Close Encounters

Since 1997, seven horses have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown. None won the Belmont.

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Sunday, June 8, 2008

1997, Silver Charm Fails to hold off Touch Gold in the final eighth-mile and finishes second three-quarters of a length back in a seven-horse field.
1998, Real Quiet Four lengths ahead with an eighth-mile remaining, Real Quiet gets nipped by a nose at the wire by Victory Gallop in a nine-horse field.
1999, Charismatic Takes the lead briefly at the turn but Lemon Drop Kid and Vision and Verse fly by him on the outside and he finishes third.
2002, War Emblem Stumbles badly out of the gate. Is rank for three-quarters of a mile and takes brief lead nearing the half-mile pole. Remains a factor to the turn and gives way, finishing eighth.
2003, Funny Cide Leads to the far turn, relinquishes the lead to Empire Maker at the three-sixteenths pole, battles along the inside to the top of the stretch then weakens finishing third, 5 lengths back.
2004, Smarty Jones Maintains a clear lead inside the furlong marker. Fights gamely into deep stretch then yields grudgingly while weakening in the late stages to finish second, a length behind Birdstone.
2008, Big Brown Finishes last to Da' Tara, the longest shot on the board. Big Brown is rank at the start and fails to respond when Kent Desormeaux asks him to run in the last turn.

Close Encounters

Since 1997, seven horses have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown. None won the Belmont.

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D.C. Sports Bog

1997, Silver Charm	Fails to hold off Touch Gold in the final eighth-mile and finishes second three-quarters of a length back in a seven-horse field.
1998, Real Quiet	Four lengths ahead with an eighth-mile remaining, Real Quiet gets nipped by a nose at the wire by Victory Gallop in a nine-horse field.
1999, Charismatic	Takes the lead briefly at the turn but Lemon Drop Kid and Vision and Verse fly by him on the outside and he finishes third.
2002, War Emblem	Stumbles badly out of the gate. Is rank for three-quarters of a mile and takes brief lead nearing the half-mile pole. Remains a factor to the turn and gives way, finishing eighth.
2003, Funny Cide	Leads to the far turn, relinquishes the lead to Empire Maker at the three-sixteenths pole, battles along the inside to the top of the stretch then weakens finishing third, 5 lengths back.
2004, Smarty Jones	Maintains a clear lead inside the furlong marker. Fights gamely into deep stretch then yields grudgingly while weakening in the late stages to finish second, a length behind Birdstone.
2008, Big Brown	Finishes last to Da' Tara, the longest shot on the board. Big Brown is rank at the start and fails to respond when Kent Desormeaux asks him to run in the last turn.