SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – You better get used to failure and you better get used to losing if you're striving to do something historic or epic.Those are the words of Mike Repole after coming within a neck of winning his first GI Kentucky Derby with Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.“I probably take losing better than I take winning,” said Repole, who campaigns the $975,000 Keeneland September graduate in partnership with breeders Robert and Lawana Low.“If you ask me what the toughest racing loss of my life was, I'd probably say, 'Renegade in the Kentucky Derby.' And, honestly, if you ask my what my biggest racing accomplishment was, I might tell 'ya, 'Second in the Derby.'”After getting bounced around at the start from his much-discussed rail draw, Renegade rallied valiantly beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. from 15th to nearly bring home the roses. He was only narrowly outkicked late by the re-opposing 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Golden Tempo (Curlin), who was piloted by Ortiz, Jr.'s year-younger brother Jose Ortiz.A video clip of Repole consoling and picking up Ortiz, Jr. after Renegade was unsaddled went viral on X.As a kid from Queens, winning the Belmont Stakes was always one of my biggest dreams.I've been fortunate enough to win it once and finish second four times.This Saturday, I'm incredibly lucky to have two horses, Renegade and Powershift, competing in the Belmont Stakes.I'll… pic.twitter.com/oc58vtlsWh— Repole Stable (@RepoleStable) June 4, 2026“He's got what Kobe (Bryant) would call that 'Mamba Mentality,' and I have a lot of that, too,” Repole said. “Irad is the best jockey in the country in my opinion and it would've been great to get him (his first Kentucky Derby victory). The ride that he made, he got hit so hard. For him and the horse, that combination, to come through and make all those moves and do everything, it was a perfect ride.”In addition to the stretch-running GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade, Repole will also be well-represented in the Belmont Stakes by the promising $500,000 Keeneland September yearling and potential pacesetter Powershift (Constitution), an impressive maiden winner at third asking on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher trains both.“With Renegade running so well in the Derby and also having Powershift, who's run a couple of great races and lost one of the toughest maidens of all time to Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}), we've got two live shots,” Repole said. “You want to see them both run well. After the performance Renegade gave at the Kentucky Derby, I guess my heart leans a little bit more towards him.”Repole added with a laugh, “I'm not gonna be picky though. If Powershift wins, I'll gladly run down and take a picture with him.”Born and raised in the Middle Village neighborhood of Queens and a graduate of St. John's University, it was a dream come true for Repole, the co-founder of Glaceau Vitaminwater (sold to Coca-Cola for a reported $4.1 billion in 2007) and BodyArmor (which also sold to Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion in 2021), finishing one-two in the 2022 Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and Nest (Curlin).Mike Repole and his daughter Gioia celebrate a win with Irad Ortiz, Jr. at the Spa | Sarah AndrewThe third leg of this year's Triple Crown will be held for the third and final time at Saratoga at the shortened 1 1/4-mile distance while the reconstruction of Belmont Park nears completion downstate.“It's always been the hometown race,” Repole said. “It's the biggest race in New York. Growing up there, it was the race. I have a win and four seconds. The only second I guess I didn't mind was Nest, because she was second to Mo Donegal.“Listen, it's been different in Saratoga. I was second with Mindframe (Constitution) there (in 2024). Now that the new Belmont's gonna open up, winning the Belmont at Saratoga after I've already won a Belmont and knowing that we're going back to the new Belmont, I think would be pretty cool.”Repole added, “With the Preakness not being valued the way it should be or the way it used to be, these (Triple Crown) races are a little different now. This is a great field.”In addition to the highly anticipated rematch between the Kentucky Derby top two, the field of nine for the Belmont Stakes also includes: 'Rising Star' Chief Wallabee (Constitution) (fourth in the Derby); GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) (seventh in the Derby); and the aforementioned GII Louisiana Derby winner and 'Rising Star' Emerging Market (10th in the Derby).“These are the best 3-years-olds in the country right now,” Repole concluded.Saturday's forecast calls for a warm afternoon in upstate New York with temperatures in the 80s and an increasing chance of thunderstorms throughout the day.FOX Sports will present live coverage of Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 10:30 a.m. on FS2 before moving to FOX from 3-4 p.m. FOX broadcast coverage continues alongside FS1 from 4-7:30 p.m. while concluding on FS2 at 8:15 p.m.The post Following Painful Beat in Kentucky Derby, Repole Back With ‘Two Live Shots’ in Belmont Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.