Union Rags wins Belmont by a neck

Union Rags, running with 5-2 odds, won the Belmont Stakes in a photo finish over Paynter on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The race lost much of its luster Friday morning when it was announced that Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another had suffered from tendonitis. The injury caused the horse to pull out of the Belmont and retire from racing.

I'll Have Another was trying to become the first horse since 1978 to win horse racing's Triple Crown.

With jockey John Velazquez aboard, Union Rags' victory brought some drama back to the race. The horse ran the 1 1/2 mile course in 2 minutes and 30.42 seconds in front of an announced crowd of 85,811.

The closing stretch featured Union Rags passing Paynter by a neck at the finish line, marking the third time in this spring's Triple Crown races that a horse trained by Bob Baffert came in second. Baffert's Bodemeister lost the Derby and the Preakness.

Union Rags, which started in the 3rd gate at the Belmont, finished seventh at the Derby and didn't run in the Preakness. It paid $7.50, $4.20 and $3.40 while Paynter paid $5.10 and $3.90 and, in third, Atigun paid $10.60.