Why isn’t Always Dreaming in the 2017 Belmont Stakes?

After winning the Kentucky Derby and losing at the Preakness, why isn’t Always Dreaming running at the 2017 Belmont Stakes on Saturday?

One of the best parts about horse racing is watching a horse go after the Triple Crown. It’s exciting to see the Kentucky Derby winner go after the Preakness. After that, you want to see the horse go after the longer Belmont Stakes. Entering the 2017 Belmont Stakes, however, that’s not in the cards this time around. It’s especially not in the cards because Always Dreaming isn’t running.

Always Dreaming survived a ton of poor conditions at Churchill Downs at the Kentucky Derby for a muddy win. After helping to set the pace early on at the Preakness, though, he fell back in the back and ultimately finished eighth. Now, with no Triple Crown to run for, he won’t be in the field at the 2017 Belmont Stakes.

Obviously that would make sense as enough of a reason not to run at the Belmont Stakes. But is that the sole reason why Always Dreaming isn’t running on Saturday?

Well, it’s at least a contributing factor in the reason why he’s not running. Since there is no shot at the Triple Crow, the purse isn’t exactly enticing enough to pull the horse into a third race into a grueling schedule. However, there is a little bit more that comes into play when it comes to Always Dreaming not running at the Belmont Stakes.

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The biggest reason that the horse isn’t running and isn’t interested in the Triple Crown is simply because his owners and trainers want him to rest for the summer. There are a number of big races that he plans to run in. Thus, they want to make sure Always Dreaming is in top form and ready to run his best race then.