Tapwrit wins 2017 Belmont Stakes
NEW YORK -- Tapwrit won the 149th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, defeating favorite Irish War Cry in the race's final stretch in Belmont Park, New York.
"It's a feeling I can't explain, I'm very happy right now," jockey Jose Ortiz said after winning the race, adding that the horse's owners "always had a lot of faith in him."
The victory gave trainer Todd Pletcher his third Belmont Stakes win. Tapwrit also became the first horse to win the race from the second post since 1994, according to ESPN.
Tapwrit, who entered the race with 5–1 odds to win, was followed by Irish War Cry, who led the field for the majority of the race. Patch, the one-eyed horse, finished in third while Gormley finished fourth.
Irish War Cry's trainer Graham Motion entered the race after his colt's disappointing 10th-place finish in last month's Kentucky Derby.
"When you get beaten as one of the favorites in the Derby, it's pretty discouraging and you just want to put it behind you," Motion told The Associated Press ahead the event. "My horse is doing well. As long as he's doing well, he deserved a chance."
The field was down to 11 horses after Japanese colt Epicharis injured its front right hoof ahead of the event.
There was no chance for a Triple Crown this year -- as Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming lost at the Preakness Stakes. Both Always Dreaming and Preakness winner Cloud Computing skipped Sunday's race.