The Belmont Stakes is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown thoroughbred racing held at Belmont Park, New York. The race is also known as “The Run for the Carnations” or “The Test of the Champions.”
The Grade 1 stakes race is typically held three weeks after the Preakness Stakes, specifically the first or second Saturday in June. Moreover, the 153rd Belmont Stakes was held last June 5, 2021, and the favorite Essential Quality took the lead, beating a field of eight horses.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Belmont Winner.
Running Style
Essential Quality finished fourth in Kentucky Derby (a Grade 1 race) and won Breeders’ Futurity (a Grade 1 race), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (a Grade 1 race), and Belmont Stakes (a Grade 1 race). The favored horse is not only adaptable and flexible enough to win multiple races of different tracks. Indeed, Essential Quality is competent enough to win Belmont Stakes.
He is perfectly built for such a race. Essential Quality’s running style is precisely the style you need for the Belmont Stakes. He is a grinder and pushes through whatever challenges he may face. And despite the Derby loss, Essential Quality was the favorite in the Belmont Stakes due to his perseverance and consistency.
Ability
The Belmont Stakes winner was named 2020 American Champion Two-Year-Old after an undefeated season that included wins in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile and Breeder’s Futurity. Brisnet, Beyer speed figure, and Equibase all had him thriving with each horse racing event with a score of 101 (Brisnet), 95 (Beyer), and 101 (Equibase) for the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile.
After a long break, Essential Quality came back refreshed and won the Southwest Stakes on February 27. Then, on April 3, he won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes before finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby on May 1.
Essential Quality was named the favorite in the Belmont Stakes, with a record of 5 wins out of 6 race starts. Additionally, with a quintessential triumph to his credit, Essential Quality is one of the three-year-old male division frontrunners.
Also, he seems to be the very best at midseason. Further, the impressive colt obtained a 109 Beyer speed figure, the fastest for a three-year-old in 2021 and his new career-best. On the other hand, Equibase gave him a 109-speed figure for the third consecutive race, which shows how consistent Essential Quality has performed.
The speed figures and his performance on the racetrack only prove how special this Tapit colt is. According to the president of Godolphin USA, Jimmy Bell, Essential Quality has never run a lousy race in his life. And on June 5, he undoubtedly met the race of a champion, beating eight horses in the belmont stakes.
Pedigree
Pedigree is typically deemed part of the equation in Making the Grade, deciding whether a three-year-old can handle longer races such as the Belmont Stake and Kentucky Derby. Fortunately, Essential Quality has already proved its capability to transcend in route races.
This Tapit colt is in the fourth generation on both the dam’s and sire’s side of the pedigree.
| Sire
Tapit 2001 |
Pulpit 1994 | A.P. Indy 1989 | Seattle Slew 1974 |
| Weekend Surprise 1980 | |||
| Preach 1989 | Mr. Prospector 1970 | ||
| Narrate 1980 | |||
| Tap-Your-Heels 1996 | Unbridled 1987 | Fappiano 1977 | |
| Gana Facil 1981 | |||
| Ruby Slippers 1982 | Nijinsky 1967 | ||
| Moon Glitter 1972 | |||
| Dam
Delightful Quality 2009 |
Elusive Quality 1993 | Gone West 1984 | Mr. Prospector 1970 |
| Secrettame 1978 | |||
| Touch of Greatness 1986 | Hero’s Honor 1980 | ||
| Ivory Wand 1973 | |||
| Contrive 1998 | Storm Cat 1983 | Storm Bird 1978 | |
| Terlingua 1976 | |||
| Jeano 1998 | Fappiano 1977 | ||
| Basie 1981 |
Connections
Godolphin Stables own Essential Quality for Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates Prime Minister. This gray colt was homebred in Kentucky by Godolphin Stables and Horse Racing. Additionally, the ruler of Dubai is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award.
Moreover, the horse’s trainer Brad Cox received his first Eclipse Award in 2020 as an outstanding trainer and earned his first win in a Triple Crown race. Brad Cox’s career has accelerated in recent years as his accumulated income in the last three years reached at least $15,000,000.
From 2017 to 2020, Jockey Luis Saez has climbed up in the top ten in both purse wins and earnings. Since taking out his license in 2009, he has collected more or less 2,700 wins. What’s more, this is the first Belmont Stakes victory for all connections.
Final Thoughts
Essential Quality outran Hot Rod Charlie, running down the stretch to win the third leg of Triple Crown. Although Hot Rod Charlie took the lead in the beginning, Essential Quality was coming to a few lengths behind him and working his way up to the finishing line. The competition became a two-horse race, but Essential Quality outpaced the frontrunner in the final moments. The homebred colt paid $2.60 to show, $3.00 to place, and $4.60 to win.
