The Latest: Horse euthanized after breakdown in 4th race
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT, Associated Press
Jun 6, 2015 2:44 PM CDT
A woman reacts at the end of a race before the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race at Belmont Park, Saturday, June 6, 2015, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)   (Associated Press)

NEW YORK (AP) — American Pharoah will try to win the Triple Crown on Saturday, when he takes on seven rivals in the Belmont Stakes. Here's what's going on at and around the track in the hours leading up to the race, scheduled to start at 6:50 p.m. EDT:

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3:30 p.m.

The 4-year-old colt Helwan has been euthanized after suffering a broken bone in his left front foot during the running of the Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park.

The race is one of several stakes on the undercard before American Pharoah attempts to win the Belmont and become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.

According the New York Racing Association, Helwan was pulled up with about 3 1/2 furlongs to go in the six-furlong race on the turf with the injury. He was euthanized on the track, behind a screen to keep the tens of thousands of fans from viewing the unpleasant scene.

The injury was to the left cannon bone, NYRA said.

Jockey Jose L. Ortiz was uninjured. He jumped off the horse, and walked off the track.

Helwan, bred in France, was in his first race in the United States. The trainer is Chad Brown; the owner Al Shaqab Racing.

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3:25 p.m.

Trainer Todd Pletcher won three of the first seven races on Belmont day, including back-to-back stakes with Curalina and Coach Inge.

Curalina was the 7-1 upset winner of the $750,000 Acorn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Making only her fourth start, Curalina edged By the Moon by a neck for her third victory.

John Velazquez rode both Curalina ($16.40) and Coach Inge ($7.90).

Shook Up, the runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks, finished last and left the track in the equine ambulance with an inflatable cast on her right front leg.

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2:35 p.m.

Bob Baffert, the Hall of Famer who trains American Pharoah, has toned down his one-liners lately, but he came up with a pretty good one the other day.

The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978. The 37-year gap is a record; previously it was 25 years, from Citation in 1948 to Secretarait in 1973.

Baffert, meanwhile, has come up short in three of the last 12 attempts since 1978.

"I think I'm responsible for the drought."

His Silver Charm lost by three-quarters of a length in 1997, Real Quiet lost by a nose in 1998 and War Emblem was eighth in 2002.

"I probably should have won the Triple Crown a couple more times," he added. "This fourth time will be different because I'm much older and mellower and I know what I have to deal with so I'm not so overwhelmed.

"This horse has a different vibe than the others. He's shown that he's a superior horse. He just needs to bring it one more time."

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2:20

Race 5: Wedding Toast was the five-length winner in the $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes for older fillies and mares.

It was the biggest — and richest — career win for the 5-year-old trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Jose Lezcano.

The victory guaranteed Wedding Toast an expenses-paid entry into the Breeders' Cup Distaff in October at Keeneland.

Wedding Toast paid $6.30 to win.

Untapable, the 3-5 favorite and last season's champion 3-year-old filly, barely held off House Rules for second.

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1:40 p.m.

A horse broke down in the fourth race at Belmont Park, apparently with a serious injury to a front leg, and was put into an ambulance after the running of the Jaipur Invitational.

As the 13-horse field rounded the turn for home in the six-furlong sprint on the turf, jockey Jose L. Ortiz pulled up the 4-year-old colt Helwan. The jockey jumped off, and did not appear to be injured. He walked off the track, ducking under the outside rail.

A medical team was on the scene quickly, and a dark screen was raised to keep fans from watching the unpleasant development.

There was no immediate word on the condition of the Helwan, who was bred in France and making his first start in the United States. The trainer is Chad Brown.

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1:03 p.m.

There will not be a record crowd at the Belmont Stakes to watch American Pharoah's bid to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1987.

Why?

Because Christopher Kay, the president of the New York Racing Association, put in an attendance cap of 90,000.

Last year's crowd of 102,199 was apparently too much for the track to handle. Long lines at rest rooms, betting windows and crowds packing an aging Long Island Rail Road platform made for an unpleasant experience after California Chrome's Triple try came up short.

Also, NYRA said it will not be selling tickets on Saturday, no matter what. They are advising anyone without a ticket not to show up at the racetrack.

A sidewalk sign at the front entrance to Belmont Park in the morning read "Tickets Sold Out."

The record attendance for Belmont is 120,139 in 2004, when Birdstone spoiled Smarty Jones' bid for a Triple Crown.

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12:55 p.m.

Race 3: March fought back along the rail to edge Cinco Charlie by a nose in the $500,000 Woody Stephens for 3-year-old sprinters. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. again had the hot hand. He won three stakes races Friday and this victory got his Belmont Day off to a winning start.

March, trained by Chad Brown, paid $22.80 for the upset.

Todd Pletcher's stakes woes continued as his duo of Two Weeks Off and the previously unbeaten Competitive Edge, the 2-5 favorite, finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

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12:35 p.m.

The weather is taking a turn for the better, with the clouds clearing and the sun beginning to shine through on Belmont Park.

It's about six hours before American Pharoah attempts to beat seven rivals in the Belmont Stakes to become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.

Temperatures are in the mid-70s, with a 20 percent chance of rain and winds at 15 mph. The track is listed as fast.

The second race was won by Tommy Macho ($19.20). He is trained by Todd Pletcher, whose horses finished second and third in the three-horse opening race on the program.

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12:08 p.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has canceled an appearance at the Belmont Stakes because he now has a scheduled news conference later in the day at an upstate prison. Authorities said two convicted murderers escaped from the maximum security Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York.

Cuomo was scheduled to be in the winner's circle at Belmont Park to present the Belmont trophy. The trophy will be presented by Michael Del Giudice, the acting chairman of the New York Racing Association board of directors.

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11:58 a.m.

A look at some updated odds shows Triple Crown hopeful as the 1-2 favorite in an eight horse field for the Belmont Stakes.

Here's the rest of the early odds: Frosted 5-1; Materiality 7-1; Madeforlucky 15-1; Mubtaahij 16-1; Keen Ice 17-1; Tale of Verve 20-1; Frammento 20-1.

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11:53 a.m.

The first race is in the books at Belmont Park, and a three-horse field turned in to a three-horse race to the finish, with Japan rallying on the outside for the 1 1/4-length win over Stanford in the $150,000 Easy Goer. Nonna's Boy was third, a quarter-length behind the runner-up.

The race is named for 1989 Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer, who spoiled Sunday Silence's Triple Crown try.

Japan is trained by Bill Mott and was ridden by Junior Alvarado. Todd Pletcher trains Stanford and Nonna's Boy.

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11:25 a.m.

The quest for a Triple Crown is upon us — again.

It's Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 6 at Belmont Park, and already thousands of fans have made their way into the spacious racetrack to see a slice of racing history when American Pharoah attempts to become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.

An early-morning rain shower at 6 a.m. may prove to be a good omen for American Pharoah. The colt won the Preakness three weeks ago in the slop and seems to thrive in the rain. The showers have ended, and weather reports for later in the day are calling for clear skies and temperatures in the 70s.

Post time for the first race is 11:35 a.m. Post time for the Belmont is 6:50 p.m.

The Belmont is a sellout at 90,000. For the first time, a cap was put on attendance by New York Racing Association officials.

Last year, Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome finished fourth in his Triple try before a crowd of 102,199.

This will be the 13th attempt at a Triple Crown since Affirmed became the 11th horse to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont in 1978.

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AP freelance Mike Farrell and Associated Press Writer Frank Eltman contributed to this report.

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Follow Richard Rosenblatt on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/rosenblattap

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