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Stakes champ a homer
Instead, he returned to his Belmont home to regroup and compete in the less-stressful Peter Pan Stakes.
It was a perfect strategy for the grandson of 1977 Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew, who was more than ready to pick up the pieces of those weary from a busy spring.
"He just needed a little time to grow up," said Schulhofer, who won the 1993 Belmont with Colonial Affair. "He peaked at the right day. He has trained great up to this race. You wouldn't want a horse to do any better."
Well-spotted throughout the marathon 11/2-mile Belmont, the son of Kingmambo angled out with three-eighths of a mile remaining and was ridden hard to the wire by jockey Jose Santos, barely holding off Vision and Verse for the win.
"You always need a good trip and he got that (yesterday)," Santos said. "He was dead game in the stretch and he showed he's got a lot of heart."
FILLY WILTS
Owner Jeanne Vance collected $600,000 from the $1-million purse. Those bold enough to back him at the windows were rewarded with $61.50 on a $2 ticket while the triactor with runner-up Vision and Verse and Charismatic paid $5,343.
Silverbulletday, the impressive filly who was testing the boys for the first time, wilted in the final quarter of a mile after setting the early pace to finish seventh, one spot in front of Menifee, the runner-up from both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
"We were taking a shot," said Silverbulletday's trainer Bob Baffert, who lost the Belmont and a Triple Crown the past two years with Real Quiet and Silver Charm.
"When they turned for home after a mile in 1:36, they were just tired. It's a tough race to win."
The breakdown of Charismatic yesterday was eerily reminiscent of Schulhofer's other Belmont win in which Prairie Bayou was injured.
"Naturally you hate to see a horse get hurt or anything happen to them," Schulhofer said. "I'm very happy to win. I would feel much better about this if it didn't happen."