Summer Bird wins Belmont Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y., June 6 (UPI) -- Summer Bird, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, won the 141st Belmont Stakes by two lengths Saturday at Elmont, N.Y.

Jockey Calvin Borel, aboard the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners, was denied a sweep of the Triple Crown races, finishing third aboard Derby winner Mine That Bird.

Mine That Bird was the 6-5 favorite Saturday in the 10-horse field of 3-year-olds. Summer Bird, a half-brother to the favorite, was the 11-1 fifth choice in the betting.

Summer Bird finished with a 2 3/4-length win over second-place Dunkirk.

Mine That Bird took the lead coming off the turn, with Dunkirk and Charitable Man to his inside. With a furlong to run, the favorite still had a short lead over Dunkirk as Summer Bird came with a rally.

Nearing the wire Summer Bird took the lead from Mine That Bird, who was fading.

Rounding out the finish in the final leg of racing's Triple Crown was Charitable Man, Luv Gov, Flying Private, Brave Victory, Mr. Hot Stuff, Chocolate Candy and Miner's Escape.

Borel had a chance to become the first jockey to sweep the Triple Crown races aboard two different horses in the same year. After his win in the Kentucky Derby, Borel switched to Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra, who was not entered in the Belmont Stakes.