Other Belmont Trainers Not Upset With Outcome

Even though they did not win the Belmont Stakes presented by DraftKings (gr. I), trainers of the horses finishing closest to American Pharoah in his Triple Crown triumph expressed no major disappointments Sunday morning.

While the connections of the Belmont winner were showing off their horse to the media and the NBC television audience, other trainers were figuring out future plans.

"We ran our race but came up second," Kiaran McLaughlin said of TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner Frosted, who finished 5 1/2 lengths behind American Pharoah. "He ran his race; we just picked the wrong year (to run in Triple Crown races). It was a great day of racing."

Godolphin Racing's son of Tapit who finished fourth in American Pharoah's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) win, came out of the race fine and will likely be pointed toward the Travers Stakes (gr. I).

Dale Romans, who trains Belmont third-place Keen Ice for Donegal Racing, said he was pleased with the Curlin colt's effort and was not disappointed with the outcome.

"He is fine," Romans said. "I think we all got to see something special, like the crowds that saw three (Triple Crowns) in the '70s."

Romans said the goal is for Keen Ice to "win grade Is and go to stud" although he has nothing specific in mind right now.

"We're ecstatic," said Peter Brown, assistant to Mike de Kock, trainer of fourth-place Belmont runner Mutbaahij. "American Pharoah and Frosted ran to form. The horse that pipped us for third (Keen Ice) was also the horse that pipped us for seventh in the Derby."

Mutbaahij is scheduled to return to his trainer's division at Fair Hill Training Center  June 9.