Triple Crown controversy: Another horse may have helped Justify win
Justify was victorious at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, becoming the 13th horse to win the coveted Triple Crown. While no one would question Justify’s greatness as the first horse since Seattle Slew in 1977 to win the Triple Crown and be undefeated, some are questioning the tactics of another competitor.
Mike Repole, the co-owner of two horses in the race — Vino Rosso and Noble Indy — voiced concerns about the tactics used by Florent Geroux, the jockey for Restoring Hope, per the New York Post. Repole said Geroux was riding recklessly, and compared him to an offensive lineman.
“Justify is a super horse. He is a Triple Crown winner and he’s undefeated,” Repole said. “But I can see the stewards looking into this over the next couple of days. I probably expect them to look into reckless riding by Florent and bring him in to question him about what he was thinking and what his tactics were.”
Restoring Hope got out fast and was running second behind Justify for most of the race until falling back late and finishing eighth. Vino Rosso finished fourth, while Repole’s other horse, Noble Indy, finished last.
“It definitely seemed to me he was more of an offensive lineman than a racehorse trying to win the Belmont, and Justify was a running back trying to run for a touchdown,” Repole said.
Both Justify and Restoring Hope are trained by Bob Baffert.
Mike Repole calling foul on Justify's win…REALLY? Teamates {satblemates} are SUPPOSED to work together!! Finishing 4th and last, you had no chance anyway!! It was Restoring Hope's absolute right to protect his StableMate's position! Sour Grapes. Well deserved, Justify!!
— @Peter Walsh (@Peter37965747) June 11, 2018
“We watched him rush up like he was a quarter horse, make a quick right-hand turn, then turn left, pinned (Bravazo) on the rail. He looked like a bodyguard making sure nobody got close to Justify,” Repole added, according to the Daily Racing Form.
The owner of Restoring Hope was not happy with his rider either.
“I have no earthly idea what Florent was thinking or what his race strategy was,” Gary West, the owner of Restoring Hope, told the Post in an email.
“Had I known better, the first eighth of a mile I would have thought it was a quarter-horse race, not the mile-and-a-half Belmont. Maybe the horse was completely out of control and Florent had no choice. I will never know,” West added.
Geroux was asked about his strategy on Sunday.
“When he broke a step slow – he’s kind of an aggressive horse to ride, he pulls very hard – I wanted to make sure I put him in the clear. I didn’t want to break, get the horse covered up and then the horse starts getting aggressive behind horses. It would have been even worse if he was behind horses,” Geroux said.
“Bob (Baffert) just wanted me to get good position, he wanted the horse to be forwardly placed, second or third, you don’t see too many closers from Baffert,” he said. “If my horse would have broke on top, I would have been on the lead and Justify laying second. My horse broke a step slow and Justify was already in front of me.”
The New York Gaming Commission has no plans to talk to Geroux about his tactics, the Daily Racing Form reported.
But Vino Rosso’s rider, John Velazquez, thinks he knows what was really going on.
“Why would you send a horse that breaks bad and take everybody out, then come back in?” Velazquez said. “That’s his job, to protect the other horse and it worked for them. You have to give it to them.”
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