▁an ▁explos ive ▁drive , ▁the ▁col t ▁drove ▁through ▁the ▁narrow ▁opening , ▁quickly ▁caught ▁the ▁leaders , ▁then ▁storm ed ▁past ▁them ▁to ▁win ▁by ▁seven ▁lengths ▁over ▁Ne ap ol itan ▁Way ▁and ▁Derby ▁winner ▁C annon ade . ▁Little ▁Current ' s ▁winning ▁margin ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁in ▁twenty - three ▁years . ▁ ▁Bel mont ▁St akes ▁The ▁third ▁and ▁final ▁leg ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Classic ▁R aces ▁is ▁the ▁ 1 ½ ▁l - mile - long ▁Bel mont ▁St akes . ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁many ▁great ▁horses ▁have ▁won ▁the ▁Derby ▁and ▁Pre ak ness ▁only ▁to ▁fall ▁short ▁in ▁the ▁longer ▁race . ▁However , ▁Little ▁Current ' s ▁s ire , ▁Sea ▁Bird , ▁had ▁established ▁himself ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁Europe ' s ▁greatest ▁run ners ▁with ▁domin ating ▁vict ories ▁at ▁ 1 ½ ▁miles ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁E ps om ▁Derby ▁and ▁the ▁Prix ▁de ▁l ' Ar c ▁de ▁Tri omp he . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁nine - hor se ▁field , ▁Little ▁Current ▁sat ▁nine ▁lengths ▁back ▁in ▁e ighth ▁place ▁while ▁Kentucky ▁Derby ▁winner ▁C annon ade ▁and ▁J olly ▁Joh u ▁due led ▁for ▁the ▁lead . ▁M aking ▁the ▁turn ▁for ▁home , ▁again ▁Little ▁Current ▁came ▁storm ing ▁through ▁to ▁run ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁pack ▁and ▁score ▁another ▁seven - length ▁win . ▁ ▁After ▁capt uring ▁the ▁Bel mont , ▁Little ▁Current ▁only ▁rac ed ▁three ▁times . ▁He ▁did