Union Rags settled in his stakes barn after a van trip to Belmont Park
Phyllis M. Wyeth owned and homebred 3-year-old colt, Union Rags, arrived at Belmont on 6 June, 2012, and there is the post draw he was registered as the 6 to 1 third choice for the “Test of the Champions” and drew post number 3 for the 1 ½ mile race.
Union Rags was vanned from Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., and shortly after arriving at the Big Sandy he was quickly settled in his special stakes barn where all Belmont Stakes contenders are supposed to be at noon from 6 June until the Belmont
Stakes has been run.
“We were the first ones on the track at Fair Hill – we were waiting to get on it at 5:30,” said Matz. “He galloped a mile, we got him back, cooled him out, gave him something to eat, got him on the van and tried to be here before 12 o’clock. The driver did
a wonderful job.”
The Kentucky bred son of Dixie Union finished seventh to winner, I’ll Have Another, in the Kentucky Derby, where he had a troubled trip under French jockey, Julien Leparoux, got boxed up in a massive field and never got any room to unleash his colt.
Though, the duo had some breathing space in the mid stretch, but it was too little too late and I’ll Have Another was reeling down Bodemeister at a sizzling pace, and anyone who got near to him was Dullahan.
I’ll Have Another was the last out of 12 runners to make it to his stakes barn at Belmont Park on 6 June, as he was crowded by reporters and photographers on his way to his destination.
“No complaints, no hurdles,” said trainer Doug O’Neill. “He’s being good.”
Union Rags has only faced I’ll Have Another once, and that too was in the Kentucky Derby, where I’ll Have Another notched the winner. The Belmont Stakes though will be the second time when Union Rags and I’ll Have Another will stand in the same gate and
run on the same field.
Time will tell if Union Rags has it in him to spoil the run of I’ll Have Another and be the hurdle between him and the Triple Crown.
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