Justify wins Triple Crown, jockey thanks Jesus

Justify became only the 13th Triple Crown winner in horse-racing history after winning the Belmont Stakes in New York on Saturday. He previously won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness to secure horse racing’s top prize. Justify became only the second horse to win the Triple Crown without ever losing a race, following Seattle Slew in 1977. Justify won the Belmont starting from the rail, 45 years to the day after Secretariat achieved that feat. At age 52, Mike Smith became the oldest jockey to win a Triple Crown and praised God for the feat: “First and foremost, I thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for blessing on this wonderful day.” Smith already has a spot in the horse-racing hall of fame but had never ridden a Triple Crown winner until Saturday.