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Essential Quality Masters Test Of The Champion; Cox, Saez Celebrate First Classic Winners Sponsored by:
Essential Quality (Tapit) and jockey Luis Saez win the Belmont Stakes (I) at Belmont Park 6/5/21. Trainer: Brad Cox. Owner: Godolphin Stable
Godolphin homebred Essential Quality entered the starting gate as the undefeated favorite in the Kentucky Derby, but a difficult start marred the first Saturday in May for the talented gray son of Tapit. Instead, the first Saturday in June proved to be Essential Quality s coming out party, with a 1 1/2-length victory over Hot Rod Charlie as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes. Tapit has now sired four Belmont winners.
Essential Quality outran Hot Rod Charlie during a stretch duel to capture the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Cox Sets Sights On Travers Stakes For Essential Quality Sponsored by:
Essential Quality beats Hot Rod Charlie to the wire in the G1 Belmont Stakes
Trainer Brad Cox provided a positive report on Godolphin s newly minted American classic winner Essential Quality, who gave the prestigious racing and breeding operation their first triumph in a Triple Crown race in a memorable edition of Saturday s Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
The reigning Champion 2-Year-Old tracked swift fractions produced by Hot Rod Charlie, and dueled with the pacesetter in a dramatic battle down the stretch, getting the better of his foe by 1 ¼ lengths, and produced a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. The result replicated the one-two finish of last year s Grade 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.
Hot Rod Charlie Full Of Energy After Gallant Belmont Try Sponsored by:
Hot Rod Charlie Exercises before the Belmont Stakes
Even though he set the blistering pace in Saturday s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and got into a heavyweight battle with Essential Quality down the lane before losing the 1 ½ mile “Test of the Champion” to that one by only 1 ½ lengths, Hot Rod Charlie was full of energy and enthusiasm the morning after at Belmont Park, Elmont, N.Y.
“He looks awesome, just awesome,” said trainer Doug O Neill before jetting back to his Southern California base. “He ate up everything and licked his feed tub. We scoped him after the race, and he scoped clean. He was definitely a little rubber-legged after the race, but, by the time he got back to the barn area, he had already recovered. He recovered quickly. He s amazing.”