2009 Belmont Stakes
# 2009 Belmont Stakes

The 2009 Belmont Stakes was the 141st running of the Belmont Stakes. The race took place on June 6, 2009, and was televised on ABC and ESPN360. The value of the race was $1,000,000 in stakes. Post time was 6:19 p.m. EST. As the final jewel in the Triple Crown, this year's event was run without the elusive championship at stake as 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was defeated in the Preakness. The attendance at Belmont Park was 52,861.

Summer Bird closed stoutly in the stretch and was victorious over Dunkirk and Mine That Bird, who battled on for the minor placings.

## Pre-race announcements

After winning the Preakness, connections of winner Rachel Alexandra were not committed to the race. With a week before the race they decided not to enter the filly.

Among the possible challengers to Mine That Bird are Summer Bird, who shares the same sire—Birdstone, and Chocolate Candy, Dunkirk, Flying Private, Brave Victory, Charitable Man, Luv Gov, Miner’s Escape, Mr. Hot Stuff and Nowhere To Hide.

## Results

| Results | Post | Horse | Stakes |
| - | - | - | - |
| Win | 4 | Summer Bird | $600,000 |
| Place | 2 | Dunkirk | $200,000 |
| Show | 7 | Mine That Bird | $100,000 |
| Fourth | 6 | Charitable Man | $50,000 |
| Fifth | 5 | Luv Gov | $30,000 |

* Margins – 2¾ lengths, Neck
* Time – 2:27.54
* Track – Fast
* All other runners received $4,000 in stakes
* There was an inquiry filed by Charitable Man’s jockey Alan Garcia against Dunkirk for interference, but it was disallowed by the racing stewards

## Payout

$2 prices:

| Post | Horse | Win | Place | Show |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | Summer Bird | $25.40 | $9.30 | $4.70 |
| 2 | Dunkirk | | $5.40 | $3.60 |
| 7 | Mine That Bird | | | $2.60 |

* $1 Exacta (4-2): $121.00
* $1 Trifecta (4-2-7): $295.00
* $1 Superfecta (4-2-7-6): $852.00

## The Field

The draw for The Belmont Stakes was done on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. Mine That Bird was made the morning line 2-1 favorite and tried to become the 61st favorite to win and the first since Afleet Alex in 2005.

| Post | Horse name | Trainer | Jockey | Opening Odds | Starting Odds | Finishing Pos. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Chocolate Candy | Jerry Hollendorfer | Garrett Gomez | 10-1 | 9.50 | 9 |
| 2 | Dunkirk | Todd Pletcher | John Velazquez | 4-1 | 4.60 | 2 |
| 3 | Mr. Hot Stuff | Eoin Harty | Edgar Prado | 15-1 | 22.60 | 8 |
| 4 | Summer Bird | Tim Ice | Kent Desormeaux | 12-1 | 11.90 | 1 |
| 5 | Luv Gov | D. Wayne Lukas | Miguel Mena | 20-1 | 22.40 | 5 |
| 6 | Charitable Man | Kiaran McLaughlin | Alan Garcia | 3-1 | 4.60 | 4 |
| 7 | Mine That Bird | Bennie L. Woolley, Jr. | Calvin Borel | 2-1 | 1.25 | 3 |
| 8 | Flying Private | D. Wayne Lukas | Julien Leparoux | 12-1 | 17.30 | 6 |
| 9 | Miner's Escape | Nick Zito | Jose Lezcano | 15-1 | 22.00 | 10 |
| 10 | Brave Victory | Nick Zito | Rajiv Maragh | 15-1 | 27.50 | 7 |

## Performance

* Winner Summer Bird never ran as a 2YO
* First graded stakes victory for winning trainer Tim Ice
* Attendance at Belmont Park dropped 44% from 2008 due to no Triple Crown contender
* Second placed Dunkirk sustained a non-displaced condylar fracture of the left hind cannon bone.
