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WALLY HALL: Jewels scattered in wayward Triple Crown

After five weeks and another leg of the Triple Crown settled, the talk -- even on NBC -- remains about the controversial Kentucky Derby.

In case you were having an out-of-world experience since the first Saturday in May, Maximum Security jumped a puddle and left his lane, cutting off War of Will to become the first horse in Derby history to be disqualified.

Country House, who was fading at the end, was awarded the roses and the title of Derby winner, but not the prestige or respect.

War of Will came back and won the Preakness in which another horse threw his jockey and ran the entire race. Fortunately for racing, that horse didn't cross the finish line first.

War of Will was made the second favorite in Saturday's Belmont Stakes behind Tacitus, who was placed third in the Kentucky Derby after the disqualification.

There probably was less interest in the Belmont in the great state of Arkansas than in recent years. The University of Arkansas baseball team beat Ole Miss in the opening game of the Fayetteville Super Regional, the Arnold Palmer Cup was taking place at the Alotian Club, and the Little Rock Open was ongoing at Rebsamen Tennis Center, a true jewel of the capital city.

Usually, there are several contenders in the Belmont who trained at Oaklawn, but the only connection Saturday was Intrepid Heart, who broke his maiden in impressive style at Oaklawn back in February. Trainer Todd Pletcher quickly shipped him to Keeneland thereafter.

On the walk to the paddock, Pletcher -- a three-time Belmont winner -- said Intrepid Heart was not a Derby horse, he was a Belmont Stakes horse.

Just not a winner.

Sir Winston -- who is trained by Mark Casse, also the trainer of War of Will -- took a similar route as Intrepid Heart, skipping the first and second legs of the Triple Crown.

When Sir Winston was last seen, it was in the Peter Pan Stakes race at Belmont Park on May 11. He closed fast -- but just fast enough to finish second -- a few lengths ahead of Intrepid Heart, who stumbled in that race.

Sir Winston was a closer, and Saturday was perfect for that as Joevia and Tax went out for the lead and set decent fractions. Meanwhile, Joel Rosario had Sir Winston relaxing.

He kept Sir Winston several lengths back until the horses neared the final turn, and it was like the horse shifted gears and suddenly they were seventh. Except for Joevia, who gave a gutsy but not good enough performance, the leaders were hitting the wall one by one.

At the head of the stretch, Sir Winston -- who had won just twice in nine previous outings -- was fourth and starting to roll.

There was a near incident between Sir Winston and War of Will, but with Casse training them both -- and War of Will flattening out -- there was no objection.

Favored Tacitus got up for second, and Joevia held on for third. And just like that, it was just another typical year in thoroughbred racing.

Instead of a Triple Crown winner, there were three different winners proving there is not a dominant 3-year-old in this crop.

Some horses are good, but none are great.

Maybe in the November Breeders' Cup -- which is currently scheduled to occur at Santa Anita -- Country House, Maximum Security, War of Will and Sir Winston will meet.

The 2019 Triple Crown is officially history, and maybe the sport can move on from what happened in the Kentucky Derby when the winner on the track lost in the judges' room.

Sports on 06/09/2019

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