NEWS
Dominguez, Contessa capture Belmont titles
Posted: Sunday, July 26, 2009 6:14 PM
Jockey Ramon Dominguez dominated the competition at Belmont Park, running away with the jockey title, and trainer Gary Contessa edged Christophe Clement for the training title during the 64-day spring/summer meeting, which closed Sunday.
Dominguez rode three winners on Sunday to set a modern-day record for victories with 98 winners for the meeting. Earlier in the week, he broke Racing Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr.'s mark of 92 set during the 1982 Belmont Park meeting.
Contessa, who has been the leading trainer in New York for the past three years, saddled 25 winners from 208 starters. Clement finished with 23 winners from 82 starters.
Dominguez and Contessa also were the leading jockey and trainer at Aqueduct inner track and spring meetings.
Carl Lizza was the leading owner during the Belmont spring meeting for the second time with 15 winners, two more than runners-up Steve Sigler and Winning Move Stable. Lizza's Flying Zee Stable also was the leading owner at Belmont in 2006.
