Belmont Stakes controversy

Mike Respole co-owner of 4th place finisher Vino Rosso and last place finisher Noble Indy hopes the stewards question jockey Geroux about his handling of Restoring Hope. Gary West who owns Restoring Hope was livid about the handling of his horse. Geroux was like an offensive lineman blocking for a running back it was stated.  He blocked all those who wanted to get closer to the pace and made the field go wide. Javier Castellano was given crystal clear instructions make the lead. Those of us that having been following horse racing for years felt that the race looked fishy just by the way Justify galloped through easy fractions with no challengers.  Justify is a good horse in a weak crop of three year olds.  He's not an elite horse and shouldn't be remembered as such.

Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Noble Indy confirmed that the plan was to have his horse in a forward position early. " Javier opted to go to his plan B". Pletcher added  " Mike Respole and I didn't discuss a plan B " 

So let's look at the big picture here. Jockey Florent Geroux on Restoring Hope broke badly, rushed his horse up to just off his stablemate Justify's flank, boxed Brazano on the rail and made the rest of the field go around him. Justify and Restoring Hope are BOTH trained by Bob Baffert.   

Why in the world would Geroux rush up to the front. FOR WHAT ?

Curious as to  what Geroux might say. Well have to watch the race again

Baffert duped Gary West, owner of Baffert's "other" horse, and West is pissed. Apparently Restoring Hope had no chance if he went to the lead to chase Justify and that is exactly what Baffert had him do. The conflicts of interest and interlocking ownership interests were everywhere in this race. The only logic to the running strategies of the horses named by the OP is that the plan for those with the conflicts was to have a triple crown winner.

And yes, I lost trying to beat Justify with Hofburg.

How can you allow one trainer for two horses in any race especially for the third biggest in the world???

Omg fellas-- trainers enter multiple horses in many races and try to use that to an advantage. You all are looking at the wrong trainer. Pletcher had two in here and wanted Noble Indy (my pick for the price play btw and I lost hundreds on it) to get lead or press Justify hard to set up Vino Russo if the pace got hot and they faded. Noble broke a little slow and instead of rushing him and using him early Castellano backed of for the soft stalking trip which is a good trip if Noble has a chance but Noble was terrible. Noble just wasn't good enough. So Pletchers camp didn't execute their gameplan and they got pissed. If he did break better and Noble and Justify ended up burning themselves out and Vino Russo won then everyone is whining Pletcher.   This is a non story. Restoring Hope was rank and Florent wanted to stalk with him also as that was his best chance to win and he got out some then stalked like every other horse in every other race. Then he faded. I truly see nothing here at all and think all this whining and downplaying Justify as an amazing horse is crazy. He just won the dang triple crown and two of the races were in horrible conditions which he isn't even at his best. You saw Saturday the horse could have gone around again and won without being asked.

I agree David...Restoring Hope's running style is close to the pace & that's what Geroux did. Bravazo got stuck down on the rail but never made a move to challenge Justify. Nobody was going to beat him Saturday.

I called him a four legged assassin before the race & believe it even more after the race.  

lol it was a perfectly legal and legitimate of a race Justify is special perhaps a bit of a weak 3 yr old crop this year but take nothing away from Justify just sounds like sour grapes to me. the only thing that Restoring hope did was make it uncomfortable for the other horses there are so many times the top trainers or ownership groups have the multiple horses in a race years ago they would have to be coupled entries like 1 1A or 2 2B.. opposed to crying they should be applauded on a great job and tbh pretty sure Justify would have won anyway

It will all be swept under the rug.