Triple Crown 2021: Essential Quality's Total Prize Money Earned After Belmont
Jun 5, 2021
Essential Quality (2), with jockey Luis Saez up, crosses the finish line to win the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 5, 2021, At Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
And just like that, the Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing is over.
Essential Quality won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday evening, earning $800,000 in prize money. The Brad H. Cox-trained colt came in fourth in the Kentucky Derby. He also did his lineage proud, becoming the fourth Belmont winner to be sired by Tapit.
The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes still didn't look quite as they usually do in 2021 as measures were taken to mitigate COVID-19, but things certainly felt more normal than in 2020, when the three legs of the Triple Crown were run out of order: Belmont Stakes in late June, Kentucky Derby in early September and Preakness Stakes in October.
The 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes was held on its usual timeline this year, a Saturday in June three weeks after the Preakness Stakes.
There was no Triple Crown at stake this year, as the Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby (and just this week had a positive test result for betamethasone confirmed), and Rombauer took the Preakness with last-second heroics.
Even if Medina Spirit has his Derby win wiped out, the title would then go to Mandaloun. Medina Spirit was not allowed to enter the Belmont Stakes. In fact, the New York Racing Association banned Baffert from entering horses at races on any New York tracks.
Still, the winner of the Belmont Stakes had a nice prize purse on the line. Let's take a closer look at how the prize purse breaks down among this year's top finishers in Elmont, New York.
The Belmont Stakes boasts the second-highest purse of the three Triple Crown races, at $1.5 million. Last year, during the height of the pandemic, the purse fell to $1 million.
The Kentucky Derby had the highest purse of the three thoroughbred races this season ($3 million), while the Preakness Stakes had the lowest, at $1 million.
If you notice that many horses we watched run the Derby sat out the Preakness and then returned for the Belmont Stakes, that prize purse is a big factor.
Hot Rod Charlie, Essential Quality, Known Agenda and Rock Your World ran in the Derby, skipped the Preakness Stakes and returned for the Belmont Stakes.
Heading into the Belmont Stakes, Essential Quality's lifetime earnings were $2,415,144, according to the Belmont Stakes' website. With his $800,000 share of the purse Saturday, his total earnings rise to 3,215,144.
Belmont Stakes 2021 Payout: Prize-Money Purse and Triple Crown Order of Finish
Jun 5, 2021
Essential Quality (2), with jockey Luis Saez up, crosses the finish line to win the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 5, 2021, At Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
The final jewel of the 2021 Triple Crown has come and gone. Essential Quality won this year's Belmont Stakes, edging out Hot Rod Charlie and pulling away from the rest of the pack.
"I knew it was going to be a battle down the line," trainer Brad H. Cox said of the final stretch on the NBC Broadcast.
The total prize purse for this year's Belmont was $1.5 million after dipping to $1 million last year. Essential Quality will claim $800,000 as the winner. The final payout, according to TwinSpires.com, is as follows:
There was no chance of a Triple Crown winner coming into Saturday's race, as Medina Spirit finished first at the Kentucky Derby and Rombauer won the Preakness. Still, there was plenty of intrigue surrounding the event.
Some of that intrigue had little to do with the race itself, as Medina Spirit's failed post-race drug test has cast a shadow over the horse racing world. The New York Racing Association barred trainer Bob Baffert from entering horses in races at New York racetracks, including the Belmont, pending an investigation into the failed Derby test.
Much of the attention then turned to some of the other horses who had run in the previous two Triple Crown races. Rombauer was obviously coming off the Preakness win, while Essential Quality was an early Kentucky Derby favorite who was bumped early in that race.
Known Agenda, Rock Your World, Hot Rod Charlie and Bourbonic all ran in the Kentucky Derby. France Go de Ina ran in the Preakness.
Essential Quality, however, was not involved in the Preakness. Cox instead wanted to focus on the Belmont.
"A mile-and-a-quarter is a lot for a three-year-old in the first part of May, and he definitely hasn't went the wrong way physically at all," Cox told reporters. "Real happy with what we've seen since the Derby and it gives us enough confidence to move forward and pursue the Belmont."
Clearly, focusing on the final jewel paid off for Cox, jockey Luis Saez and Essential Quality's racing team. The horse now has six wins in seven races, with the Kentucky Derby the only blemish on his career.
This marked the first Triple Crown win for Cox and for Saez. Should Medina Spirit's Kentucky Derby win end up being vacated, Cox will pick up an additional win. He also trained Mandaloun, who crossed the finish line second in that race.
Essential Quality Holds Off Hot Rod Charlie to Win 2021 Belmont Stakes
Jun 5, 2021
Essential Quality trains ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The 2021 Triple Crown season wrapped up on Saturday with Essential Qualitywinning a thrilling Belmont Stakes.
Hot Rod Charlie led most of the way, but Essential Quality pulled even as they made their way down the final stretch. Luis Saez was able to push Essential Quality just past Hot Rod Charlie before they got to the finish line.
While much of the focus in horse racing over the past month has revolved around Bob Baffert and Medina Spirit for negative reasons, Saturday's run from Belmont Park gave Saez and trainer Brad Coxtheir moment in the spotlight.
In addition to having the glory of winning the Test of Champions, Essential Quality also earned $800,000 in purse money for ownership group Godolphin LLC.
2021 Belmont Stakes Results and Payouts
Win: Essential Quality ($4.60, $3.00, $2.60)
Place: Hot Rod Charlie (--, $4.10, $2.90)
Show: Rombauer (--, --, $3.50)
4th: Known Agenda
5th: Bourbonic
6th: Rock Your World
7th: Overtook
8th: France Go de Ina
Essential Quality started his career with five consecutive wins before a fourth-place showing at the Kentucky Derby. He skipped the Preakness Stakes in order to have more preparation time for the grueling 1.5-mile Belmont Stakes.
Cox was very confident earlier in the week about his horse's ability to get back in the winner circle.
“This colt is all racehorse,” Cox told Tom Wilkin of Horse Racing Nation. “He wins his races in different ways. He is able to sit off a hot pace, he can lay close to the pace. He is able to adapt. He brings it every time. I am pretty confident he is going to run his race.”
Cox's win on Saturday marks his first victory in a Triple Crown event.
This marks the second time that Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie have finished 1-2 in a race. The first time came at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November in the breakout event for both horses.
In that race, Essential Quality ran close to the rail on the inside to get past Hot Rod Charlie down the stretch after starting the race by bumping another horse.
Essential Quality, who was a 2-1 favorite to win, continues a long streak of success at the Belmont Stakes for horses sired by Tapit. Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016) and Tapwrit (2017) are all offspring of Tapit who won the third leg of the Triple Crown.
Despite coming up just short Saturday, Hot Rod Charlie has had a fantastic seven-month stretch dating back to the Breeders' Cup. He hasn't finished worse than third in each of his past five races, including a victory at the Louisiana Derby on March 20.
Rombauer also had an excellent Triple Crown season, despite skipping the Kentucky Derby. The Michael McCarthy-trained horse won the Preakness Stakes three weeks ago and finished third in the Belmont Stakes.
Belmont Stakes 2021 Post Time: NBC TV Start Time, Final Predictions and Odds
Jun 5, 2021
Belmont Stakes entrant Rombauer is led towards the main track for a training run ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes have taken place. Now, it's time for the final leg of the Triple Crown schedule to occur Saturday evening in Elmont, New York.
Although there's no Triple Crown in play this year, the Belmont Stakes should bring plenty of excitement, with Essential Quality and Preakness champion Rombauer among the likely winners.
Rombauer didn't race in the Kentucky Derby, but he could become the first horse not trained by Bob Baffert to win both the Preakness and Belmont since Afleet Alex in 2005. And while that wouldn't be quite the same as the Triple Crown, it would still be a remarkable showing for the colt.
Here's everything else you need to know as Saturday's race draws closer.
Trainer Michael McCarthy knows Rombauer is going through an unusual situation. After winning the Preakness with jockey Flavien Prat, it would make sense for the team to be back together for the Belmont. However, Prat had already committed to riding Hot Rod Charlie in the Belmont before the Preakness.
But, who better to turn to than two-time Belmont winner John Velazquez?
McCarthy recently told reporters that the jockey switch is a "non-issue" to him. It helps that Velazquez is an experienced jockey who has had plenty of success at this level. Not only that, but he even won this year's Kentucky Derby with Medina Spirit.
Rombauer is on a roll. Velazquez knows what it takes to win. And McCarthy is looking to earn his second career win at a Triple Crown event three weeks after notching his first at the Preakness.
In order to win, Rombauer may need another final surge to take the lead. At the Preakness, he passed both Medina Spirit and Midnight Bourbon in the final stretch.
Essential Quality didn't get off to the best start at the Kentucky Derby (in which he finished fourth), but he's likely to break better from the gate this time. And he's had past success, having won his first five career races prior to the Derby.
As long as Rombauer doesn't drop too far back, though, he's going to remain a threat to win.
Once Rombauer surges ahead, he will be in good position to hold off the pack down the stretch and prevent Essential Quality from taking back the lead. Velazquez's experience will play a role, and he will make sure to guide Rombauer to the front at the right time.
It should be an exciting race that stays close from wire to wire and provides a thrilling finish to the Triple Crown schedule. And at the end, Rombauer will be remembered for notching a pair of strong victories with some impressive late passes. It will also mark the first time that Rombauer has won back-to-back races in his career.
Prediction: 1. Rombauer; 2. Essential Quality; 3. Known Agenda.
Belmont Stakes Entries 2021: Race-Day Predictions for All Horses and Jockeys
Jun 5, 2021
Essential Quality trains ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Jockey Flavien Prat had never won the Preakness Stakes before riding Rombauer to victory May 15. Prat has also never been victorious at the Belmont Stakes, but that could change Saturday, when this year's final leg of the Triple Crown is set to take place at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
However, if Prat wins the Belmont, it won't be with Rombauer. He committed to riding Hot Rod Charlie in the race before winning the Preakness and honored that decision rather than sticking with Rombauer. Instead, Rombauer will be ridden by jockey John Velazquez, a four-time Kentucky Derby champion and two-time Belmont winner.
Both Rombauer and Hot Rod Charlie have short odds heading into the Belmont, but neither is the favorite. That would be Essential Quality, who will be looking to bounce back from a fourth-place showing at the Kentucky Derby. His jockey will again be Luis Saez, who has never won a Triple Crown race.
Here's everything else you need to know heading into Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
This is a strong Belmont field, and there are a few horses that could emerge victorious.
"It's a formidable group," trainer Todd Pletcher, who has three Belmont runners, said, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. "It's a good field. I think horses are coming out of the right races: Essential Quality's been consistent every time, I thought Hot Rod Charlie ran a great race in the Derby, if Rock Your World gets off to a better start [he could be dangerous], Rombauer coming off obviously winning the Preakness."
Rombauer may have a new jockey, but that isn't going to change the result. After winning the Preakness, the colt will earn another impressive victory, again using a late surge to claim a victory.
Like Rombauer, Velazquez could win his second Triple Crown race of the year. He rode Medina Spirit to victory in the Kentucky Derby, marking the second consecutive year he's won the Run for the Roses. It's been longer since he's won at the Belmont, though, with his most recent victory coming with Union Rags in 2012.
Although Rombauer will win, Essential Quality will impress and have a better showing than he did in the Kentucky Derby. Expect him to get off to a strong start and come up just short.
"I feel like we're in a great spot with this colt," trainer Brad Cox said, per Whyno. "He's seemed to have won all of his races in different ways. He's able to set off a hot pace or lay close to the pace or however he's able to adapt. He's a racehorse, bottom line."
Bourbonic could be a sleeper late in the race. He may have finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby, but he had won four of his previous five races. As one of the three Pletcher-trained horses in the Belmont field, he could fare well if he breaks strong from the No. 1 post.
For the most part, the favorites should finish near the front and the long shots will end up further back. There's a clear divide in the talent level of these horses, so it shouldn't be surprising for things to end up that way.
And while Rombauer and Essential Quality will both have opportunities to win, Rombauer's strong closing ability will once again prove to be the difference.
Belmont Stakes 2021: Projected Prize Money Earnings, Order of Finish and More
Jun 5, 2021
Essential Quality trains ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The 2021 Belmont Stakes might not have a Triple Crown on the line, but there's still the matter of the $1.5 million purse.
The American Classics don't just draw attention for their prestigious history and importance to horse racing. There's some serious money up for grabs that attracts the best three-year-olds every year to compete for their piece of history and cash.
The Belmont returns to its traditional date, distance and purse after all three were altered by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Last year, the purse dipped to $1 million, while the distance of 1 ½ miles was shortened to 1 ⅛ miles. The schedule was disrupted last year to make the Belmont the first jewel of the crown, with Tiz the Law coming away as the winner, but is back to being the third race in the series once again.
With a return to some normalcy in the prize-money-payout department, here's a look at predictions for the field and how much they would take home for their finish.
Predicted Order of Finish and Projected Prize Money Payouts
Win: Known Agenda ($800,000)
Place: Essential Quality ($280,000)
Show: Hot Rod Charlie ($150,000)
4th: Rock Your World ($100,000)
5th: Rombauer ($60,000)
6th: Overtook ($45,000)
7th: Bourbonic ($35,000)
8th: France Go de Ina ($30,000)
The glaring omission from the eight-horse field is Medina Spirit. The Bob Baffert-trained colt could be disqualified from the Kentucky Derby after initially winning the race. A failed drugs test means that distinction is now up in the air.
Regardless of the decision, the Triple Crown will not be in play. In the event Medina Spirit is disqualified, the retroactive winner would be Mandaloun, and Rombauer won the Preakness. Baffert has been suspended from entering any horses at New York race tracks by the New York Racing Association.
But that storyline and the potential damper it puts on the Derby shouldn't be the main focus Saturday. Rombauer will attempt to capture a second jewel of the Triple Crown while making his connections even more wealthy after winning the Preakness.
Things will be a little different for the winner of the Black-Eyed Susans, though. John Velazquez will draw the mount instead of Flavien Prat. Although the 28-year-old won the Preakness aboard Rombauer, he made a commitment to rejoin his Derby horse Hot Rod Charlie and has chosen to honor that commitment.
"His agent never wavered," Hot Rod trainer Doug O'Neill said, per the Associated Press. "The way Rombauer won, believe me, it's human nature to be like, 'Geez, how do we take off the Preakness horse for a horse that didn't win the Derby?' I think that's a credit to Charlie and what Flavien thinks about Charlie."
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - APRIL 29: Hot Rod Charlie runs on the track during the training for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 29, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
A jockey jumping from a Triple Crown race winner to take another mount is a fairly rare occurrence. It hasn't happened since 2009 when Calvin Borel chose Rachel Alexandra over Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.
Borel ended up guiding the filly to a Preakness win.
Hot Rod Charlie is just one talented horse Rombauer will have to compete with. Essential Quality is among the favorites and could be the No. 1 choice at post time. He was the Kentucky Derby favorite before finishing a disappointing fourth. However, with a smaller field and a longer track, his ability should shine through.
Still, the Belmont has been known to produce some longshot winners. So don't be surprised if it's one of the horses with longer odds that wind up winning. The 1 ½-mile track is quite different than what most horses have seen to this point.
The Belmont track has earned its Big Sandy nickname, as the dirt track can be grueling combined with the distance and wider turns. Pedigree can play a big role as horses who are bred for distance tend to be more successful than those sired by sprinters.
That's a ding on Rombauer's side. His sire Twirling Candy did not win a graded stakes race beyond 1 ⅛ miles. Meanwhile, a horse like Known Agenda has bloodlines on his side. His sire is Curlin, who won the Preakness Stakes before losing the Belmont by a head in 2007, has already sired a Belmont winner in Palace Malice.
Todd Pletcher, Known Agenda's trainer, is among the best at producing winners of the race. He has three wins at Elmont under his belt.
A slight wrench in the plan came about on Friday, though. Irad Ortiz Jr., a three-time Eclipse Award winner, was supposed to guide the colt through the Belmont, but he suffered an injury on June 3 that will keep him out of the race. A replacement rider has yet to be named.
It's not ideal, but there's still a lot to like about the horse heading into a race known to offer up surprise winners.
Belmont 2021 Post Time, Weather Forecast, Horse Odds, Jockey Info and Race Picks
Jun 5, 2021
Essential Quality trains the day before the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race in Elmont, N.Y., Friday, June 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Essential Quality comes into the 2021 Belmont Stakes as a favorite for the second time on the Triple Crown circuit.
The fourth-place finisher at Churchill Downs is 2-1 on the morning line for Saturday's conclusion of the three-race sprint over six weeks.
There is no Triple Crown pursuit involved in Saturday's race, and the field is only eight horses. Even with the small number of competitors, there is plenty of quality in the field.
That is reflected in the morning-line odds, as five of the eight three-year-old horses are listed at 10-1 or lower.
Known Agenda could be at a disadvantage among the quintet since he will go through a jockey change. Irad Ortiz was scheduled to ride Known Agenda, but he was injured in a fall on Thursday at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
2021 Belmont Stakes Info
Date: Saturday, June 5
Post Time: 6:47 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app
Weather Forecast (via Accuweather): 85 degrees, mostly sunny, 14 miles per hour wind.
Post Positions and Odds
1. Bourbonic (15-1; Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche)
2. Essential Quality (2-1; Luis Saez)
3. Rombauer (3-1; John Velazquez)
4. Hot Rod Charlie (7-2; Flavien Prat)
5. France Go de Ina (30-1; Ricardo Santana)
6. Known Agenda (6-1; TBD)
7. Rock Your World (9-2; Joel Rosario)
8. Overtook (20-1; Manny Franco)
Race Picks
1. Essential Quality
2. Hot Rod Charlie
3. Rock Your World
4. Bourbonic
5. Known Agenda
6. Rombauer
7. Overtook
8. France Go de Ina
The Belmont Stakes has a chance to be a showdown between the favored horses.
That would be a change of pace from the first two Triple Crown races. Medina Spirit initially won the Kentucky Derby as a 12-1 horse (although he could still be disqualified after his failed drug test was confirmed). Rombauer captured the Preakness Stakes as a long shot.
If Essential Quality gets off to a better start than his stumble at the Kentucky Derby, he could end up at the front of the field.
If Hot Rod Charlie also has a clean start, he could do battle with Essential Quality and produce a similar finish to November's Breeders' Cup juvenile race.
Essential Quality's November win was part of a four-race winning streak that he took into the Kentucky Derby.
Hot Rod Charlie was not as prolific, but he turned in a trio of top-three placings in his last three starts, including a third-place mark at the Kentucky Derby.
Known Agenda, Rock Your World and Bourbonic all competed in the Kentucky Derby, but they all finished in the back of the field.
Known Agenda could be affected by the uncertainty surrounding his jockey. Trainer Todd Pletcher did not announce a replacement for Ortiz prior to Saturday.
Rock Your World won over Medina Spirit at the Santa Anita Derby in February, but that is the horse's only significant result compared to the rest of the field.
Bourbonic has a victory at the Wood Memorial on his resume, but he may be stuck playing catchup alongside Essential Quality from the start.
Rombauer's morning-line price was affected by his Preakness Stakes victory, but with other strong horses in the field, he may disappoint anyone who bets on him. Rombauer has not won back-to-back races and took third in his start alongside Essential Quality at the Blue Grass Stakes.
France Go de Ina and Overtook are not expected to compete for the win. If either horse wins, it would be viewed as a massive surprise.
There might not be a Triple Crown in play, but there's still a lot of prestige and money to be earned for the jockeys and various horses' connections at the 2021 Belmont Stakes ...
Belmont Stakes 2021: Prize Money Purse, Post Time, Vegas Odds Payouts and More
Jun 4, 2021
Essential Quality trains ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Essential Quality's trip through the Triple Crown circuit did not go as planned.
The Kentucky Derby favorite failed to place in the top three at Churchill Downs and did not compete at the Preakness Stakes. He has one more chance to win one of the crown jewels of American horse racing Saturday at the Belmont Stakes.
With no Triple Crown up for grabs, only eight horses are entered into the field at Belmont Park. Essential Quality is the favorite on the morning line.
Five of the eight competitors are listed at 10-1 or lower on the morning line. That would suggest Saturday's race will be tough to win, but Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie have edges over the other contenders.
Essential Quality entered the Triple Crown circuit as the favorite to make a run at North American racing's biggest prize.
A bad start and a fourth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby ended that dream before it could become a reality.
On Saturday, Essential Quality faces a few familiar competitors from the Kentucky Derby, including Hot Rod Charlie and Known Agenda.
Hot Rod Charlie and Known Agenda are respectively third and fourth on the morning line, but they could move ahead of Rombauer by post time.
Rombauer is the second favorite because of his surprising victory at the Preakness Stakes, where he ended Medina Spirit's Triple Crown push. Rombauer has one other win in his career from the El Camino Real Derby in February. The race after that produced a third-place finish behind Essential Quality at the Blue Grass Stakes.
The Preakness winner's resume is a mixed bag. He had a fifth-place finish at the Breeders' Cup juvenile, which was his biggest race prior to his success at Pimlico Race Course.
Conversely, Essential Quality did nothing but win on his path to the Kentucky Derby, and his fourth-place mark at Churchill Downs was still a respectable result. With fewer horses in the field, Essential Quality should be able to show off his talent and break to the front of the field.
Hot Rod Charlie will likely end up as Essential Quality's top challenger. He took third at the Kentucky Derby and ended up in second behind the Belmont favorite at the Breeders' Cup juvenile. In fact, the Belmont finish could be the same as that race in November since Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie have the best results out of the pack.
A long-shot winner, such as Rombauer at the Preakness, seems unlikely given the top horses in the field. France Go de Ina, Overtook or Bourbonic may end up in the top three or four, but it would be a massive surprise if any of them challenged for the victory.
The 2021 Belmont Stakes features an interesting blend of proven and unproven horses vying for the chance to enter the history books as a Triple Crown race winner...
