Ray Kerrison's articel in today's NY Post
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06112007...son.htm?page=0
And this, from Ed Fountaine:
"Many, including trainer Larry Jones, expected the free-running Hard Spun to be loose on the lead through a first half-mile in 48 seconds or so. Instead, Gomez - after first dropping toward the rail out of the gate, then swinging four wide around the clubhouse turn - wrestled him back off the pace through a-half in 50 seconds. Since 1980, only one half-mile split in the Belmont has been slower; the average is just under 48 seconds, about a 10-length difference.
Perhaps, as Gomez said after the race, Hard Spun was "a little rank," although he seemed to settle well under Pino. Perhaps Gomez doubted Hard Spun could stay a mile-and-a-half after being caught in the Derby and Preakness, and was trying to reserve him as best he could.
Repeated viewings of the replay suggest that Gomez was "race-riding" Curlin, holding back Hard Spun to keep the favorite pinned down inside behind pacesetters CP West and Slew's Tizzy. Gomez didn't ask Hard Spun for run until the turn for home when Curlin made his move, coming off the rail to split horses. By then Rags to Riches was also rolling outside, and Hard Spun, caught in between, could not match strides with either of them."