Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 10, 1990                   TAG: 9006100124
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: D3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Medium

BELMONT CROWN GOES TO GO AND GO

After all, Carl Nafzger, who trains Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled, virtually predicted the Irish-bred's victory.

Asked a few days before the race who he thought might provide the main opposition to Unbridled, Nafzger mentioned Go and Go "because he is shipping in here and European horses usually run good here the first time."

Go and Go ran away with the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, beating Thirty Six Red by 8\ lengths while becoming the eighth foreign horse to win the race and the first since Celtic Ash in 1960.

He also is the second Irish horse to win, duplicating Cavan's performance in 1958.

Unbridled finished fourth but still earned $1 million as the Triple Crown point leader and Nafzger felt like $1 million.

"He's clean as a whistle," the trainer said after finding out that Unbridled did not bleed while running for the first time without the diuretic Lasix since he suffered pulmonary bleeding during a race in October. "It's a real relief."

Horses are not allowed to race on medication in New York. That rule kept Preakness winner Summer Squall, who also races on the diuretic, out of the Belmont.

Go and Go, whose winning margin was the 10th-largest in Belmont history, made his first two starts this year on the grass in Ireland and arrived in New York only three days before the race.

"They had to come across the water to beat us," said Nick Zito, the trainer of Thirty Six Red, who had predicted that his colt would be first or second during the running of the race and hoped he would be first at the end.

It was Go and Go's second American victory - he made two starts in the United States last year - and it was worth a mutuel return of $17, $6.20 and $4.80. The winner's share of the $686,000 purse was $411,600.

Go and Go, ridden by Irish champion jockey Michael Kinane, carried scale weight of 126 pounds over 1 1/2 miles on a track labeled good in 2:27 1-5.

Thirty Six Red, ridden by Mike Smith, returned $4.40 and $4.20 while Baron de Vaux, ridden by Jean Cruguet, paid $12.60 after finishing two lengths behind Thirty Six Red and 2 1/2 lengths in front of Unbridled.

Unbridled was fourth with a half-mile remaining, a little more than 2 1/2 lengths behind pace-setting Thirty Six Red. He was still fourth with a quarter-mile to go, but by then he had dropped 5 1/2 lengths behind the leader.

At the eighth pole, where Go and Go took charge and turned the race into a shambles, Unbridled was six lengths off the lead.

"Carl took every preparation to have this horse ready for this performance," Craig Perret, Unbridled's jockey said. "He showed no wear and tear. He didn't need Lasix. Now everyone will say he did."

Completing the order of finish in the 122nd Belmont were Yonder, Land Rush, Video Ranger, Hawaiian Pass and Country Day.

It is the first time the Triple Crown has been split three ways since 1986, when Ferdinand won the Derby, Snow Chief the Preakness and Danzig Connection the Belmont.

The $1 million bonus went to Unbridled because he earned eight points for his victory in the Derby and his second place in the Preakness. Summer Squall, who finished second in the Derby, also had eight points, but a horse must complete all three races to be eligible.

Keywords:
HORSE RACING