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Weekend Lineup Presented By Form2Win: Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival takes center stage this weekend, with four graded stakes races on Friday at Belmont Park and a total of eight Grade 1 races scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Big Sandy.

While no Triple Crown is on the line, the Belmont will feature an Eclipse Award winner, the Preakness winner, two Grade 1 Derby prep winners, and four other sophomore colts chasing their place in the history books.

Friday, June 4

4:07 p.m. – G2 True North Stakes – Belmont Park

Grade 1-winner Flagstaff bested Eclipse award-winner Whitmore in a thrilling finish last out and will look to win his third consecutive stakes race as part of a seven-horse field in Friday's Grade 2, $300,000 True North for 4-year-olds and up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs over the main track at Belmont Park.

4:40 p.m. – G3 Bed o' Roses Stakes – Belmont Park

In two winning starts over the Belmont Park main track, Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love has displayed an affinity for the Nassau County oval and will vie to keep such ways intact in Friday's 64th running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Bed o' Roses for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs. Trained by Todd Beattie, Victim of Love's pair of winning starts at Belmont Park took place when sweeping the last two editions of the Grade 3 Vagrancy.

5:15 p.m. – G2 New York Stakes – Belmont Park

Looking to defend her $750,000 New York title will be the popular Graham Motion-trained mare Mean Mary, who is owned by Alex G. Campbell, Jr. and will be ridden by Luis Saez from post 7. The daughter of Scat Daddy seeks her seventh career victory in her 11th start and enters off an impressive gate-to-wire victory three weeks ago in Pimlico's Grade 3 Gallorette, her first start since finishing seventh in November's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. A dominant 5¼-length winner of last year's New York, a 1¼-mile inner turf test, she faces an arguably tougher field in 2021 and the possibility of more cut in the ground.

5:48 p.m. – G2 Belmont Gold Cup – Belmont Park

LECH Racing Limited's Baron Samedi will seek to parlay his winning form in Europe when traveling stateside as the lone international contestant in Friday's seventh running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles over the Widener turf. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, Baron Samedi began his career with five unplaced efforts, but once gelded and stretched out considerably in distance, the son of Harbour Watch displayed a notable turnaround in form. He conveyed his newfound winning ways in August at Cork Racecourse going ten furlongs over heavy ground while being given a 65 rating.

Saturday, June 5

12:47 p.m. – G1 Woody Stephens – Belmont Park

Undefeated one-turn titans Jackie's Warrior and Drain the Clock will square off in Saturday's 37th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Agency.

1:22 p.m. – G2 Brooklyn Stakes – Belmont Park

Trainer Todd Pletcher will be well-represented with three contenders in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. But the Hall of Fame conditioner will also send out a strong contingent in another 1 1/2-mile graded stakes contest on the day, with Ajaaweed and Moretti forming a potent one-two punch in the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational presented by Northwell Health for 4-year-olds and up.

2:01 p.m. – G1 Acorn Stakes – Belmont Park

Traditionally one of America's premier races for sophomore fillies, Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn at Belmont Park has attracted a compact, quality field to tackle Big Sandy's one-turn mile. Blazing Meadows Farm and Siena Farm's Tim Hamm-trained Dayoutoftheoffice returns to the course and distance of her greatest triumph, last fall's Grade 1 Frizette, in what will be just her second start of the season. Klaravich Stables' Search Results will hope to optimize her second top-level attempt after losing last month's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks by a neck to divisional leader Malathaat. Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of Flatter went into the Classic undefeated from three tries, including the Grade 3 Gazelle at the Big A.

2:41 p.m. – G1 Jaipur Stakes – Belmont Park

MyRacehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm's multiple Grade 1-winner Got Stormy joins defending race-winner and fellow mare Oleksandra in taking on the boys in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Jackpocket Jaipur, a six-furlong turf sprint on Belmont Stakes Day. The 35th running of the Jackpocket Jaipur is a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

3:18 p.m. – G1 Ogden Phipps Stakes – Belmont Park

With the Friday morning scratches of both Swiss Skydiver and Valiance, the 53rd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps has drawn a field of five fillies and mares. G1 Apple Blossom winner Letruska is the morning-line favorite after her upset of champion Monomoy Girl, while Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil is two-for-two so far this year. The prestigious 1 1/16-mile test for older fillies and mares is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifier, offering the winner an automatic entry into the Distaff on November 6 at Del Mar.

3:58 p.m. – G1 Just A Game Stakes – Belmont Park

Twelve stakes winners, including 11 graded/group stakes winners—all seeking their first turf Grade 1 score comprise the dozen entered in Saturday's $500,000 Longines Just a Game over one mile on the Widener turf course. The powerhouse stables of Charlie Appleby and Chad Brown make up half of those in a race that has traditionally showcased some of the best turf females in training, including eight Breeders' Cup winners.

4:42 p.m. – G1 Met Mile – Belmont Park

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex will look to build on his already impressive ledger in Saturday's stallion-making Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up on Belmont Stakes Day. However, Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, trained by reigning Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, looms the one to beat as the 126 pound highweight with an impressive record of 19-6-3-1 with purse earnings in excess of $4.5 million.

5:30 p.m. – G3 Monmouth Stakes – Monmouth Park

A winner in his 2021 comeback race on April 24 at Pimlico Race Course, Corelli will step up to graded stakes company again when the grass specialist goes in the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes, the headliner on Saturday's 12-race card at Monmouth Park. The 13th running of the $150,000 Monmouth Stakes, scheduled for 1 and 1/8th miles on the grass, has attracted a field of 10 plus two alternates.

5:38 p.m. – G1 Manhattan Stakes – Belmont Park

Trainer Chad Brown will be loaded for bear in the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, with four of the 10 horses entered running under his banner in the 1 1/4-mile inner turf test for 4-year-olds and up on Saturday, Belmont Stakes Day, at Belmont Park. Brown's quartet all have the credentials to win, but that honor may go to Domestic Spending, a 4-year-old son of Kingman who made a successful 2021 debut in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

6:49 p.m. – G1 Belmont Stakes – Belmont Park

A talented group that includes an Eclipse Award winner (Essential Quality) and an American Classic victor (Rombauer) will comprise an eight-horse field for the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday at Belmont Park, marking the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. Hot Rod Charlie ran a strong third, just one length back to winner Medina Spirit, in the Kentucky Derby, and will get a rematch against Essential Quality. Pletcher, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer, will saddle three contenders as he seeks his fourth career Belmont score: Known Agenda, Overtook, and Bourbonic. Rock Your World notched a Grade 1 win with a 4 1/4-length margin in the Santa Anita Derby in April in his main track debut, improving to 3-for-3 overall to start his career before running 17th in the Kentucky Derby last out. Yuji Inaida's France Go de Ina will look to nab the $1 million bonus offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Belmont Stakes.

7:52 p.m. – G2 Monrovia Stakes – Santa Anita

A two-time graded stakes winner who has been idle since well beaten by Eclipse Champion Gamine in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 7, the Richard Baltas-trained Venetian Harbor heads a field of eight fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs on turf in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Monrovia Stakes at Santa Anita.

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Brown To Saddle Four In Manhattan; Deep Field Also Includes Colonel Liam, Man O’ War Top Pair

No stranger to success in the Manhattan, Brown will be looking for his third consecutive win – and seventh overall – in the prestigious race, which will be the final undercard contest as Race 10 before the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in Race 11.

Brown's recent dominance in the race is underscored by the fact that a win in the 119th running of the Manhattan would not even be his first three-peat in the race. The four-time Eclipse Award-winner captured three straight editions of the Manhattan from 2014-16. His exploits in the race also include saddling the top three finishers in 2019 and the top two in 2020.

Brown's quartet all have the credentials to win, but that honor may go to Domestic Spending, a 4-year-old son of Kingman who made a successful 2021 debut in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Domestic Spending showed much promise as a 3-year-old, beginning his career with a first-out win in February 2020 at Tampa Bay Downs, before making steady strides throughout a sophomore campaign that culminated with a win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on November 28. He still seemed to take his game to another level in the Turf Classic, rallying through traffic to dead-heat with the classy Colonel Liam for the win on Kentucky Derby Day.

“He seems to be doing really well and came out of his last race super,” Brown said of Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending, who will break from post 4 with Flavien Prat aboard again. “He's been breezing like a timepiece, so I think we're in good shape. He ran a faster race than the horse he dead-heated with in the Turf Classic. We're confident he'll run a good race.”

Chilean transplant Master Piece adds a bit of South American flavor to Brown's diverse lineup. Master Piece was a four-time winner in his native Chile, including a marquee win in the Group 2 Gran Clasico Coronacion at about this distance, before he joined the Brown barn late last year and finished fourth in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in his North American debut on October 3 at Belmont.

After receiving some time off following the Joe Hirsch, Master Piece returned on April 16 at Keeneland, where he defeated allowance competition by three-quarters of a length going 1 ⅛ miles with a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. He is owned by Don Alberto Stable and will break from post 5 with Javier Castellano in the irons.

Brown will also send out a pair of runners exiting the Grade 2 Fort Marcy, a local prep for the Manhattan. Fort Marcy-winner Tribhuvan was a late addition to the race, while third-place finisher Rockemperor will look to improve upon a runner-up finish in last year's Manhattan, which was won by his stablemate Instilled Regard.

Brown said he is hopeful an equipment change for Rockemperor could be what gets him back on track, as despite running well on a number of occasions he's yet to win a race in the U.S.

“What I'm going to do with him, finally, is put a little blinker on the horse,” Brown said. “He's funny because sometimes he'll drop out of position and look a little funny and lack that turn of foot in his races, but when you train him, he can be a little bit keen going to the pole, so then I end up not putting them on because of the way he trains. I'm going to put the blinkers on.

“Another horse who was like that was [2015 Manhattan-winner] Slumber,” Brown said. “When I first got him, he would go to the pole with an iron jaw and I'd say, maybe I don't want to do that, then I'd see him race and know that I needed to (add blinkers). We'll see with Rockemperor, it may help him move forward. Let's see how he runs with them. I did see an improved workout with them.”

Rockemperor and Tribhuvan will break from posts 6 and 8, respectively, with Jose Ortiz and Eric Cancel named to ride. Both are owned in partnership by Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso, while Michael Kisber is also a part-owner of Rockemperor.

A winner of four straight races dating back to December 26 of last year, Turf Classic co-winner Colonel Liam will give Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher another strong chance to capture a Grade 1 event on Saturday. A son of Liam's Map owned by Robert and Lawana Low, Colonel Liam exploded onto the 3-year-old turf scene in 2020 when he made short work of an allowance field at Saratoga Race Course in his first try on the surface.

Colonel Liam nearly followed with a win a few weeks later in the Saratoga Derby Invitational, but he had to settle for fourth behind Domestic Spending. The Saratoga Derby marked the last time Colonel Liam has lost, and his victories in the intervening months include scores in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park, as well as the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial in March at Fair Grounds.

“It's a very deep race and a very good race, arguably the strongest on the card,” said Pletcher of the Manhattan. “Colonel Liam is doing great and he's run well every time; we expect him to do the same again.

“I think he thought he had [the Turf Classic] won last time and he may have idled a touch when he got to the lead,” Pletcher added. “Depending on the pace scenario, I don't see too much pace. He may find himself closer and possibly on the lead. We'll play it by ear and let him do his thing.”

Colonel Liam will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from the outermost post 10.

Trainer Christophe Clement is a three-time Manhattan winner and will send out a pair of runners in Gufo and City Man. The former rose through the stakes ranks last year with Domestic Spending and Colonel Liam, two rivals he's well acquainted with. A 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, Gufo finished second to Domestic Spending in the Saratoga Derby and third in the Hollywood Derby, beaten a head and a neck, respectively, on those occasions. In his 2021 unveiling in the Grade 1 Man O' War over this turf course, the Otter Bend Stables color-bearer lodged yet another near miss, this time finishing second by a nose.

“He's doing very well,” Clement said of Gufo, who will enlist the services of Joel Rosario from post 9. “I worked him on Friday and he had a nice work. He's a nice horse. He ran very well in the Man o' War. The Manhattan is going to be a very tough race, it always is.”

The Manhattan wasn't originally the plan for New York-bred City Man, who was entered in the Kingston here on Memorial Day, but Clement was forced to call an audible when that race came off the turf. City Man, second last out in the Fort Marcy, will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 1.

The upset winner of the Man o' War, Channel Cat, will also be back to try his luck in this spot. The Jack Sisterson and Calumet Farm product was given an aggressive ride by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the Man O' War, which seemed to make all the difference as the sputtering 6-year-old son of Kitten's Cat was able to stir the echoes and just outlast Gufo in the stretch.

“I'm only just getting to know the horse, but he seems to really be coming around in the short time I've had him,” said Sisterson, who took over Channel Cat's training in late 2020. “He was second in the Elkhorn and we wanted to give him time to come back for the Manhattan, but he put on 50 pounds after the Elkhorn and his coat was coming around. If horses could talk he was telling us he wanted to run again. So, we ran him back quick.”

Velazquez will again be aboard Channel Cat and the duo will depart from post 7.

Completing the field will be Masteroffoxhounds [post 3, Manuel Franco], who was eighth last out in the Turf Classic, and Bye Bye Melvin [post 2, Junior Alvarado], most recently fourth in the Grade 2 Dinner Party at Pimlico.

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He’ll Take Manhattan: Instilled Regard Gives Brown Sixth Win In Grade 1 Turf Fixture

As is quickly becoming custom, the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan was dominated by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, who saddled Instilled Regard and Rockemperor to a one-two finish in the prestigious 1 1/4-mile turf race on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The win was Brown's sixth Manhattan victory in nine years. He first won the race in 2012 with Desert Blanc and in 2019 saw his barn complete the trifecta, with champion Bricks and Mortar taking home the top prize.

Mirroring the tight finish on the track, OXO Equine's Instilled Regard and Rockemperor were practically inseparable in the betting as both went off at 2-1 in Brown's quest to win back-to-back editions of the Manhattan for a third time, with Rockemperor the slight favorite as they each sought their first Grade 1 victory.

When the gates opened, Rockemperor gained a distinct advantage over his stablemate heading into the clubhouse turn as Hall of Famer John Velazquez piloted the 4-year-old colt into the garden spot, just off the pace while hugging the fence. Instilled Regard was forced to settle in midpack with the meet's leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard as Cross Border led the eight-horse field through modest splits of 24.56 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, 50.46 for the half, and 1:15.93 for three-quarters on Belmont's firm inner turf course.

From the back of the pack, Sadler's Joy uncorked a menacing rally on the outside, while Rockemperor's fortuitous run continued as he tipped out from behind horses into the stretch and a chasm opened up in front of him. But Ortiz, Jr. deftly navigated Instilled Regard through traffic, making a decisive move to split the pair at the sixteenth pole and then charging home to a neck victory over his stablemate, hitting the wire in 2:02.59.

“They both got really good trips,” said Brown. “Both jockeys did a great job and both horses responded super. It's unfortunate one of them had to lose. In the end, Instilled Regard just made the last move of the chess match. I'm so proud of the horse. He keeps getting better.”

Brown credited his staff for the success in the Manhattan.

“It's a testament to my team,” Brown said after the race. “Through the years a lot of different horses have passed through our hands but much of my same team is intact and they've been working with all these horses. All the credit goes to them.”

The Manhattan marked the second win of the year for Instilled Regard, a son of Arch who also finished third in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational in his 2020 debut. After he started on dirt, running a late-closing fourth-place finish in the 2018 Kentucky Derby while in the barn of Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Instilled Regard has only once finished outside the trifecta on the surface. The Manhattan score bumped his earnings to $983,240, just shy of the million-dollar mark, and he returned $6.30 on a $2 win wager.

“His mind is getting better and better every time he runs on the grass,” said Ortiz. “With this horse, he does everything you want. I like that. I can use it to get in position and he comes back to me so well. He saved all the energy until the end. When I asked him for it, he gave it. I had to work so hard but when I tipped him out, he responded so well. I knew I had a chance to get there, and he got there on time.”

Hard-knocking veteran Sadler's Joy came up just short yet again on the Belmont turf, finishing a half-length behind Rockemperor in third.

“Unfortunately for him, he was at a disadvantage going a mile and a quarter with no pace,” said Javier Castellano, rider of Sadler's Joy. “He was closing very well. I was not disappointed at all in the horse. He always tries and one day, we're going to catch up.”

Channel Maker, Cross Border, Spooky Channel, Devamani and Dot Matrix completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race card First post is 1:15 p.m. Eastern.

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Met Mile, Manhattan Feature On America’s Day At The Races Telecast

America's Day at the Races, produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, returns this Thursday, July 2 on FOX Sports and MSG+ for the start of four days of holiday coverage and analysis of the best in thoroughbred racing from Belmont Park.

The acclaimed national telecast will air Thursday through Sunday on FS1, FS2 and MSG+ for 22 hours of television coverage, highlighted by a blockbuster Runhappy Met Mile Day card on Independence Day from Belmont including two classic Grade 1 races – the 127th running of the $500,000 Runhappy Met Mile for 3-year-olds and up and the 148th running of the $400,000 Manhattan for 4-year-olds and up on the turf.

The Runhappy Met Mile is one of the most prestigious American races outside of the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup. First run at Morris Park in 1891, the race was moved to Belmont Park in 1905, where it has been held most every year since and won by some of the most memorable horses in history, including Native Dancer, Tom Fool, Kelso, Forego and Ghostzapper. In 2016, Frosted set the race record of 1:32.73, winning by memorably lopsided 14 1/4 lengths.

Other stakes action from Belmont Park on Saturday will include the 134th running of the Grade 2 $200,000 Suburban Handicap for 4-years-olds & up going 1 ¼ miles; the Grade 3 $150,000 Poker for older horses going one mile on the turf; and the Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride for 3-year-old fillies going 6 ½ furlongs.

The week's stakes schedule kicks off on Thursday at Belmont Park with the 42nd running of the $100,000 Mount Vernon for 4-year-olds and up New York-bred fillies and mares going one mile on the Widener turf. The Mount Vernon is slated as Race 8 on Thursday's nine-race card at 5:04 p.m. Eastern.

Highlighting Friday's racing from Belmont Park will be the 7th running of the $80,000 License Fee for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) headed 6 furlongs on the turf. Sunday's stakes races at Belmont will offer the 42nd running of the Kingston for New York-bred 4-year-olds and up headed 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

This week's America's Day at the Races schedule:

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, July 2:

1:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. (FS2)

1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

Friday, July 3:

1:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (FS2)

1:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (MSG+)

Saturday. July 4:

1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (FS1)

1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (MSG+)

Sunday, July 5:

1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (FS1)

1:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (MSG+)

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA'sYouTube channel, which boasts more than 40,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a number of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

America's Day at the Races is presented by America's Best Racing, Runhappy, and Claiborne Farm. This weekend's broadcast team includes Greg Wolf, Andy Serling, Maggie Wolfendale, Richard Migliore, Acacia Courtney and Jonathon Kinchen.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering platform of the Belmont spring/summer meet available to customers across the United States. In addition to a host of weekly special offers, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 deposit match bonus to new members.

NYRA Bets provides fans the opportunity to wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at NYRABets App. Watch and wager on the best racing while earning points on every bet.

For further details on the new member bonus, visit NYRABets.com/#sign-up-bonus.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

The 2020 Belmont spring/summer meet continues through Sunday, July 12. Live racing is offered Thursday through Sunday with a first post of 1:15 p.m. The 25-day meet features 22 graded stakes and 40 stakes races in total worth $7 million in purses.

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