Litfin's review: Belmont Stakes Day by the numbers

1 – Well-deserved classic winner for Robert Evans and Christophe Clement, whose lightly raced Tonalist (11th, $20.40) capped a Peter Pan-Belmont Stakes double in just his fourth and fifth career starts. Evans came close to winning a Triple Crown with Pleasant Colony in 1981. Clement dispelled the misguided notion that he’s merely a “turf trainer” once and for all.

2 – Winners out of the Preakness Stakes, just not the one folks were expecting. Bayern (race 5, 20.40), beaten 21 lengths after a brutal trip at Pimlico, freaked in the Woody Stephens with blinkers back on as the day’s only front-end winner. Kid Cruz, beaten 16 lengths in the Preakness, passed on the Belmont in favor of the Easy Goer and came from last to win going away.

12 for 12 – The combined record of Close Hatches (race 7, $7.80), Princess of Sylmar and Beholder at 1 1/16 miles going into the Ogden Phipps. Make it 6 for 6 for Close Hatches after turning back all comers in a stirring renewal.

8:12 – Evening post time for race 13, won in the gloaming by Pazolini ($7.50), now 3 for 3 this year for Godolphin Racing and Kiaran McLaughlin.

17-1-4-0-4 – The results from Todd Pletcher’s Belmont Day battalion led by Palace Malice (race 9, $4.70), the first horse since Gallant Man (1957-58) to win the Belmont Stakes at 3 and the Met Mile the following year. The stable took down $1.469 million in purses but was a combined length or so from bagging four other graded stakes with runners-up Micromanage (Brooklyn), Sweet Whiskey (Acorn), Princess of Sylmar (Ogden Phipps), and Commissioner (Belmont).

102,199 – People in attendance, the third-largest crowd at Belmont Park ever, behind 120,139 on hand for Smarty Jones’ near-miss at the Triple Crown in 2004 and War Emblem’s failed bid in 2002.

$19,105,877 – The record on-track handle, smashing Belmont’s previous high of $14,742,520 on Breeders’ Cup Day 2005.

$150,249,399 – A record all-sources handle, betting the 2005 BC’s churn of $124,009,593.

Horse to watch

TIZ SO SWEET
Trainer: Bill Mott
Last race: June 7, 6th
Finish: 5th by 6 1/2
Beyer: 80

After a nice preliminary allowance win in her seasonal debut, she was thrust into the Acorn and raced evenly to finish a respectable fifth of 13. Lightly raced homebred may move up off that experience.