I knew right away who won the race, my friend & I were all over victory gallop bout 8 tics btween us, all 4 VICTORY GALLOP. It took 4ever 4 the race 2 go official. I was waiting at the window. whew! the greatest race I ever witnessed, & Ive seen many, .
this was an epic moment in history. i still get goosebumps watching this video.real quiet was just an amazing horse and is the reason i have any interest in horseracing at all.just amazing
I just got a horse from a friend who is a jockey in Ohio. Never saw the horse till he arrived. His name is Quiet, Quiet Reflection actually and a half brother to Real Quiet. I look at him and still cant believe that I have been touched by greatness and this clse to it.
we see all triple crown contenders failling at the belmont.. the same race that secretariat destroyed.. he didnt need to do more to prove he is the horse of eternity.
That call should be right up there with "down goes Frazier" and "do you believe in miracles" and "we'll see you tomorrow night". An all time clasic race call.
@plmooney It is a classic call. It was so perfect that you would have thought that it was recorded after the race or otherwise scripted. Durkin had another memorable call when Birdstone beat Smarty Jones. Still, Chic Anderson's 1973 Belmont calling Secretariat a "tremendous machine" is my favorite. Great post.
RQ would not have been taken down and DQ'd. It's the Triple Crown and, frankly, he was tiring, not interfering. No one says this but it's Gary Stevens who won this race. Had a GS been on Alydar, Affirmed would not have won in 1978.
Not sure it was that bad of a ride. Look at Kent around the turn. He has Real Quiet in hand all the way to the top of the lane. He even looks back to see where Victory Gallop is. Horse just faded the last 1/4. In any race if your horse comes to the top of the lane like that you'd have to feel pretty good.
When Curlin nipped Street Sense at the wire in the Preakness Durking yelled too close to call, too close to call....but the subsequently posted video deletes this emotional observation. Glad they kept his comments in this video...
Considering his original owner sold him for 1/2 price what he originally paid for him because he had crooked knees and it took him 7 starts to break his Maiden I'd say Real Quiet did pretty well for himself in just missing the TC by a nose. I can't blame Kent for the ride as he rode the horse like he normally did. RQ was a late bloomer. Most times, trying to change a horses habit in a race of this signifigance will result in defeat more than just the nose he lost by.
Desormeaux really couldn't have done more to get Real Quiet beat there, could he? Started making his move 5 furlongs out, in the 4-5 path on the widest track in America-- the ground loss is staggering. If Kent had stayed tucked in behind horses till about the 3/8ths pole, he would have won by daylight.
Mention Baffert , who was just inducted into the HOF, and everybody would remember this race. He was like said "yes" with a close fist to Mike Pegram who is the owner but hung his mouth wide open because he just wasn't sure or knew maybe that his horse was beaten at the wire by a nose. It was disappointing to see Real Quiet lose beac. u were rooting for a hero.
Folks, for the life of me, one day I will live long enough to see the end of the days when certain jockeys in certain Belmonts (Kent Desormeaux, Stewart Elliott, Ron Franklin, et al) are accused of suddenly forgetting the dimensions of that track. Im waiting for the same critics to find some old Red Sox clip somehwere and post * Ted Williams, since he was unfamiliar with the nature of Fenways left field wall*
Every single time I watch this race, I start to cry. I've watched this video hundreds of times, and yet I still think the outcome could be different. What a fantastic race call. I still hold a grudge against Victory Gallop to this day for spoiling the closest thing to a Triple Crown I've ever seen.
Same here. I don't know how many times I've watched this race, probably one of the best I've ever seen, and 11 years later I still hope he can hold on, even though you know what's going to happen.
REAL QUIET is a great horse. I´m very proud he will come to my country Uruguay. He surely give us big surprises for our thoroughbred with classic horses.
I've watched sports long enough that usually, I can summon some perspective after an upset and say, "Well, the better team/ athlete/ horse won. Great effort."
A decade later, this race still completely deflates me.
Here is a strange question, but it's a moment I've never forgotten...before the Belmont there was footage of a horse that threw his rider/trainer and just craned his neck down and neighed defiantly at him. And supposedly was known to bite people. Was that this horse, Real Quiet? Because I thought that was the most awesome thing I'd ever seen, a horse that was that mean and yet that good at the same time.
Might have been Coronado's Quest...He had some awful antics and hence was not run in the Derby even though he was a very good horse..Finished 5th in the preakness after acting up but after surgery went on to win the Riva Ridge on Belmont day and then wins in the Haskell and Travers..If not for his antics he might have challenged Real Quiet in the derby as he was an excellent horse
- This is the race that keeps riders up at night. I think Desormeaux moved too soon. There's no doubt though that the stewards would have had to take Real Quiet down. Not sure I've been quite so disappointed in a race.
I know that most believe that Desormeaux moved too soon, as I originally thought that too, but when you think about it...in the previous two races, Victory Gallop gained ground on Real Quiet on the home stretch...I think Desormeaux knew Real Quiet didn't have the finishing speed that Victory Gallop did so he tried to go early enough where he'd be far enough ahead of Victory Gallop...I see track runners do it all the time in long distance races, and I bet that's what happened here too
This stretch duel was unbelievable.when Real Quiet turned for home the grandstand sounded like a freight train was coming through,i actually felt it sway.if you look at the photo it is questionable (ex.2003 bc turf (johar) was declared a dh.johar was clearly the winner).Visa didn't want to pay the $5m bonus.the 1998 Belmont was the greatest race i have ever seen live.
A furlong away from history. Say what you want, this race was probably the greatest of our generation. It's sad to note that neither of these great horses will get the attention given to Affirmed vs. Alydar, even though the outcome of their rivalry was 20x as dramatic.
this finish is very similar to this year's travers. Real Quiet had always a short lead, but in the wire Victory Gallop's head just went down. One metre more and Real Quiet should have won
I rarely think its a good call when the announcer does not call the winner. However, this was an exception. One of TD's best.
I recall that Kent moved Real Quiet out in the last few jumps interfering with Victory Gallop. I think there was an inquiry so RQ probably would have been DQ'd had VG not won anyway.
I dont like Durkin much but I must give him credit, though DJ had the ABC call, he is essentially on a worldwide stage and must primarily be a broadcaster moreso than a track announcer- with a Triple Crown on the line. A broadcasters first rule is to not make an announcement before you know it as fact (ie, suggest that a player may have actually caught a ball- dont say he did until the ref does.) I can excuse a caller in his position for not daring to call the winner.
I last watched this race ten years ago, live on TV. This was my first set of Triple Crown races and not only got me hooked on racing, I'm going into it professionally now. Real Quiet is a Triple Crown winner in my books; I'm surprised people don't talk about it more, because it's the closest Triple Crown loss in history.
You're correct, Kent did start his move too soon. Infact, he started his move somewhat with 3/4s of a mile to go and most people with horse sense or smarts know that a horse only has a good 3/8ths to 1/2 mile all out burst.
Real Quiet should have won. you cant blame kent for real quiet or big brown. why did real quiet lose? well, real quiet wore blinkers, and couldnt see victory gallop creeping up on him. real quiet thoguht the race was over. had he of seen victory gallop from the outside, he would have been able to held him off. the blinkers is what gave victory gallop the advantage. amazing ride by kent.
It's simple, Kent did everything in his hands to give Real Quiet the best chance to win, the only problem was that Victory Gallop was better than Real Quiet, and that benefited of the distance.
Kent made the right call, he had dying speed in front of him. He moved at the perfect time. He would hav been out kicked by Victory Gallop, he tried to get the jump on him. He got caught, it happens. Great Ride.
Kent lost the race. Horses don't make 2 moves in the 12 Furlong Belmont and win. It's a testament to RQ's ability as a stayer on dirt that he only lost by a nose.
I have watched this video several times and i have to say that Kent's ride on Real Quiet gave him every chance to win. If he had have held Real Quiet to the field who knows if he would have had a big enough sprint? Victory gallop was 10 lengths behind - many many races have been 'stolen' by the ride taking iniative and going for home and creating a space when he has horse.
You have to also consider that if you watch closely, Victory gallop had to shift twice in the stretch. I say TOO GOOD!!.
I agree. The more I watch this race I can't fault Desormeaux. He surged to an extreme advantage position and it took a great rally by a very versatile horse to barely nip him.
Meanwhile, I'm always curious about the guys in the infield who turn and celebrate immediately after the horses hit the wire. Do they think Real Quiet held on? He's closest to them so it probably appeared he won.
Thats the greatest call of a race finish I have ever heard. The Smart Jones Belmont was brilliant too. This guy just puts the listener right in the moment.
Ya know i keep seeing this whole watch Kent hold Real Quiet back and I just don't see where he does this... I looked real closely and just don't see it =/ that horse was running hard. Oh well whatever *shrugs*
I have different opinion on this..say Kent held Real Quiet back a bit, let Victory Gallop get closer and gets out kicked to the wire by a better closer he would have been grilled for not taking a big lead while he had horse, Ive always been of the opinion that bottoming out the field sometimes is the way to go, we'll never know, but I still don't think it was totally the wrong thing to do.
Every time I watch this I get the chills because I think how good he was and that we should have seen a triple crown winner in '98. On a side note, does anyone know where you can find the actual photo from the photo finish (true side view)?
I have been critical of Kent on here but I do want to say he did a great job on Big Brown this year in all three races. What happened today with BB was incredible but Kent made the right decision pulling him up to risk any kind of injury. It will be interesting to see what they kind but Dutrow will never hear the end of this one that his horses run well because of Winstrol and not talent. I think barring an injury he has no choice but to run BB again in Breeders and perhaps as 4 year old.
he would come to the Belmont with a chance to make amends with Big Brown and I think given that he rode Casino Drive in the Peter Pan that he knows the strengths and weaknesses of that horse. Beware though of Edgar Prado because he has been a Belmont foiler before with Birdstone. I also think it will be interesting to see if the other jockeys try to crowd BB and never let him get settled during the opening 1/2 mile. We'll see but I still think BB holds on "by a desperate neck" ala Breeders 89.
Well, I think Kent's riding has come along way since 1998 and I credit him in the first two races, especially the Preakness for saving Big Brown and not using too much gas in the tank. Here, in 1998, he moved too early with 6 furlongs left, never looked back down the stretch to see if anyone was coming and gave his horse the whip in the final 16th instead of knuckling him to get Real Quiet to extend his neck. So, I do think Desormeaux blew it but as I predicted on here many weeks ago...
I thought Victory Gallop skipped the Preakness and was more rested than Real Quiet?? Same thing when any horse, including BB, has run a race closer to the one being run, against fresher horses that have taken a longer resting period. That will be BB's situation at the Belmont. Hope he wins!! Hoping for a TC winner - 30 years is already too long to wait.
quite frankly alot of us critizice the riding of kent desormeaux if you look at the race tom durking said kent is making a move early with 6 furlongs to go,but kent took the lead 3 furlongs to go to the wire victory gallop won because real quit,he got tired like any horse would run 1 1/2. This year history is going to change with big brown quite frankly could win wire to wire from last to first or chasing the pace why, this is the best horse in the last 20 years
I agree. This is the best horse I've seen since Spectacular Bid in '79. If you ask me though, the only horses better than Big Brown since 1970 were Secretariat and Seattle Slew (and that is saying something about how...as Rick Dutrow would say it..."special" this horse is.
Just wanted to add note of intrigue to what should be incredible Belmont in three weeks. Casino Drive, who won the Peter Pan, and is considered to be Big Brown's chief/legitimate rival at the Belmont was ridden by Kent Desormeaux. I didn't know Kent rode that horse but what a huge advantage to have ridden the horse that will be your main rival as you go for the Triple Crown.
I agree; I am only really concerned about one horse, Casino Drive; I have a feeling Casino Drive and Big Brown could lock up in one of those Sunday Silence Easy Goer duels you saw back at the 1989 Preakness and that would concern me because Casino Drive is the fresher horse and has been bred for Belmont. We'll see.
four and five or even slightly less than four furlongs to go because the jockeys invariably run out of horse with a furlong to go. That said, if Kent has really learned his lesson he will not panic and hold Big Brown back until the top of the final stretch and then let him go and I think Big Brown is enough horse that he should be able to handle four furlongs at his best, especially off of what has to be said to be a rather leisurely Preakness run. I still say Big Brown pulls it off narrowly.
Well, Kent will indeed get his shot at redemption in the Belmont. I must give him credit in that he ran Big Brown to an almost perfect ride and showed great command by using only as much horse as he needed to get the win. Perhaps, he learned that lesson from the Preakness with Real Quiet when RQ expended more energy than necessary. Still, I think the one mistake jockeys make at the Belmont is they ask their horses to go with 5 plus furlongs left. I think the jockeys should wait until between
Sometimes life gives you second chances. Ten years ago Kent Desormeaux should have won the Triple Crown with Real Quiet and I think his jockeying at the end of this race cost Real Quiet the Triple Crown. The horse had plenty of gas left down the stretch and it sensed it was in the free and clear. Ten years later I think Desormeaux will be back at Belmont going for another Triple Crown with Big Brown and I think this time he will learn from his mistakes and Big Brown will hold on to win.
dont get too sure about him winning it. he could easily be beaten in the preakness by either gayego or racecar rhapsody. if gayego makes the front and goes fast for the first 3/4 of a mile he could be beaten. and in the belmont if he does win the preakness he could easily go down to casino drive or pyro or monba if they decide to run. dont be too sure. after smarty jones lost to birdstone and funny cide lost to empire maker. i wouldnt be too sure
Real Quiet didn't lose because he was tired from moving too soon. RQ has the lead the stride before and after the finish. He let up when he ran through the stretch uncontested but he came right back on when he heard Victory Gallop running up on the outside. VG was only in the lead for one stride. Kent couldn't have known that no one would challenge him in the stretch. He couldn't have known VG would eat up all that ground in that short distance. Kent was just unlucky that day.
He cut in front of Victory Gallop and the stewards said he would have been taken down anyways. Also he was tired as he was laboring down the stretch. He didn't have the lead after the wire either except for the first head bob which is natural when a horse bobs in front for the first time. He's just wasn't as good as VGallop!
As a jockey, I can say that Kent gave Real Quiet all he had in him, and then some. This was the most heartbreaking race I have ever witnessed, as far as a loss. Kent will die thinking of what he could have done differently to win the triple crown. It's not a matter of moving to early, Victory Gallop was just a stronger horse that day. Kent done a wonderful job.
Makes all the difference that Kent moved early. Anybody that says there's no possible way Desormeaux's ride made a difference knows nothing about the Belmont Stakes and the difference between 9 and 10 furlongs and 12 furlongs. Other than Secretariat and Affirmed, I've never ever seen another horse start his move 3.5 furlongs from the finish and be able to win the Belmont.
Great race, and Tom Durkin's call was one for the ages. His call down the stretch was just phenomenal and added to the moment.
Kent might have moved too early, but don't forget that Real Quiet impeded Victory Gallop not once, but twice down the stretch. Victory Gallop had a full head of steam when he was impeded the first time and was ready to roll right past Real Quiet. Victory Gallop was the better horse and a deserving winner of the Belmont.
I remember this race, and you are right about the impeding. I can't recall if it happened twice or not, but I believe you can see RQ stray around 2:27. I remember the network showing replays of the stretch run at various angles. No matter what, I knew RQ wasn't going to win b/c the violation was clear. Bummer of a day.
I watched it 3 times and it still looked like the inside horse won. Great finish but everyone's right, Kent moved waaaaaay too early in a mile and a half race. I guess he thought the pace was too slow.
jerry bailey,chris mccaron,shoemaker,cordero,delahoussy never won a triple crown...yet cruget,cauthen and turcotte did...this shows us that its the horse,not the jockey that wins the TC...
You are partially right. It's both the horse and the Jockey. Example: In '98 Derby A Solis relaxed Victory Gallop and he came from last to second. In the Preakness he pushed VGallop to be closer and the horse refused to give it his all. GStevens in Belmont here relaxed him and he came on strong again. The jockey has to know how to get the most out of his horse.J Baily lost on VG in Dubai pushing him too early and then let him relax and he won the rest of his races!
Great race, thanks for posting! My spine still tingles to see RQ take the lead at the top of the stretch. Keep wishing he will get to the line first- just once.
And since when are horses judged by their performance as older horses? Street Sense, Barbaro, and Secretariat, champions all, never ever ran past their 3yo year!
why does everyone have to bust on this horse saying its not great. it gave a courageous run at the triple crown, and for any horse to come that close is an amazing accomplishment. Real Quiet might not be one of the best of all time, but he sure was a great horse.
at 9.5 furlongs and farther, Real Quiet was top class. His record is the way it is because Baffert kept running him in Mile races. Throughout his career, he's only lost 1 race at 9.5 furlongs and above, and that was the Belmont by a nose.
i consider this race to be one of the best ever. Not only was it a photo finish, but it was a photo finish with so much at stake. And the way he lost was amazing. GREAT RACE!!
Real Quiet was a top notch horse and his off-spring proves it. However, he would have lost this particular race even if his nose was in front of Victory Gallop's because there was contact made at the end with an inquiry showing Real Quiet was at fault and therefor would have been disqualified as the winner. Kudos to VG and one of the BEST if not the BEST races ever with history on the line.
hey ehflipya, real quiet was a top quality horse, he practically swept the triple crown, losing by a head bob, he was by far the closest to win it, closer than silver charm and smarty jones. and then he kicked free house ass in 1999, he was the top notch horse, and him and victory gallop were exchanging wins back and foward, jus like free house and silver charm.
Yeah, but it took a dream trip for RQ and Victory Gallop losing massive amounts of ground and having all sorts of trouble for RQ to win the Derby. I think Free House wasn't at his best when RQ beat him at Pimlico, grinding up by an inch in the last jump wasn't exactly "kicking ass" either, and in reality, RQ wasn't much of an older horse (got beat by the likes of Precocity).
Real Quiet was never a real top quality racehorse..he was streaky at best. Victory Gallop was bred for the distance and came up strong with both horses on their "A" game that day.
That was a top 5 all time race ... never led until the very last stride and just by chance happened to be extending at the pole and RQ would have wonthe next stride. I was a big VG fan, amazing how he went around that horse blocking him at the head of the stretch and still ran RQ down
That horse did not deserve a Triple Crown. He was very good but doesn't belong with the likes of Slew or Big Red or Affirmed. I was rooting my butt off for Victory Gallop, racing gods evidently felt the same way.
I remember watching that race and jumping off the couch and riding across the finish line with them....LOL!! They shoulda called Victory Gallop, Baffert's Nightmare! What an amazing race.
geese ive never seen this race in its entirety geese, victory gallop came out of nowhere! how awsome was that race, dang i wish he was t3 winner though!
Thanks.... whats strange is I've been trying to view it for like 2 weeks and it hasn't worked (always did before) and I tried it today after asking that yesterday, and it works now, lol. Thanks.
Real Quiet did NOT move to early. The race was ran to his full potential it's just that Victory Gallop's determination at the end there won it for him along with a perfect head bob.
Smarty Jones broke too early, Real Quiet did not. great race it's a shame RQ couldn't hold on for just a half second longer.
AwsiDooger I halfway agree with you. Real Quiet was light year behind John Henry, but Real Quiet was great as a three year old. It's like how people try to compare Lebron,Kobe and others to Michael Jordan when these players haven't even passed IThomas,Bird,MJohnson and more. No horse has ever had more heart to win than John Henry.
EVERY time I watch it I beg Kent not to go so early, then I still gasp at the wire. When I watched it live I was so excited when he opened up on the field at the top of the stretch. I loved the fish. I really want to see a Triple Crown winner. GO STREET SENSE ( who I've been backing since the Juvenile)
However, I disagree with the statement that RQ would've been DQ'd if he would've won... I somehow don't see them DQing a horse in this situation, unless he knocked VG down!
I'm just grateful that Victory Gallop managed to get his nose in front with an incredibly well-timed head bob. Had Real Quiet crossed the wire first, there is little doubt that he would've been disqualified.
You know, I was actually jumping up and down when they switched to the scoreboard and they posted "11" as the winner. Backed Victory Gallop throughout the entire Triple Crown that year, and he finally got him.
BTW, I agree with jumptheoxer, that Real Quiet would have been disqualified. It doesn't show up in the standard view, but the head-on was incredibly revealing that Real Quiet had moved out and impeded Victory Gallup. Only a very agile and versatile horse could have recovered in time, as Victory Gallop did.
Much better that it ended up this way, with the proper result and not a controversial DQ with the Triple Crown at stake.
I believe that if Kent hadn't pulled Real Quiet over like that we would have had a TC winner today. It not only impeded Victory Gallop but it pulled RQ off his stride at the same time.
Wow! That was an amazing race!
ebirdyca 4 weeks ago
just saw the photo finish, Real Quiet put up a good fight, but faltered.
mshobohorse 5 months ago
I knew right away who won the race, my friend & I were all over victory gallop bout 8 tics btween us, all 4 VICTORY GALLOP. It took 4ever 4 the race 2 go official. I was waiting at the window. whew! the greatest race I ever witnessed, & Ive seen many, .
cunningtommib 5 months ago
The announcer said it: TOO CLOSE TO CALL! It had to be Real Quiet..
NYC123ization 6 months ago
to me it looked like Real Quiet won, anyone know where I can find the photo finish of this race?
smartyjonesfan 6 months ago
I close my eyes to veiw the race and Real Quiet wins ,,,,,, I dont want to open them ,,,,
Love you real Quiet ,,,
Hixboy67 7 months ago
one of the greatest finishese ever
jetfan1981 8 months ago
this was an epic moment in history. i still get goosebumps watching this video.real quiet was just an amazing horse and is the reason i have any interest in horseracing at all.just amazing
paidslap 8 months ago
I just got a horse from a friend who is a jockey in Ohio. Never saw the horse till he arrived. His name is Quiet, Quiet Reflection actually and a half brother to Real Quiet. I look at him and still cant believe that I have been touched by greatness and this clse to it.
exerciserider 8 months ago
"A picture is worth 1000 words. This photo is worth 5 million dollars!! Oh No!!"
LMFAO!!!
I find myself rewinding back to the homestretch thinking if I do that, Real Quiet could somehow win!! God this was one is hard to accept.
bubblinbrownsugar616 8 months ago
"too close to call"
datrubronxtale2 8 months ago
One of the greatest calls ever!
Slightlybent 9 months ago
we see all triple crown contenders failling at the belmont.. the same race that secretariat destroyed.. he didnt need to do more to prove he is the horse of eternity.
an08p 9 months ago
I loved Real Quiet.
jordanredman 11 months ago
That call should be right up there with "down goes Frazier" and "do you believe in miracles" and "we'll see you tomorrow night". An all time clasic race call.
plmooney 1 year ago
@plmooney It is a classic call. It was so perfect that you would have thought that it was recorded after the race or otherwise scripted. Durkin had another memorable call when Birdstone beat Smarty Jones. Still, Chic Anderson's 1973 Belmont calling Secretariat a "tremendous machine" is my favorite. Great post.
MarysHusband 11 months ago
@MarysHusband Don't forget the Call on Cigar's Breeders Cup win in 1995.....The incomparable, invincible, UNBEATABLE....CIGAR !!!
TonyRoam24 8 months ago
one of the greats...
mec554 1 year ago
RQ would not have been taken down and DQ'd. It's the Triple Crown and, frankly, he was tiring, not interfering. No one says this but it's Gary Stevens who won this race. Had a GS been on Alydar, Affirmed would not have won in 1978.
richardgross2 1 year ago
You will be so, so missed Real Quiet! You may have lost the Triple Crown, but you gave us your all and made it worth it! RIP Fish!
truenorth84 1 year ago
RIP Real Quiet
ereaven 1 year ago
Gotta be the most gut wrenching lost photo in racing history.
schardy80 1 year ago
Gotta love Durkins call.....far better than Johnson's on ABC
Of course, that was to be expected
STU676 1 year ago
@STU676 "A picture is worth a thousand words; this photo is worth five million dollars!" Perfect.
jesusthroughmary 1 year ago
Not sure it was that bad of a ride. Look at Kent around the turn. He has Real Quiet in hand all the way to the top of the lane. He even looks back to see where Victory Gallop is. Horse just faded the last 1/4. In any race if your horse comes to the top of the lane like that you'd have to feel pretty good.
ddido4604 1 year ago
@ddido4604 but he didn't make his move at the top of the stretch, he started it with 6 furlongs left
saveus228 1 year ago
When Curlin nipped Street Sense at the wire in the Preakness Durking yelled too close to call, too close to call....but the subsequently posted video deletes this emotional observation. Glad they kept his comments in this video...
LaramieTrail 2 years ago
He made his move WAY earlier than the 1 1/4 pole..................Real quiet was a REAL CHAMP.....bad ride this race..
Kostly 2 years ago
Considering his original owner sold him for 1/2 price what he originally paid for him because he had crooked knees and it took him 7 starts to break his Maiden I'd say Real Quiet did pretty well for himself in just missing the TC by a nose. I can't blame Kent for the ride as he rode the horse like he normally did. RQ was a late bloomer. Most times, trying to change a horses habit in a race of this signifigance will result in defeat more than just the nose he lost by.
joefederico 2 years ago
Desormeaux really couldn't have done more to get Real Quiet beat there, could he? Started making his move 5 furlongs out, in the 4-5 path on the widest track in America-- the ground loss is staggering. If Kent had stayed tucked in behind horses till about the 3/8ths pole, he would have won by daylight.
IanLozada 2 years ago
Mention Baffert , who was just inducted into the HOF, and everybody would remember this race. He was like said "yes" with a close fist to Mike Pegram who is the owner but hung his mouth wide open because he just wasn't sure or knew maybe that his horse was beaten at the wire by a nose. It was disappointing to see Real Quiet lose beac. u were rooting for a hero.
bng77 2 years ago
Folks, for the life of me, one day I will live long enough to see the end of the days when certain jockeys in certain Belmonts (Kent Desormeaux, Stewart Elliott, Ron Franklin, et al) are accused of suddenly forgetting the dimensions of that track. Im waiting for the same critics to find some old Red Sox clip somehwere and post * Ted Williams, since he was unfamiliar with the nature of Fenways left field wall*
jdavidcole64 2 years ago
I remember listening to his race on the radio in Spanish, so disappointed when the official result was announced.
samsam29 2 years ago
NICE CALL
umarmaxmas 2 years ago
Every single time I watch this race, I start to cry. I've watched this video hundreds of times, and yet I still think the outcome could be different. What a fantastic race call. I still hold a grudge against Victory Gallop to this day for spoiling the closest thing to a Triple Crown I've ever seen.
creepycoyote 2 years ago
KD timed it absolutely right, i mean what else could he and real quite do.
umarmaxmas 2 years ago
Same here. I don't know how many times I've watched this race, probably one of the best I've ever seen, and 11 years later I still hope he can hold on, even though you know what's going to happen.
Falc618 2 years ago
Desormeaxu moved Real Quiet too early, or at least that's what I think.
Stamolka1986 2 years ago
REAL QUIET is a great horse. I´m very proud he will come to my country Uruguay. He surely give us big surprises for our thoroughbred with classic horses.
so I bet all my cents. Anybody take a doubt ?
fdonandonando 2 years ago
Comment removed
fdonandonando 2 years ago
Look in "Related Videos", to the right; there you'll see the ABC footage from Dingerz....
cf1970 2 years ago
I've watched sports long enough that usually, I can summon some perspective after an upset and say, "Well, the better team/ athlete/ horse won. Great effort."
A decade later, this race still completely deflates me.
tafari127 2 years ago
Lost a Triple Crown for a nose...!
guasabalon 2 years ago
Here is a strange question, but it's a moment I've never forgotten...before the Belmont there was footage of a horse that threw his rider/trainer and just craned his neck down and neighed defiantly at him. And supposedly was known to bite people. Was that this horse, Real Quiet? Because I thought that was the most awesome thing I'd ever seen, a horse that was that mean and yet that good at the same time.
soulcornflake1 2 years ago
Might have been Coronado's Quest...He had some awful antics and hence was not run in the Derby even though he was a very good horse..Finished 5th in the preakness after acting up but after surgery went on to win the Riva Ridge on Belmont day and then wins in the Haskell and Travers..If not for his antics he might have challenged Real Quiet in the derby as he was an excellent horse
stockmanjr 2 years ago
like alwals, unb elievable.
plmooney 2 years ago
- This is the race that keeps riders up at night. I think Desormeaux moved too soon. There's no doubt though that the stewards would have had to take Real Quiet down. Not sure I've been quite so disappointed in a race.
panhandleman2 2 years ago
I know that most believe that Desormeaux moved too soon, as I originally thought that too, but when you think about it...in the previous two races, Victory Gallop gained ground on Real Quiet on the home stretch...I think Desormeaux knew Real Quiet didn't have the finishing speed that Victory Gallop did so he tried to go early enough where he'd be far enough ahead of Victory Gallop...I see track runners do it all the time in long distance races, and I bet that's what happened here too
somekid056 2 years ago
This stretch duel was unbelievable.when Real Quiet turned for home the grandstand sounded like a freight train was coming through,i actually felt it sway.if you look at the photo it is questionable (ex.2003 bc turf (johar) was declared a dh.johar was clearly the winner).Visa didn't want to pay the $5m bonus.the 1998 Belmont was the greatest race i have ever seen live.
bigedz80 2 years ago
A furlong away from history. Say what you want, this race was probably the greatest of our generation. It's sad to note that neither of these great horses will get the attention given to Affirmed vs. Alydar, even though the outcome of their rivalry was 20x as dramatic.
cowboyyway 2 years ago
If KD woud of let him got at 2 or 2.5 furlongs he would have been hopelessly beat
gchockey4545 2 years ago
I still get chills when i watch this and hear tom durkin at the wire "ITS TOO CLOSE TO CALL..."
This race is up there with the announcer call of secretariat at the belmont
atvizory2000 3 years ago
this finish is very similar to this year's travers. Real Quiet had always a short lead, but in the wire Victory Gallop's head just went down. One metre more and Real Quiet should have won
MaronasCarreras 3 years ago
tom durkin is a god!!!!
leeweinb1 3 years ago
I rarely think its a good call when the announcer does not call the winner. However, this was an exception. One of TD's best.
I recall that Kent moved Real Quiet out in the last few jumps interfering with Victory Gallop. I think there was an inquiry so RQ probably would have been DQ'd had VG not won anyway.
arazi2573 3 years ago
I dont like Durkin much but I must give him credit, though DJ had the ABC call, he is essentially on a worldwide stage and must primarily be a broadcaster moreso than a track announcer- with a Triple Crown on the line. A broadcasters first rule is to not make an announcement before you know it as fact (ie, suggest that a player may have actually caught a ball- dont say he did until the ref does.) I can excuse a caller in his position for not daring to call the winner.
jdavidcole64 2 years ago
What a call by Tom Durkin...amazing...
ivanyamil 3 years ago
I last watched this race ten years ago, live on TV. This was my first set of Triple Crown races and not only got me hooked on racing, I'm going into it professionally now. Real Quiet is a Triple Crown winner in my books; I'm surprised people don't talk about it more, because it's the closest Triple Crown loss in history.
FoxTrottrGrl 3 years ago
im with u i dont see how people dont talk about it more
castlestar99 3 years ago
its simple kent started is move 2 soon u never make ur move at the top of belmonts stretch and victory gallop ran him down
castlestar99 3 years ago
You're correct, Kent did start his move too soon. Infact, he started his move somewhat with 3/4s of a mile to go and most people with horse sense or smarts know that a horse only has a good 3/8ths to 1/2 mile all out burst.
dahoss65 3 years ago
Real Quiet should have won. you cant blame kent for real quiet or big brown. why did real quiet lose? well, real quiet wore blinkers, and couldnt see victory gallop creeping up on him. real quiet thoguht the race was over. had he of seen victory gallop from the outside, he would have been able to held him off. the blinkers is what gave victory gallop the advantage. amazing ride by kent.
jediknightjohnny123 3 years ago
It wasn't the horses fault, it wasn't Kent fault it wasn't anyones fault. Victory gallop just had a big burst of speed.
Wowweefilms 3 years ago
It's simple, Kent did everything in his hands to give Real Quiet the best chance to win, the only problem was that Victory Gallop was better than Real Quiet, and that benefited of the distance.
lpca12 3 years ago 2
Kent made the right call, he had dying speed in front of him. He moved at the perfect time. He would hav been out kicked by Victory Gallop, he tried to get the jump on him. He got caught, it happens. Great Ride.
DIGBYS 3 years ago
Kent lost the race. Horses don't make 2 moves in the 12 Furlong Belmont and win. It's a testament to RQ's ability as a stayer on dirt that he only lost by a nose.
saveus228 3 years ago
I have watched this video several times and i have to say that Kent's ride on Real Quiet gave him every chance to win. If he had have held Real Quiet to the field who knows if he would have had a big enough sprint? Victory gallop was 10 lengths behind - many many races have been 'stolen' by the ride taking iniative and going for home and creating a space when he has horse.
You have to also consider that if you watch closely, Victory gallop had to shift twice in the stretch. I say TOO GOOD!!.
buznapper 3 years ago
I agree. The more I watch this race I can't fault Desormeaux. He surged to an extreme advantage position and it took a great rally by a very versatile horse to barely nip him.
Meanwhile, I'm always curious about the guys in the infield who turn and celebrate immediately after the horses hit the wire. Do they think Real Quiet held on? He's closest to them so it probably appeared he won.
AwsiDooger 3 years ago
Thats the greatest call of a race finish I have ever heard. The Smart Jones Belmont was brilliant too. This guy just puts the listener right in the moment.
buznapper 3 years ago
tom durkin is the best caller of this generation
nvrlose37 3 years ago 2
Ya know i keep seeing this whole watch Kent hold Real Quiet back and I just don't see where he does this... I looked real closely and just don't see it =/ that horse was running hard. Oh well whatever *shrugs*
chihuahuababy37 3 years ago
That was unbelelievably close!! Closest finish i've ever seen!!
xXx2xCutex4xUxXx 3 years ago
I have different opinion on this..say Kent held Real Quiet back a bit, let Victory Gallop get closer and gets out kicked to the wire by a better closer he would have been grilled for not taking a big lead while he had horse, Ive always been of the opinion that bottoming out the field sometimes is the way to go, we'll never know, but I still don't think it was totally the wrong thing to do.
ballem 3 years ago
Every time I watch this I get the chills because I think how good he was and that we should have seen a triple crown winner in '98. On a side note, does anyone know where you can find the actual photo from the photo finish (true side view)?
cooleo100d 3 years ago
Awesome call by Tom Durkin. No matter how many times I watch it, my heart is pounding at the end.
keithw84 3 years ago 2
One of the greatest calls. Ever.
plmooney 3 years ago
I have been critical of Kent on here but I do want to say he did a great job on Big Brown this year in all three races. What happened today with BB was incredible but Kent made the right decision pulling him up to risk any kind of injury. It will be interesting to see what they kind but Dutrow will never hear the end of this one that his horses run well because of Winstrol and not talent. I think barring an injury he has no choice but to run BB again in Breeders and perhaps as 4 year old.
rob3377 3 years ago
"This photo is worth 5 millions dollars!!!"
What a great call.
tom12mvp 3 years ago
Real Quiet . . . real close
cgbazar 3 years ago
thats what SI used as a headline
nikumistry 3 years ago
$100 across on Tale of Ekati
instig8tor 3 years ago
how could it possibly be all of Kent's fault? he only lost by a nose. the horse just got tired. 1 1/2 miles is pretty far don't ya think.
1337ballin 3 years ago
he would come to the Belmont with a chance to make amends with Big Brown and I think given that he rode Casino Drive in the Peter Pan that he knows the strengths and weaknesses of that horse. Beware though of Edgar Prado because he has been a Belmont foiler before with Birdstone. I also think it will be interesting to see if the other jockeys try to crowd BB and never let him get settled during the opening 1/2 mile. We'll see but I still think BB holds on "by a desperate neck" ala Breeders 89.
rob3377 3 years ago
Well, I think Kent's riding has come along way since 1998 and I credit him in the first two races, especially the Preakness for saving Big Brown and not using too much gas in the tank. Here, in 1998, he moved too early with 6 furlongs left, never looked back down the stretch to see if anyone was coming and gave his horse the whip in the final 16th instead of knuckling him to get Real Quiet to extend his neck. So, I do think Desormeaux blew it but as I predicted on here many weeks ago...
rob3377 3 years ago
that was a response to TravisVOX
xmi11 3 years ago
umm if it wasnt for kents judgement he might not of won the derby or preakness
gchockey45 3 years ago
I thought Victory Gallop skipped the Preakness and was more rested than Real Quiet?? Same thing when any horse, including BB, has run a race closer to the one being run, against fresher horses that have taken a longer resting period. That will be BB's situation at the Belmont. Hope he wins!! Hoping for a TC winner - 30 years is already too long to wait.
IJnet 3 years ago
Tom Durkin OWNS! What a great call.
ercmangenius 3 years ago
quite frankly alot of us critizice the riding of kent desormeaux if you look at the race tom durking said kent is making a move early with 6 furlongs to go,but kent took the lead 3 furlongs to go to the wire victory gallop won because real quit,he got tired like any horse would run 1 1/2. This year history is going to change with big brown quite frankly could win wire to wire from last to first or chasing the pace why, this is the best horse in the last 20 years
andelpimp 3 years ago
20 years? Let's keep our wits about us.
TravisVOX 3 years ago
could very well be who would be better, maybe Ghostzapper or Cigar
xmi11 3 years ago
I agree. This is the best horse I've seen since Spectacular Bid in '79. If you ask me though, the only horses better than Big Brown since 1970 were Secretariat and Seattle Slew (and that is saying something about how...as Rick Dutrow would say it..."special" this horse is.
Bridgersjohn 3 years ago
i love when durkin is like "this picture is worth $5,000,000...OH NO!!!" HAHAHA
crater11 3 years ago
victory gallop lives up to his name
castlestar99 3 years ago 2
this race tells me that real quiet was not meant to win the triple crown
castlestar99 3 years ago
"Kent Desormeaux IMPLORING Real Quiet to hold on...." I love that.
jesusthroughmary 3 years ago
I second that!
westxlcr 3 years ago
kd moved too early
Dynowhite 3 years ago
Maybe the best finish call ever by Durkin, I have watched this race like 30 time now....
aslerner 3 years ago
me too, tom durkin is a genious
leeweinb1 3 years ago
what a call by durkin
PointGiven007 3 years ago
Just wanted to add note of intrigue to what should be incredible Belmont in three weeks. Casino Drive, who won the Peter Pan, and is considered to be Big Brown's chief/legitimate rival at the Belmont was ridden by Kent Desormeaux. I didn't know Kent rode that horse but what a huge advantage to have ridden the horse that will be your main rival as you go for the Triple Crown.
rob3377 3 years ago
ummm i said secretariet LIKE performance.he wont break the track record and he wont win by 31 lengths.but i think he may win by 15.
ezfla 3 years ago
real quiet had it ,it was the jockeys fault
castlestar99 3 years ago
a head bob away from the triple crown...not this year,big brown will put in a secreteriat like performance!
ezfla 3 years ago
take it easy with the Secretariat talk.
fightsnraces 3 years ago 2
Do you read what you write? No one compares to Secretariat.
grkplayer6 3 years ago
except possibly Man o' War...
RoyalHorn 3 years ago
I was so sad at the time when Real Quiet lost but now looking back on it, Victory Gallop really earned that one. Look at that surge at the end!
lopper33 3 years ago
It gave me goose bumps then, it still gives me goose bumps now.
chickenvideo 3 years ago
Probably one of the most dramatic horse races you will ever see.
nshtt 3 years ago
10 years later, KD will not make the same mistake again.
pvinh22 3 years ago
I agree; I am only really concerned about one horse, Casino Drive; I have a feeling Casino Drive and Big Brown could lock up in one of those Sunday Silence Easy Goer duels you saw back at the 1989 Preakness and that would concern me because Casino Drive is the fresher horse and has been bred for Belmont. We'll see.
rob3377 3 years ago
four and five or even slightly less than four furlongs to go because the jockeys invariably run out of horse with a furlong to go. That said, if Kent has really learned his lesson he will not panic and hold Big Brown back until the top of the final stretch and then let him go and I think Big Brown is enough horse that he should be able to handle four furlongs at his best, especially off of what has to be said to be a rather leisurely Preakness run. I still say Big Brown pulls it off narrowly.
rob3377 3 years ago
Well, Kent will indeed get his shot at redemption in the Belmont. I must give him credit in that he ran Big Brown to an almost perfect ride and showed great command by using only as much horse as he needed to get the win. Perhaps, he learned that lesson from the Preakness with Real Quiet when RQ expended more energy than necessary. Still, I think the one mistake jockeys make at the Belmont is they ask their horses to go with 5 plus furlongs left. I think the jockeys should wait until between
rob3377 3 years ago
I have been going to saratoga for years and I have been spoiled. The best race caller of all time and its not even close
Astock1983 3 years ago
noone is better than durkin
ercmangenius 3 years ago
Sometimes life gives you second chances. Ten years ago Kent Desormeaux should have won the Triple Crown with Real Quiet and I think his jockeying at the end of this race cost Real Quiet the Triple Crown. The horse had plenty of gas left down the stretch and it sensed it was in the free and clear. Ten years later I think Desormeaux will be back at Belmont going for another Triple Crown with Big Brown and I think this time he will learn from his mistakes and Big Brown will hold on to win.
rob3377 3 years ago
"That photo is worth 5 million dollars.....and somebody forgot to put film in the camera....NNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
that would have been funny.
anubis679 3 years ago 3
big brown will make amends for the triple crown this year. dont worry REAL QUIET, BIG BROWN will close the job!
GtzSweetnezz143 3 years ago
i hope so.......but lets not get too confident...
hersheygurl2257 3 years ago
i sure hope he does!
but with the competition this year?
im sure he will(=
barbarolover8 3 years ago
dont get too sure about him winning it. he could easily be beaten in the preakness by either gayego or racecar rhapsody. if gayego makes the front and goes fast for the first 3/4 of a mile he could be beaten. and in the belmont if he does win the preakness he could easily go down to casino drive or pyro or monba if they decide to run. dont be too sure. after smarty jones lost to birdstone and funny cide lost to empire maker. i wouldnt be too sure
garnizzle96 3 years ago
Or not.
jesusthroughmary 3 years ago 2
ha. nice comeback(;
barbarolover8 3 years ago
One of the greatest calls ever by Durkin. "TOO CLOSE TO CALL!!!!!"
Wow, what a race, and great call.
aslerner 3 years ago 2
He moved just a little too soon.
6 furlongs out and 5-6 wide. NOT GOOD.
He could have waited 1-2 furlongs longer and His name would have been in the history books.
ChoKolateNUPE 3 years ago
Real Quiet didn't lose because he was tired from moving too soon. RQ has the lead the stride before and after the finish. He let up when he ran through the stretch uncontested but he came right back on when he heard Victory Gallop running up on the outside. VG was only in the lead for one stride. Kent couldn't have known that no one would challenge him in the stretch. He couldn't have known VG would eat up all that ground in that short distance. Kent was just unlucky that day.
kmnmiamisax 3 years ago
He cut in front of Victory Gallop and the stewards said he would have been taken down anyways. Also he was tired as he was laboring down the stretch. He didn't have the lead after the wire either except for the first head bob which is natural when a horse bobs in front for the first time. He's just wasn't as good as VGallop!
hsgbfjar 3 years ago
As a jockey, I can say that Kent gave Real Quiet all he had in him, and then some. This was the most heartbreaking race I have ever witnessed, as far as a loss. Kent will die thinking of what he could have done differently to win the triple crown. It's not a matter of moving to early, Victory Gallop was just a stronger horse that day. Kent done a wonderful job.
pintogal82 3 years ago 2
Makes all the difference that Kent moved early. Anybody that says there's no possible way Desormeaux's ride made a difference knows nothing about the Belmont Stakes and the difference between 9 and 10 furlongs and 12 furlongs. Other than Secretariat and Affirmed, I've never ever seen another horse start his move 3.5 furlongs from the finish and be able to win the Belmont.
saveus228 3 years ago 2
Great race, and Tom Durkin's call was one for the ages. His call down the stretch was just phenomenal and added to the moment.
Kent might have moved too early, but don't forget that Real Quiet impeded Victory Gallop not once, but twice down the stretch. Victory Gallop had a full head of steam when he was impeded the first time and was ready to roll right past Real Quiet. Victory Gallop was the better horse and a deserving winner of the Belmont.
unclesnoopy 4 years ago 6
I remember this race, and you are right about the impeding. I can't recall if it happened twice or not, but I believe you can see RQ stray around 2:27. I remember the network showing replays of the stretch run at various angles. No matter what, I knew RQ wasn't going to win b/c the violation was clear. Bummer of a day.
turner352 3 years ago
I watched it 3 times and it still looked like the inside horse won. Great finish but everyone's right, Kent moved waaaaaay too early in a mile and a half race. I guess he thought the pace was too slow.
Tuddyboy11 4 years ago
"IT'S TOO CLOSE TO CAAALLLLLLLL !!!"
TonyRoam24 4 years ago
jerry bailey,chris mccaron,shoemaker,cordero,delahoussy never won a triple crown...yet cruget,cauthen and turcotte did...this shows us that its the horse,not the jockey that wins the TC...
yomamadontdanz 4 years ago
exactly! it is called horse race not jockey race :)
HemsinRiver 4 years ago
You are partially right. It's both the horse and the Jockey. Example: In '98 Derby A Solis relaxed Victory Gallop and he came from last to second. In the Preakness he pushed VGallop to be closer and the horse refused to give it his all. GStevens in Belmont here relaxed him and he came on strong again. The jockey has to know how to get the most out of his horse.J Baily lost on VG in Dubai pushing him too early and then let him relax and he won the rest of his races!
hsgbfjar 3 years ago
This photo worth 5 millon
greenbayracer 4 years ago
Great race, thanks for posting! My spine still tingles to see RQ take the lead at the top of the stretch. Keep wishing he will get to the line first- just once.
And since when are horses judged by their performance as older horses? Street Sense, Barbaro, and Secretariat, champions all, never ever ran past their 3yo year!
gregcz2000 4 years ago 2
why does everyone have to bust on this horse saying its not great. it gave a courageous run at the triple crown, and for any horse to come that close is an amazing accomplishment. Real Quiet might not be one of the best of all time, but he sure was a great horse.
pudgeS18 4 years ago
at 9.5 furlongs and farther, Real Quiet was top class. His record is the way it is because Baffert kept running him in Mile races. Throughout his career, he's only lost 1 race at 9.5 furlongs and above, and that was the Belmont by a nose.
saveus228 3 years ago
i consider this race to be one of the best ever. Not only was it a photo finish, but it was a photo finish with so much at stake. And the way he lost was amazing. GREAT RACE!!
atvizory2000 4 years ago
Best ever photo finish
datstuffishot 4 years ago
Real Quiet was a top notch horse and his off-spring proves it. However, he would have lost this particular race even if his nose was in front of Victory Gallop's because there was contact made at the end with an inquiry showing Real Quiet was at fault and therefor would have been disqualified as the winner. Kudos to VG and one of the BEST if not the BEST races ever with history on the line.
nfrancis11 4 years ago 2
hey ehflipya, real quiet was a top quality horse, he practically swept the triple crown, losing by a head bob, he was by far the closest to win it, closer than silver charm and smarty jones. and then he kicked free house ass in 1999, he was the top notch horse, and him and victory gallop were exchanging wins back and foward, jus like free house and silver charm.
jediknightjohnny123 4 years ago
Yeah, but it took a dream trip for RQ and Victory Gallop losing massive amounts of ground and having all sorts of trouble for RQ to win the Derby. I think Free House wasn't at his best when RQ beat him at Pimlico, grinding up by an inch in the last jump wasn't exactly "kicking ass" either, and in reality, RQ wasn't much of an older horse (got beat by the likes of Precocity).
celticexpress 4 years ago
Sliver Charm, a Baffert horse, lost the T Crown at the wire as well the year before!
hsgbfjar 3 years ago
my uncle is kent and god was that an emotional day. it was amazing how in one stride the triple crown would slip through his fingers.
gomeauxgo 4 years ago
It wasn't one stride...it was 6 furlongs. If Kent hadn't moved so early I believe RQ would have been the 12th TC winner.
Mintano 4 years ago
Real Quiet was never a real top quality racehorse..he was streaky at best. Victory Gallop was bred for the distance and came up strong with both horses on their "A" game that day.
ehflipya 4 years ago
That was a top 5 all time race ... never led until the very last stride and just by chance happened to be extending at the pole and RQ would have wonthe next stride. I was a big VG fan, amazing how he went around that horse blocking him at the head of the stretch and still ran RQ down
yutube1000 4 years ago
I was in the stands for that race. You'd never seen a mass celebration turn into shocked silence so fast. Truly dissapointing if you were at Belmont.
gocashbaby 4 years ago
It depends who you were rooting for.
dukeblue0524 4 years ago
99.99 % of the HUGE crowd came to see a triple crown winner.
gocashbaby 4 years ago
That horse did not deserve a Triple Crown. He was very good but doesn't belong with the likes of Slew or Big Red or Affirmed. I was rooting my butt off for Victory Gallop, racing gods evidently felt the same way.
celticexpress 4 years ago
Most nerve-wrecking moment of my life in horse-racing. Waiting for that photo... minutes seemed like days.
crosscountrystar22 4 years ago
I remember watching that race and jumping off the couch and riding across the finish line with them....LOL!! They shoulda called Victory Gallop, Baffert's Nightmare! What an amazing race.
BethanyShine 4 years ago
geese ive never seen this race in its entirety geese, victory gallop came out of nowhere! how awsome was that race, dang i wish he was t3 winner though!
k7m4 4 years ago
Thanks.... whats strange is I've been trying to view it for like 2 weeks and it hasn't worked (always did before) and I tried it today after asking that yesterday, and it works now, lol. Thanks.
Falc618 4 years ago
Glad to hear it. Thanks for watching.
cf1970 4 years ago
Is this video broken for anyone else? I can view almost all videos here, but this one just has white dots circling in the middle and never loads.
Falc618 4 years ago
That's strange.
This video is public for all to see.
For whatever reason, it sounds like it wouldn't load for just that one time. I've never heard of anyone else having trouble watching it.
Keep trying.
cf1970 4 years ago
God, nine years later and as deflating as ever. Still, I nod my cap to VG.
tafari127 4 years ago
ugh tell me about it. We almost had a Triple Crown Winner that day but now its going to be 30 years since we had one...
itachiskitsune 4 years ago
Agreed.
real1quiet 4 years ago
Real Quiet did NOT move to early. The race was ran to his full potential it's just that Victory Gallop's determination at the end there won it for him along with a perfect head bob.
Smarty Jones broke too early, Real Quiet did not. great race it's a shame RQ couldn't hold on for just a half second longer.
lopper33 4 years ago
You don't get into your horse with 6 furlongs to go if you want to have something left at the finish.
He moved to early.
Mintano 4 years ago
I was so frustrated when RQ lost that race. I wanted to see him win. To fall by a half an inch made it all the more painful.
kcaj789 4 years ago
AwsiDooger I halfway agree with you. Real Quiet was light year behind John Henry, but Real Quiet was great as a three year old. It's like how people try to compare Lebron,Kobe and others to Michael Jordan when these players haven't even passed IThomas,Bird,MJohnson and more. No horse has ever had more heart to win than John Henry.
dukeblue0524 4 years ago
Tom Derkin should be calling every major sport.
fx772k1 4 years ago
EVERY time I watch it I beg Kent not to go so early, then I still gasp at the wire. When I watched it live I was so excited when he opened up on the field at the top of the stretch. I loved the fish. I really want to see a Triple Crown winner. GO STREET SENSE ( who I've been backing since the Juvenile)
ryanmoseley 4 years ago
The stretch call mirrors his stretch call for Smarty Jones/Birdstone almost word for word for about 10 seconds.
pstchrisp 4 years ago
Did Kent misjudge this finish line as well? lol
However, I disagree with the statement that RQ would've been DQ'd if he would've won... I somehow don't see them DQing a horse in this situation, unless he knocked VG down!
kalyssa1980 4 years ago
I'm just grateful that Victory Gallop managed to get his nose in front with an incredibly well-timed head bob. Had Real Quiet crossed the wire first, there is little doubt that he would've been disqualified.
DanielSong39 4 years ago
You know, I was actually jumping up and down when they switched to the scoreboard and they posted "11" as the winner. Backed Victory Gallop throughout the entire Triple Crown that year, and he finally got him.
WSBT960 4 years ago
BTW, I agree with jumptheoxer, that Real Quiet would have been disqualified. It doesn't show up in the standard view, but the head-on was incredibly revealing that Real Quiet had moved out and impeded Victory Gallup. Only a very agile and versatile horse could have recovered in time, as Victory Gallop did.
Much better that it ended up this way, with the proper result and not a controversial DQ with the Triple Crown at stake.
AwsiDooger 4 years ago
I believe that if Kent hadn't pulled Real Quiet over like that we would have had a TC winner today. It not only impeded Victory Gallop but it pulled RQ off his stride at the same time.
Mintano 4 years ago