All that Jazil at Belmont: Colt's last-to-first move yields victory

ELMONT, N.Y. — For a few minutes, Thoroughbred racing escaped the shadow of Barbaro.

Jazil dazzled in the $1 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, winning the final leg of the Triple Crown series over a lackluster field missing injured Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro and resting Preakness winner Bernardini.

But in the 2 minutes, 27.86 seconds it took to win the 1 ½-mile Belmont, Jazil gave the 61,116 fans a chance to forget about Barbaro's horrifying breakdown three weeks earlier in the Preakness at Pimlico in Baltimore.

Jazil was given an excellent ride by 18-year-old Fernando Jara, a Panamanian who steadily rallied the smallish colt from last to first for a 1 ¼-length victory over Bluegrass Cat.

Kiaran McLaughlin trains Jazil, who had won once in his previous seven starts — a maiden race on Dec. 7 at a near-empty Aqueduct racetrack in Jamaica, N.Y.

Jazil, the fifth wagering choice in a field of a dozen 3-year-olds, paid $14.40 to win and provided an exciting end to what has been a snakebitten Triple Crown season.

But Jazil is hardly Barbaro, the colt who looked like a superhorse in dominating the Kentucky Derby before taking a catastrophic misstep early in the Preakness that ended his racing career and put his life in danger.

Jazil, a son of Seeking the Gold out of Better Than Honour, is not as flashy as the eventual Preakness winner, Bernardini, who has won three of four lifetime starts.

Jazil's Belmont victory was not without its harrowing moments.

As soon as Jazil left the gate, he brushed against Bluegrass Cat and the impact knocked Jara's right foot from his irons. Often, that is a disastrous mishap, throwing a rider off balance and costing him precious ground to the leaders. But Jara merely reached down with his right hand and tucked his foot back where it belonged.

The rider gave chase to the 11 rivals he had spotted the lead with nerve and confidence that belied his age. Bob and John, the 9-2 favorite, led through a solid half-mile in 47.36 seconds and kept the lead through a mile in 1:37.53. By then, Jazil had pulled his way up to seventh place.

"I thought I had the race won," Jara said.

But jockey John Velazquez and Derby runner-up Bluegrass Cat had a different idea. They zoomed around the far turn.

"I dropped in and thought that when the other horses started coming to me, I would go," Velazquez said. "Jazil came to me much quicker than I thought he would."

Jazil's owner, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, is a member of the ruling family of Dubai. Stables owned by members of the Dubai ruling family own two legs of the 2006 Triple Crown — Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum owns Bernardini. Neither had a previous U.S. Triple Crown victory.

Jazil finished in a dead heat for fourth with Brother Derek in the 20-horse Derby. He was held out of the Preakness and became the fourth horse in the last seven years to run in the Derby, skip the Preakness and win the Belmont. The others were Birdstone (2004), Empire Maker (2003) and Commendable (2000).

Of Jazil, McLaughlin said, "When he made the lead, I started looking for the wire. But when you make the lead and no one's gaining on you, it's a good feeling."

$2 Trifecta (8-9-2) paid $436.00

$2 Superfecta (8-9-2-11) paid $1,085.00

$2 Daily Double (4-8) paid $67.50

$2 Pick 3 (3-4-8) (3 correct) $390.50

$2 Pick 4 (9-3-4-8) (4 correct) $1,869.00

$2 Pick 6 (7-2-9-3-4-8) (5 correct) $200.00

$2 Pick 6 (7-2-9-3-4-8) (6 correct) $17,541.00

Winning trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Winner: Bay colt, 3, by Seeking the Gold-Better Than Honour

(c) 2006 Equibase Company LLC, all rights reserved.