Justify’s Jockey Praises ‘His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’ After Horse Wins the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown

Mike Smith, the jockey riding Justify in Saturday night’s Belmont Stakes, could have said anything in his first television interview. Instead of thanking the horse’s owner and the trainer, the very first thing he told NBC while being interviewed on horseback following the race, “First of all, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Justify led all the way in New York’s Belmont Stakes winning by 1 3/4 lengths to gain immortality as horse racings 13th Triple Crown winner. There was some show of competition from the other horses. Vino Rosso made a move to get within a length of Justify but never improved. Justify pulled away from the pack for good down the stretch in front of a packed grandstand of screaming fans. READ MORE