Sir Winston’s gallant score in Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont S. (G1) completed a sweep of this year’s Triple Crown races, with War of Will taking the Preakness (G1) and Country House the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Kentucky-breds also completed a 1-2-3 finish in the Belmont, with Sir Winston a length in front of Tacitus, and Joevia three-quarters of a length back in third.
Sir Winston, also trained by War of Will’s conditioner Mark Casse, had most recently finished second in the May 11 Peter Pan S. (G3). He won the Woodbine’s Display S. at 2 before embarking on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year. A son of Awesome Again out of the Grade 3 winner La Gran Bailadora, Sir Winston is campaigned by his breeder Tracy Farmer.
Sir Winston is the 102nd winner in 151 runnings of the Belmont S.
Sir Winston’s Belmont victory capped off a terrific day for Kentucky-breds at the Elmont track. Horses hailing from the Bluegrass State won eight of the nine graded races on the card, including seven Grade 1’s.
Mitole’s win in the Met Mile (G1) over a stellar field was the seventh straight win for the colt bred by the late Edward Cox. Mitole also became racing’s newest millionaire at the time of his win.
Rushing Fall took the Just A Game (G1) with another brilliant effort, marking her eighth win in nine lifetime starts. The turf star was bred by Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding and now has four Grade 1 wins and earnings nearing $2 million.
Newer on the racing scene is the 3-year-old filly Guarana. Owned by her breeder Three Chimneys Farm, the daughter of Ghostzapper was nothing short of amazing in winning the Acorn S. (G1), defeating Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress by six lengths in just her second lifetime start.
Other Kentucky-breds to taste Grade 1 victory on Saturday were Bricks and Mortar in the Manhattan, Midnight Bisou in the Ogden Phipps, and Hog Creek Hustle in the Woody Stephens. Marconi rounded out the day with a victory in the Brooklyn Inv. (G2).