June 5 (UPI) -- Essential Quality avenged his only defeat, a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, with a gutsy victory over Hot Rod Charlie in Saturday's $1.5 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in New York.
To accomplish the win, he had to survive a long, head-to-head stretch duel with a familiar rival, Hot Rod Charlie.
Essential Quality, last year's 2-year-old champion, finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby and did not contest the middle leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.
With no Triple Crown winner this year, the colt now is poised to take over command of the 3-year-old division and pursue year-end honors.
No Triple Crown winner, but Belmont Sakes could crown different kind of champion