Bodog Beat

Garret Gomez will be aboard Macho Again for the Belmont Stakes (AP Images)

Garret Gomez will replace jockey Julien Leparoux for the final leg of the Triple Crown.

Trainer Dallas Stewart has said the decision by Macho Again owners (West Point Thoroughbreds) is not a lack of confidence in Leparoux who has ridden the horse for four of his last five races.

“Julien has done a great job with him,” said Stewart. “But after talking with (West Point Thoroughbreds’ managing partner) Terry Finley and the owners, it was decision based more on a ‘home court advantage’ for the rider. Gomez is a New York rider and he knows that mile-and-a-half track. That’s not taking anything away from Julien or anything, but Gomez rides there every day and he’s going to ride a bunch on the card.”

“We’re going up there trying to win it, not that we think we couldn’t win it with Julien,” Stewart said. “Terry just felt that it would give us a little bit of an edge to have someone that rides there every day.”

Gomez was the Eclipse Award winner as Americas top jockey in 2007, he also leads all riders with $7.4 million in earnings so far this year.

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