Union Rags has charged along the rail in the final moments to edge Paynter by a head and win the 144th Belmont Stakes.
The exciting finish brightened some of the gloom shadowing the event a day after Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another was retired from racing because of tendonitis in his left front leg.
His absence robbed racing of the chance of a Triple Crown, a feat not achieved since Affirmed in 1978.
Union Rags, seventh in the Derby, skipped the Preakness to rest for the Belmont’s 1-1/2 mile (2400m) challenge and made the strategy pay off by out-racing Paynter to the wire with Antigun finishing third.
“He did everything that he did in the work in the morning,” jockey John Velazquez said of Union Rags.
“I thought he had a great trip in there.
“Incredible. I don’t have words to describe it.”
Favourite Dullahan was trapped in the pack on the back straight and never in contention at the finish.
Before the race, I’ll Have Another was honoured with a retirement ceremony in the winner’s circle at Belmont Park before the feature race, the chestnut colt having his saddle removed by trainer Doug O’Neill.
“We felt that this would be a fitting ceremonial retirement for an incredible racehorse,” O’Neill said.
“Many fans travelled from near and far to see I’ll Have Another and we wanted to give them a chance to help us send him off to retirement.”
