Belmont Stakes Results 2012: Desert Blanc Wins Final Undercard By A Nose

Edit: Union Rags wins the Belmont Stakes.

In the final race before the Belmont Stakes, the Manhattan handicap, Desert Blanc won a spectacular photo finish over Papaw Bodie. It was jockey Ramon Dominguez's third win of the day, so bettors hoping to ride the hot hand will want to wage on My Adonis, Dominguez's mount in the Belmont.

The race was spectacular from start to finish, with Hudson Steele keeping the lead for most of the seven furlongs before Desert Blanc and Papaw Bodie stormed by neck-and-neck. They stayed together for the final stretch, with Desert Blanc a nose ahead. Papaw Bodie closed by mere inches, but couldn't pull ahead. This is how close the finish was. "By a nose" is the appropriate terminology here:

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.