back again. It takes a good horse to do that. I made sure he stayed on the inside and didn’t go to the outside, but he kept fighting.”

Catholic Boy, a son of More Than Ready owned by Robert LaPenta, Madaket Stables, Siena Farm, and Twin Creeks Racing, covered the 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.28 and returned $12.20 as the co third-choice.

Analyze It, the 2-1 favorite, finished second by 1 3/4 lengths over Hunting Horn, who was followed, in order, by Channel Cat, Kingstar, Maraud, Hawkish, My Boy Jack, and Encumbered.

Catholic Boy has options for the summer including the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Aug. 11, or a return to dirt in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 25.

► Paid attendance at Belmont Park on Saturday was announced as 16,763. There was a drinking glass giveaway.

All-sources handle was $24,612,463, a 10.2-percent increase over last year.