Destin gave Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners a thrilling run in the Belmont Stakes on June 11th narrowly missing the victory by inches!
Destin, piloted by Javier Castellano, broke sharply from the gates and laid 2nd within a length of the pace setter , Gettysburg , for the first mile setting the third fastest mile split in the past nine years. ( :24n :48 2/5, 1:13 1/5, 1:37 4/5 )
At the top of the “Big Sandy” stretch Javier asked Destin for another gear and he gave it! He pulled away from his competitors by two lengths at the 16th pole and all seemed as though Destin was going to be the crowning 2016 Belmont S. winner.
Within the final yards of the wire Creator came up to challenge that crown and edged out Destin by a 5 inch nose! It would end up being the 4th shortest margin of victory in the history of Belmont.
Destin will point for the Jim Dandy S. –Gr.2 on July 30th or the Haskell Invitational – Gr. 1 on July 31st.
He looks to turn the tables on Creator in the Traverse S. –Gr.1 ( Nicknamed Saratoga’s Midsummer Derby) at Saratoga on August 27th It is a test for 3-year olds going 1- ¼ for a purse of $1,250,000.
AP Photo/Julio Cortez
