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Palace Malice, the pace-setter at the Kentucky Derby, sprinted to a decisive win at the 145th running of the Belmont Stakes, dashing Orb’s last Triple Crown chance for redemption. Veteran jockey Mike Smith told NBC Sports that his long shot colt was “just enjoying the trip, sucking all the air in” on a fast track that had dried up after a day and night of pounding rain. Orb, the Derby winner who entered the race the overwhelming favorite with 2-1 odds (despite his fourth-place flop at Pimlico), placed third; Oxbow, the Preakness champ placed second. Out of the gate, Frac Daddy and Palace Malice set the pace on the mile-and-a-half course, with Oxbow briefly taking the lead at the half-mile mark, but falling back on the final stretch. Palace Malice finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness, and entered the Belmont Stakes with 13-1 odds. He finished the race in 2:30.70.