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<\/a>The most obvious recent example of what can go wrong is Calvin Borel\u2019s ride aboard Mine That Bird in the 2009 Belmont. Borel was red hot \u2014 he had won the Derby and the Preakness that year \u2014 but he had very little experience with the Belmont track. Despite that he chose not to ride in any other races during the weekend of the Belmont, so he didn\u2019t have a feel for the track. His horse had an explosive move, but Borel used that move far too early and ran out of gas well before the finish line. He wound up third in a race he could easily have won if well managed.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at some of the more interesting stories surrounding the jockeys in this year\u2019s Belmont:<\/p>\n
John Velazquez<\/strong> \u2014 Velazquez lucked into riding the best horse of the class when he landed on Animal Kingdom in a controversial move the day before the Derby. While he was lucky to get the job, he has fared very well in the role. His Derby ride was masterful. You could argue that it was a tactical error in the Preakness to rely so much on having Shackleford fade at the end, but it was a decision that a lot of other jockeys would have made as well given the opening pace, so you can\u2019t knock him too much.<\/p>\n Now Velazquez will be on the likely favorite as tries to win his second Triple Crown race of the year and his second Belmont following his incredible win with Rags to Riches in 2007. He\u2019ll be up against some tough history here, though \u2014 Thunder Gulch in 1995 was the last horse to win the Derby and the Belmont in the same year.