Best Ever? Don't Roger That Just Yet

Roger Federer finally wins French Open Sunday, tying Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles; but comparing him to "Pistol Pete" still isn't as easy as it looks. (Photo courtesy of ESPN)

The king of the tennis world did something his predecessor could never do, yet still is not being granted the throne yet. What did Roger Federer do wrong?

Definitely nothing yesterday, as Federer dismantled Robin Soderling 6-1, 7-6, 6-4 to win the French Open. Federer's elusive first victory at Roland Garros this weekend was the 14th Grand Slam title of his magnificent career, equaling the mark set by Pete Sampras, the 1990s version of Federer who never made it past the semifinals in Paris. Federer also became just the sixth man ever to capture the career Grand Slam, and first since Andre Agassi did it a decade ago, ironically also doing it in Paris.

However, critics and fans alike are still reluctant to anoint Federer as the greatest of all-time, primarily because of two factors: The competition that he has faced, (or lack thereof in some circles) and his record against his biggest rival, Rafael Nadal.

Of Federer's Grand Slam wins, not many have come against big names, (Mark Philippoussis, Marcos Baghdatis and Fernando Gonzalez don't exactly send shivers down most spines) and his record against Nadal is only a mere 7-13. Compare that to Sampras, who had the likes of Agassi, Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Goran Ivanisevic and Yevgeny Kafelnikov among others, not to mention Boris Becker in his prime, to contend with on an annual basis. All Federer has aside from Nadal are an inconsistent Andy Roddick, and young upstarts such as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, both of whom are still a year or two away from reaching their prime.

If Federer is able to defeat Nadal at Wimbledon in what should be a much-anticipated rematch of their epic finals encounter a year ago, (a match John McEnroe called the "greatest he had ever seen") then maybe the Swiss sensation may finally get the respect he deserves. Until then, however, the jury is still out until he can get the monkey off his back and beat Nadal once more.

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A Look Back: 1973 Belmont Stakes

Secretariat is all alone in the stretch, winning the Belmont Stakes by a record 31 lengths in a world-record time of 2:24 to become racing's ninth Triple Crown winner. (Photo courtesy of BelmontStakes.com - You can see a video of this race by clicking here)

Just like 1978, one part of the race call of the 1973 Belmont Stakes stands out, particularly in reference to none other than Triple Crown winner Secretariat.

"HE IS MOVING LIKE A TREMENDOUS MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!"

Jockey Ron Turcotte did not break a sweat aboard the horse called "Big Red," dueling early with Sham down the backstretch before turning him back with about six furlongs left in the race. Sham faded to last in the five-horse field while Secretariat continued his run into the far turn of the mile-and-a-half race well clear of eventual runner-up Twice A Prince. In fact, Secretariat was only in front by seven lengths with a half-mile left to run when he went into the far turn uncontested, winning the race by a record 31 lengths in a performance that will never be matched, no matter how hard anyone may try.

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A Look Back: 1978 Belmont Stakes

Affirmed (right) stakes his claim to Triple Crown with thrilling win over Alydar in 1978 Belmont Stakes in arguably one of the greatest races ever. (Photo courtesy of BelmontStakes.com - You can see a video of this race by clicking here)

"We'll test these two to the wire!"

Any thoroughbred racing enthusiast will recognize those words as part of the great call of the 1978 Belmont Stakes, which featured Affirmed and Alydar, or the last Triple Crown win.

Ridden by 18-year-old Steve Cauthen, Affirmed engaged Alydar with a mile left to run in the mile-and-a-half classic, with their three rivals simply serving as witnesses to history. In fact, the race was still up for grabs at the sixteenth pole, when Cauthen went to a left-hand whip on Affirmed for the first time in his career, powering him past Jorge Velasquez and Alydar, who had briefly stuck their heads in front in mid-stretch. Affirmed went on to win by a head for trainer Laz Barrera.

The race has gained even more popularity in recent years, as horses that have attempted to win the Triple Crown have come up short.

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A Look Back: 1998 Belmont Stakes

Victory Gallop and Gary Stevens catch Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet at the wire to once again deny trainer Bob Baffert the Triple Crown for a second straight year. (Photo courtesy of BelmontStakes.com - You can see a video of this race by clicking here)

After missing out on the Triple Crown by just three-quarters of a length the year before with Silver Charm, trainer Bob Baffert returned to Belmont Park eleven years ago today with a chance at redemption in the form of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet, who faced ten rivals in the 130th edition of the mile-and-a-half Belmont Stakes, a race that turned out to be a classic for better or worse. Chief among the competition was Victory Gallop, second to Real Quiet in both the Derby and Preakness, and determined not to play Alydar to Real Quiet's Affirmed.

The race started with slow fractions set by Chilito, with Grand Slam a pressing second and Kent Desormeaux keeping Real Quiet in mid-pack through the backstretch run. With about six furlongs left to run, Desormeaux made his move on Real Quiet, coming to the leaders on the far turn. Real Quiet passed Chilito and Grand Slam just before the top of the stretch, and soon had a four-length lead with one furlong to go, prompting Belmont Park track announcer Tom Durkin to rise to the occasion once again:

"He's coming to the eighth pole! Twenty years in the waiting, one furlong to go! But here comes his rival, Victory Gallop, as they come to the final sixteenth! Kent Desormeaux IMPLORING Real Quiet to hold on! Victory Gallop a final surge! It's going to be very close! Here's the wire...IT'S TOO CLOSE TO CALL!!!!!!!!!!! Was it Real Quiet, or was it Victory Gallop? A picture is worth a thousand words...this photo is worth five million dollars! Oh no! History, in the waiting, on hold, until we get that photo finish!"

Gary Stevens, the jockey on Victory Gallop, had timed his move just right, starting it midway around the far turn to draw within six lengths of Real Quiet, and kept gaining ground down the stretch on the outside. In fact, Desormeaux pulled Real Quiet to the right so his horse would see his hard-charging adversary, a move that was addressed after the race by New York Racing Association steward Dave Hicks. Hicks stated that had Real Quiet won the race, he would have been disqualified for Desormeaux impeding Victory Gallop's path in the stretch. Real Quiet finished second, beaten a nose, and Desormeaux continues to be criticized to this day for moving too soon. Both horses went on to enjoy moderate success in their four-year-old seasons; with Real Quiet winning the Pimlico Special and Hollywood Gold Cup, while Victory Gallop took the Whitney Handicap in 1999 before both horses were forced to retire due to injuries.

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A Look Back: 2004 Belmont Stakes

Birdstone (No. 4) and Edgar Prado catch Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones in shadow of the wire to win 2004 Belmont Stakes, denying Smarty Triple Crown and handing him his first loss. (Photo courtesy of CBC - You can see a video of this race by clicking here)


He was America's horse; an undefeated feel-good story that touched all he came into contact with. From a freak accident that left him with a fractured skull to the tragedy of the man slated to train him; right up to the last furlong of the Belmont Stakes, it seemed as though Smarty Jones had an aura of invincibility about him. He would not be denied. Or so we thought.

In a race that broke the hearts of many racing fans, not to mention solidified the careers of several already-successful horsemen, Smarty Jones was handed his comeuppance in an unlikely fashion. Birdstone, a 36-1 shot whose last race had been an eighth-place effort five weeks earlier in the Kentucky Derby, captured the final leg of the Triple Crown under jockey Edgar Prado, who had spoiled a Triple Crown two years earlier on 70-1 Sarava in 2002. Smarty Jones was, in the words of track announcer Tom Durkin, "valiant but vanquished" finishing second. Royal Assault finished third for trainer Nick Zito, who also saddled the winner.

At the start of the race, it looked like Smarty Jones would have to win a war of attrition, with Eddington and Rock Hard Ten pushing him hard down the backstretch. Once Smarty Jones got around them, jockey Stewart Elliott made what appeared to be the winning move, a move that many critics now agree was made prematurely, as Smarty took a three-length lead into the far turn with Prado and Birdstone primed to pull off the shocker with a similar move of their own at the three-eighths pole. One furlong from the finish, Smarty still fought hard, but was eventually done in by the earlier battle on the lead and by the fact that Prado simply had more horse than Elliott.

This Saturday, Birdstone's offspring is running in the Belmont, (Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird) while Smarty Jones' first crop of foals has yet to hit the track.

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Nine To Prevent Borel From Three-Bagger In Belmont

If you're looking for a horse to beat Mine That Bird in Saturday's Belmont Stakes, it could be Kiaran McLaughlin's Charitable Man, shown here winning the Peter Pan Stakes four weeks ago. Charitable Man was installed as the 3-1 second choice for the 141st running of the Belmont, with Alan Garcia aboard. (Photo courtesy of New York Daily News)

Calvin Borel reaffirmed his guarantee of a Belmont Stakes win on Mine That Bird, which would make him the first jockey to win the Triple Crown on two different horses. Today, the connections of the Kentucky Derby-winning gelding drew post No. 7 for Saturday's mile-and-a-half contest. Mine That Bird is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the field of ten, and has the breeding to go the distance, as his sire is 2004 Belmont winner Birdstone, who lit up the board at 36-1 five years ago to end the Triple Crown dream of then-undefeated Smarty Jones.

A victory won't come easy for Borel, as nine others look to knock him off Saturday. Chief among them is Charitable Man, who will break just to Mine That Bird's inside from post six. Charitable Man is 2-for-2 at Belmont, including a win in the Peter Pan on May 9th, and is also the son of a Belmont winner; as Lemon Drop Kid won the final leg of the Triple Crown in 1999. Moreover, while Borel and trainer Chip Woolley of Mine That Bird will be making their first appearances in the Belmont, Charitable Man's connections know how to win this race. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin guided Jazil to the winner's circle in the 2006 Belmont, and jockey Alan Garcia won wire-to-wire last year on 38-1 shot Da' Tara, wrecking the Triple Crown hopes of Big Brown.

Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez, who won the Belmont in 2007 with Rags To Riches, are back this year with Dunkirk, who was a disappointing 11th in the Kentucky Derby. Dunkirk will break from post two, and is 4-1 on the morning line. Like McLaughlin, Pletcher was an assistant to D. Wayne Lukas before going on his own; and Lukas sends out a pair of attractively-priced horses Saturday. Flying Private was fourth in the Preakness and is 12-1 on the morning line with Julien Leparoux up from post eight, while Luv Gov breaks from the No. 5 slot with jockey Miguel Mena in the saddle and a 20-1 morning-line price. Lukas won the Triple Crown with two different horses in 1995.

Nick Zito, who won the Belmont with Birdstone and Da' Tara, sends out two 15-1 shots that drew the outside posts in the field of ten. Miner's Escape and Brave Victory go out for the Hall of Fame trainer with Jose Lezcano and Rajiv Maragh in the irons, respectively.

Chocolate Candy, fifth in the Derby, breaks from the rail with Garrett Gomez up. Summer Bird (post No. 4 with Kent Desormeaux riding) and Mr. Hot Stuff (post three with Edgar Prado) complete the field.

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A Look Back: 1997 Belmont Stakes

Touch Gold (left) wins 1997 Belmont Stakes under a masterful ride from jockey Chris McCarron, denying Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm the Triple Crown. (Photo courtesy of BelmontStakes.com - You can see a video of this race by clicking here)

The 1997 Belmont Stakes provided new racing fans with something they had not been accustomed to: A Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner attempting to become just the 12th Triple Crown winner. This time, it was Bob Baffert trainee Silver Charm, who broke from post two under Gary Stevens against a field of six others, including rival Free House and Touch Gold, who may have won the Preakness three weeks before had he not stumbled out of the gate.

The race held to form from the break, as Touch Gold and Free House went for the lead, while Stevens kept Silver Charm close early, sitting second or third through the first six furlongs until jockey Chris McCarron took Touch Gold back up the backstretch and dropped him out of the lead. Turning for home, it looked as though Silver Charm had the race to himself, with Free House on the outside just making his move. That is, until McCarron sent Touch Gold wide on the far turn, prompting track announcer Tom Durkin to proclaim his return to contention with a rousing cry of "Touch Gold swings into action on the far outside!"

With one furlong to go, Stevens and Silver Charm had Free House, who eventually finished third, put away; but couldn't hold off McCarron and Touch Gold, who had enough left to pass the Derby and Preakness winner coming to the finish, eliciting another historic Durkin call. "And Touch Gold will deny him the crown by a heartbreaking half-length!"

The 1997 Belmont was the last of McCarron's six Triple Crown wins, while Stevens would gain revenge the following year, spoiling the Triple Crown bid of Baffert trainee Real Quiet with Victory Gallop, who finished second in both the Derby and Preakness. Stevens would also reunite with Baffert to take the 2001 Belmont aboard Horse of the Year Point Given.

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