Will patriotism and horseracing be the winning mix in the race known as “the test of the champion”?

We’re about to find out, with post time for the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown less an half-hour away at Belmont Park in Saratoga Springs, NY. Several weeks ago, I wrote about how fun it was in the Triple Crown’s second race, the Preakness Stakes, that a horse named “Early Voting” came up the winner. (The first race in the series, the Kentucky Derby, happens the first Saturday in May.)

Earlier this week, the odds-on favorite to win Saturday’s race, the longest of the three, is also one with a unique name — We The People.

NY Post:

Rich Strike, who drew the No. 4 post position and was tabbed with 7-2 morning-line odds, is not the betting favorite, though. That honor belongs to No. 1 We The People, who was made the 2-1 favorite after the post draw. We The People, who Flavien Prat will jockey, has three wins in four starts and is coming off a blowout victory in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes on May 14 at Belmont Park.

The horse’s name, as you likely know, comes from the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, one of our founding documents:

Why do I DISAGREE? Because it is in the Preamble of the
US Constitution.

"promote the general Welfare"

Definition of WELFARE – the HEALTH, happiness, and fortune of a person or group. pic.twitter.com/w4GTJ36IRt

— Lorie Pardue ☮️🌊 (@PardueLorie) October 25, 2020

It reads:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

And what do people think will happen, now that it’s race day? The Constitution colt is still the best bet, according to the morning line, via NJ.com’s latest update in the past hour: (emphasis mine)

Rich Strike won’t go off at odds of more than 80-1 this time, but even after bypassing the Preakness to run in the final leg of the Triple Crown, he’s not expected to be the horse to beat in the field of eight. That distinction belongs to 2-1 morning line favorite We the People, a newcomer to the Triple Crown trail who could set the pace in the 1 1/2-mile race and thrive if it rains in New York on Saturday.

By “newcomer,” they mean We the People didn’t race in either the Derby or the Preakness. And there was this related bit of intriguing trivia in the NY Post’s Wednesday write-up: none of the eight horses racing in today’s premier equine match-up made a start in all three races. So, you might say everyone is on equal footing here.

OK, now get ready to sing along with Ol’ Blue Eyes!