TOUCH Gold rallied gamely throughout the final furlong to land the Belmont Stakes in New York on Saturday and so denied Silver Charm the American triple crown.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes hero Silver Charm looked set for a historic win when getting the better of a duel with Free House with just over a 100 yards to go.
But long-time leader Touch Gold found a second wind to snatch the spoils with a last gasp swoop.
"It's very hard to take," said Silver Charm's jockey Gary Stevens after going down by just three-quarters of a length in the one-and-a-half mile contest, with the tiring Free House a further length back in third.
"It was probably the best race Silver Charm has run through these Triple Crown races, to have him come up short, it's hard to take." Stevens revealed that all the jockeys were avoiding the rail. "The rail has been dead all week," he added. "It's very, very slow, it's like quicksand over there. It's not where you want to be.
With Touch Gold's victory, the drought between triple crown winners was extended to 20 years since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978. It is the second-longest stretch between triple crown winners, exceeded only by the 25-year break from Citation in 1948 to Secretariat in 1973.
Silver Charin was the first horse in eight years, since Sunday Silence, to come into the Belmont alter capturing the first two legs. As expected, Wild Rush broke out in front, followed closely by Chris McCarron on Touch Gold, Silver Charm and Free House.
"I had it in my mind that I wanted to go wide," said McCarron. "I didn't want his horse's eye to be able to look my horse in the eye." McCarron was no doubt recalling Silver Charm's victory in the Preakness, in which Captain Bodgit's late charge pushed Silver Charm to edge ahead of Free House at the wire.
Touch Gold was not a factor in the Preakness, where he stumbled out of the gate but still finished a fast-finishing fourth.
Silver Charm had beaten Captain Bodgit at the Kentucky Derby by a head with Free House third.
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