1996 Belmont Stakes : Full ABC Broadcast

D. Wayne Lukas returned to the winner's circle yesterday when Editor's Note won the 128th running of the Belmont Stakes over Skip Away and the filly My Flag, giving Lukas his third straight victory in the Belmont and his seventh in the last eight Triple Crown races.

The trainer did it on a shining afternoon before 40,797 spectators at Belmont Park, ending the twists in the Triple Crown trail with one melodramatic run of a mile and a half, the last and longest race of the 3-year-old classics. It ended with a headlong stampede down the homestretch during which the favorite, Cavonnier, bowed a tendon in his right foreleg and could not continue.

Editor's Note ended a nine-race losing streak dating to last September. And Lukas, whose Triple Crown winning streak ended at six in the Preakness three weeks ago, promptly started another.

Lukas also prolonged his streak of success in the Belmont Stakes, which he won with Tabasco Cat two years ago and with Thunder Gulch last year. So, when he won yesterday with Editor's Note, he crept to within two of matching the record total of five straight Belmont victories set by Woody Stephens between 1982 and 1986. "Woody's record is safe," Lukas said with a laugh. "He can sleep well tonight. You know, three isn't five."

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/09/spo...