Philadelphia Phillies Legend Sees His Horse Dornoch Win Belmont Stakes

Jayson Werth, a member of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 2008 World Series team, now owns a Belmont Stakes winner.

Oct 23, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Former Philadelphia Phillies players Jayson Werth throws out the ceremonial first pitch before game five of the NLCS against the San Diego Padres for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. | Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Former Philadelphia Phillies legend Jayson Werth went viral at the Kentucky Derby last month for his pre-race fit.

On Saturday, his horse, Dornoch, brought him a lot more attention.

Dornoch won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, the final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Mystik Dan won the Kentucky Derby in a photo finish last month. Dornoch finished well out of the running.

Seize the Grey won the second leg, the Preakness Stakes, beating out Mystik Dan. Dornoch didn’t race at the Preakness.

On the final stretch of the Belmont, Dornoch was on the rail and held off Mindframe and Sierra Leone to win the race.

Sierra Leone came into the race as the heavy favorite with 9-5 odds. Dornoch was quite the longshot at 17-1.

Jayson Werth’s horse Dornoch just won the Belmont Stakes! pic.twitter.com/NvdlHEIW1z

— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) June 8, 2024

It was a race with several firsts.

For Werth, it was his first Triple Crown winner as a horse owner. The same went for Dornoch’s trainer, Danny Gargan. The race also wasn’t held at Belmont, which is in Elmont, N.Y. The track at Belmont is undergoing an extensive renovation.

This year’s race was Saratoga Springs, a 1.25-mile oval that is shorter than Belmont’s 1.5-mile track. That track is typically the longest of the three triple crown races.

The length of the race likely mattered little to Werth, who was probably trying to keep tabs on the Phillies, who opened their two-game series in London against the New York Mets the same day.

Werth, a 15-year-MLB veteran, spent four seasons with Philadelphia. To many fans, he is best known as being a vital piece of the Phillies’ 2008 World Series championship team.

Werth joined the franchise in 2007 on a one-year contract as he missed all of 2006 with a wrist injury.

In his four seasons in Philly he batted .282 with 95 home runs and 300 RBI.

During the 2008 World Series season, he hit .273 with 24 home runs and 67 RBI as the Phillies went on to beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the Fall Classic.

The following season in 2009, Werth made his only All-Star Game appearance and was 17th in National League MVP Voting. In 2010 he had perhaps the best year of his career, finishing eighth in MVP voting and led the NL with 46 doubles. He also batted .296 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI.

He finished his career with the Washington Nationals (2011-17). For his career he batted .267 with 229 home runs and 799 RBI.