by Jeff Lowe and Don Clippinger

The defection of Street Sense ensured that the Belmont Stakes (G1) would not serve as a rubber match between the winners of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1), but history shows that the Belmont could be a major factor in the race for Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old male.

Curlin will attempt to join the list of 18 dual classic winners who scored their double in the Preakness and Belmont. 

All but seven of those doubles have occurred since the Daily Racing Form began conferring championships in 1936.

Since then, ten of the 11 Preakness-Belmont winners have been voted champion three-year-old male.

Curlin finished third in the Kentucky Derby, eight lengths behind Street Sense, before evening the score with his head win in the Preakness.

Curlin’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, has been diplomatic in addressing the decision by trainer Carl Nafzger and owner James Tafel to not start Street Sense in the Belmont.

“I think that if Carl thought that [Street Sense] belonged there, he would have shown up,” Asmussen said. “I just have got to respect his decision.

“I believe how [the decision] is perceived is in the media’s hands. I don’t think he’d be the only horse to beat if he was here.”

The presence of Rags to Riches means that the Belmont also could play a role in the championship picture for three-year-old fillies. The A.P. Indy filly scored her third consecutive Grade 1 win in the Kentucky Oaks on May 5.

Three of the last four fillies to compete in the Belmont have been voted champion three-year-old filly—Genuine Risk in 1980, Winning Colors in ’88, and Silverbulletday in 1999. Genuine Risk is the only one of the three to hit the board in the Belmont, finishing second to Temperence Hill.

Silverbulletday, the only previous Oaks winner to start in the Belmont, finished seventh to Lemon Drop Kid as the 5.10-to-1 third choice.

“I think everybody has been impressed with [Rags to Riches],” Asmussen said. ‘I remember the one race in California [her wide victory in the Las Virgenes Stakes (G1)] was an amazing race. I’m very curious to see how she stacks up against what I believe is a group of excellent three-year-old colts.”

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer

Don Clippinger is editorial director of Thoroughbred Times