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Sharp Samurai, Mo Forza Face Brazilian Royal Ship In City Of Hope Mile At Santa Anita

Trainer Mark Glatt's venerable 6-year-old gelding Sharp Samurai and Peter Miller's razor sharp 4-year-old colt Mo Forza head a field of seven 3-year-olds and up in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

A winner of the 2018 City of Hope Mile and most recently a solid second on dirt in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 22, Sharp Samurai will also be cutting back in distance a quarter mile, while Mo Forza, a 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, comes off a stirring 4 1/4-length win on turf in the G2 Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 23.

Along with the top pair, Richard Mandella's promising Brazilian-bred Royal Ship and Val Brinkerhoff's hard knocking Restrainedvengence help make the City of Hope Mile a wide open affair on Saturday.

SHARP SAMURAI
Owner: Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal
Trainer: Mark Glatt
Second, beaten three lengths by Maximum Security in the Pacific Classic, he returns to his preferred surface and retains the services of upstart Juan Hernandez. A huge second, beaten a half length by repeat winner United two starts back on turf in the mile and one eighth G2 Eddie Read Stakes July 26, Sharp Samurai has two seconds and a third from three starts this year and will hope to use the City of Hope Mile as a springboard to a berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland. A winner of five out of his nine starts over the Santa Anita lawn, Sharp Samurai is 8-2-2-2 at one mile on grass. With eight wins from 21 overall starts, he has earnings of $981,270 and will be seeking his fifth graded stakes victory.

MO FORZA
Owner: Bardy Farm & OG Boss
Trainer: Peter Miller
Idle since well beaten in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25, Mo Forza came back ready for Miller on Aug. 23, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 101 in taking the G2 Del Mar Handicap. With top jock Flavien Prat set to ride him back, Mo Forza will be bidding for his sixth win from 12 overall starts. Three for five at one mile on turf at Santa Anita, Mo Forza has won five out of his last six starts, including the G1 Hollywood Derby four starts back on Nov. 30. Bred in Kentucky and owned in-part by former trainer Barry Abrams' Bardy Farm, Mo Forza is out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed and is a four-time graded stakes winner with earnings of $614,460.

ROYAL SHIP
Owner: Fox Hill Farms, Inc. & Siena Farm, LLC
Trainer: Richard Mandella
A Group 1 stakes winner two starts back in his native Brazil, this 4-year-old colt by Midshipman lagged far back early and closed with a rush to be third, beaten 4 1/4 lengths in the G2 Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 23 and he figures to improve by many in his second start with Mandella. With Mike Smith riding him back, Royal Ship seeks his sixth win from nine overall starts.

RESTRAINEDVENGENCE
Owner: Kelly Brinkerhoff & Bob Grayson, Jr.
Trainer: Val Brinkerhoff

Second, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by Mo Forza two starts back in the Del Mar Mile Handicap, this hard hitting 5-year-old gelding by the Giant's Causeway stallion Hold Me Back comes off a game head victory in a $200,000 stakes going a mile and one eighth on dirt at Albuquerque Downs as the 4-5 favorite on Sept. 19. Second, beaten a head in last year's City of Hope Mile, Restrainedvengence is equally as effective on turf and dirt and will be ridden back by Ruben Fuentes. With eight wins from 25 starts and earnings of $625,222, he seeks his first graded stakes win in his 26^th career start.

G2 CITY OF HOPE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 12:30 p.m. PT

Sharp Samurai—Juan Hernandez—122
Restrainedvengence—Ruben Fuentes—122
Majestic Eagle—Ricardo Gonzalez—122
Royal Ship—Mike Smith—124
Bob and Jackie—Heriberto Figueroa—122
Blitzkrieg—Abel Cedillo—122
Mo Forza—Flavien Prat–126

First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Santa Anita's races can be viewed live and free of charge at santaanita.com.

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Kentucky Downs Stakes Winner Plum Ali Returns In Sunday’s Miss Grillo

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables' Plum Ali brings a perfect 2-for-2 record into Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000 Miss Grillo, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juvenile fillies, at Belmont Park.

The Miss Grillo is one of three graded events on Sunday's lucrative 10-race program which also features the Grade 2, $150,000 Beldame at nine furlongs on Big Sandy for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upwards and the Grade 3, $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and upward.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Plum Ali graduated on July 23 with a two-length score in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on the Saratoga turf under Joel Rosario. The First Samurai chestnut then shipped to Kentucky Downs to capture the one-mile Mint Juvenile Fillies by 2 ¾-lengths on September 7 with Tyler Gaffalione up.

Plum Ali exited her stakes score to post a pair of half-mile breezes on the Belmont inner turf including a 49.22-second breeze on September 7 with Jose Ortiz up, who will have the call from post 8.

“She's doing great. Jose Ortiz will ride and he has breezed her twice,” said Clement. “She's a very nice filly and was impressive last time. We're excited about her. She seems to handle the mile and a sixteenth.”

Clement said the filly has demonstrated talent and consistency through her first two starts.

“As she continues to run against better horses, we may find a limit, but for the moment we're keeping the dream alive,” said Clement.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, Plum Ali is out of the Stroll mare Skipping and was purchased for $65,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Godolphin homebred Lovestruck, a regally bred Tapit gray out of the Mr. Prospector mare Love Style, is a half-sister to the late multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire and prominent sire Scat Daddy.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Lovestruck had an eventful debut in a 1 1/16-mile inner turf maiden on September 7 at Saratoga where she was steadied leaving the gate before finding a good inside tracking position in sixth under Junior Alvarado.

Lovestruck tipped out for a rugged stretch run that saw the filly in tight with Miss Grillo-rival Freedomofthepress, requiring Alvarado to angle out where she bumped firmly with another rival, Mrs. Frankel, before powering home to a one-length victory following an inquiry.

Lovestruck has breezed twice on the Oklahoma dirt training track following her debut score, including a half-mile effort in 49.25 on September 8. Alvarado retains the mount from the inside post.

Director's Cut, who made her first three starts for trainer Tim Hamm and co-owner WinStar Farm, was purchased privately by film producer Gary Barber, the co-founder of Spyglass Entertainment and now the CEO of Spyglass Media, and transferred to the care of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse for her New York debut.

The Exaggerator bay, bred in Kentucky by WinStar, graduated at second asking when stretched out to one mile on the Gulfstream Park turf rated good on July 23 where she bested Sleek Lynx, who is trained by Casse and owned by Barber.

Director's Cut followed with a closing second in the Sharp Susan on August 29 at one mile on firm Gulfstream green in a race won by Spanish Loveaffair, who is also trained by Casse and co-owned by Barber.

“We had run against her and really liked her. We reached out to WinStar about buying her and now we have her,” said Casse. “I thought she had ran well. We really liked both of our fillies she ran against and she has a nice pedigree.”

The talented bay breezed a half-mile in 49.77 on September 27 on the Belmont inner turf and will be piloted in the Miss Grillo by Dylan Davis from post 5.

“We've had her for about a month now and she breezed well the other day at Belmont,” said Casse. “I think the mile and a sixteenth will help her.”

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, who will saddle Editor At Large and Freedomofthepress, has captured seven of the last eight runnings of the Miss Grillo and eight overall with past winners including Maram [2008], Watsdachances [2012], Testa Rossi [2013], Lady Eli [2014], New Money Honey [2016], Significant Form [2017], Newspaperofrecord [2018] and Selflessly [2019].

Peter Brant's Editor At Large, an Irish-bred Lope de Vega chestnut, earned a 70 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating at first asking in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on September 7 on the Saratoga turf. Manny Franco picks up the mount from post 9.

Klaravich Stables' Freedomofthepress, by Mshawish, was purchased for $170,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She stayed on strong to finish second behind Lovestruck in her September 7 debut and will have the services of Belmont fall meet leading rider Jose Lezcano from post 6 as she looks to graduate in style.

Shortleaf Stable's Caldee, a More Than Ready bay, was fifth on debut when sprinting on the Saratoga main track on July 19. The Kentucky homebred followed with an impressive front-running score when stretched to 1 1/16-miles on the Saratoga turf on August 23 which garnered a field-best 78 Beyer.

Trained by Brad Cox, Caldee will exit post 4 under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who was aboard for both previous starts.

Rounding out the field is Mashnee Stable's New York homebred Mashnee Girl, winner of a restricted off-the-turf maiden sprint on September 3 at Saratoga for trainer Mark Hennig. The Air Force Blue bay will have the services of Eric Cancel from post 3.

Paul Pompa, Jr.'s Fifth Risk, trained by Todd Pletcher, is entered for the main-track only.

The Grade 2 Miss Grillo is slated as Race 7 on Sunday's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 12:50 p.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Point Of Honor Chasing Elusive Winner’s Circle Photo In Sunday’s Beldame

Graded stakes-winner Point of Honor has displayed consistency all year long, but seeks a first win of 2020 when taking on Grade 1-winner Dunbar Road in Sunday's 80th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Beldame for older fillies and mares over the main track at Belmont Park.

The Beldame is named in honor of August Belmont, Jr.'s champion filly who earned 1904 Horse of the Year honors by winning prestigious races like the Alabama, the Gazelle and the Carter against males. The 1 1/8-mile test is one of three graded stakes carded for Sunday's program which also includes the Grade 2, $150,000 Miss Grillo for juvenile fillies at 1 1/16 miles over the turf and the Grade 3, $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint for older horses going six furlongs over the turf.

The Beldame has seen numerous fillies and mares come through with victories en route to champion honors over the years including Champion Older Females Lady's Secret (1986), Personal Ensign (1987-88), Hidden Lake (1997), Beautiful Pleasure (1999), Riboletta (2000), Ashado (2005), Fleet Indian (2006), Havre de Grace (2011) and Royal Delta (2012). Fillies such as Go for Wand (1990), Saratoga Dew (1992), Heavenly Prize (1994), Serena's Song (1995) and Yank's Music (1996) have won the Beldame against elders to became Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in their respective years. Other all-time great distaffers to have won the Beldame include Gallorette (1946), Cicada (1962), Gamely (1968-69), Shuvee (1970), Susan's Girl (1972, 1975), and Desert Vixen (1973-74).

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Stetson Racing's Point of Honor has been a hard-knocking filly in 2020, finishing in the money in all four of her starts this season but is still seeking her first victory of the year. The George Weaver trainee has not won since taking the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan last May at Pimlico and arrives at the Beldame off three straight placings against Grade 1 company. Her last effort was a third in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on August 1 at Saratoga, where she finished 6 ½ lengths behind Vexatious and 2019 Champion Older Filly Midnight Bisou.

“She seems to respond well to space in between races,” said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “She's been able to sustain a pretty solid campaign this season, and even though she hasn't won, she's run some pretty exceptional races.”

Point is Honor is by multiple champion-producing stallion Curlin, who also produced Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' three-time Grade 1 winner and 2015 Beldame runner-up Curalina.

“I'd say that they're similar in the sense that they're elite fillies with an incredible amount of class, intelligence, stay and can manage to put together incredible campaigns like the two of them did at three and four,” Wellman said. “We're just fortunate to have had two daughters of Curlin of this caliber. We've campaigned Point of Honor ambitiously and she's come so close to winning a Grade 1. It would be a huge honor to have a race like the Beldame on her resume.”

No plans have been made concerning a 5-year-old campaign from Point of Honor, but Wellman said that she has been nominated to go through the sales ring at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on November 8.

“We keep an open mind as it relates to these types of situations with top tier fillies like Point of Honor,” Wellman said. “Right now, our main focus is the Beldame which is an important race and a historic race, and we would love to prove victorious there and take things step by step. In addition, we'd love for her to earn her way to the Breeders' Cup, but for now the Beldame is our main focus.”

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, a three-time Beldame winner, has piloted Point of Honor in eight of her 10 lifetime starts and will return, riding from post 4.

“Javier knows her so well,” Wellman said. “She's definitely a filly that strategically is more effective when you let her find herself early in the race. I think we'll keep her with the same tactics employed and hopefully some speed manifests and sets it up. She was beaten a nose in the Ogden Phipps, which was a mile and a sixteenth. We get a little more real estate to work with this time around.”

Peter Brant's Dunbar Road arrives at the Beldame off a three-length victory in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap on July 11, where she won under a hand ride by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Trained by Chad Brown, who won the 2018 Beldame with Brant's Chilean-bred Wow Cat, the 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road is unbeaten in both of her starts this season. Prior to the Delaware Handicap, she emerged from a 6 ½-month layoff to take the May 23 Shawnee at Churchill Downs, defeating Grade 1-winner She's a Julie and graded stakes winner Chocolate Kisses.

Dunbar Road, who has been favored in seven of her nine lifetime starts, also will attempt to keep an unbeaten record over Big Sandy intact having bested a first-level allowance field last May en route to her first graded stakes score in the Grade 2 Mother Goose one month later. She subsequently struck Grade 1 gold in taking the Alabama over Point of Honor and next-out Grade 1-winner Street Band.

Only dollars short of millionaire status, Dunbar Road boasts the highest lifetime earnings in the field with $998,040 and a record of 9-6-1-1.

Jockey Jose Ortiz, who piloted Beldame winners Belle Gallantey (2014), Elate (2017) and Wow Cat (2018), will seek his sixth victory aboard Dunbar Road from post 2.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle New Jersey-bred Horologist for the ownership group of There's a Chance Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds and Medallion Racing.

The 4-year-old Gemologist bay made her debut for Mott in style two starts back when taking the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher on July 18 at Monmouth Park while garnering a career-best 102 Beyer. While conditioned by original trainer John Mazza, Horologist won the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks last August en route to a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx Racing. She arrives at the Beldame off a third in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs, where she finished 4 ½ lengths to 2018 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Monomoy Girl.

Jockey Junior Alvarado will be aboard for the first time from post 5.

Trainer Todd Pletcher is tied for the most Beldame victories with former mentor Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas with five wins apiece, but a win with Nonna Madeline would make him the standalone winningest trainer in the race's 80-year history.

Pletcher's quintet of Beldame winners include Ashado (2005), Fleet Indian (2006), Unbridled Belle (2007), Life At Ten (2010) and Princess of Sylmar (2013).
Owned by Teresa Viola Racing Stables and St. Elias Stable, Nonna Madeline will attempt to make amends after a disappointing eighth as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 3 Shuvee on August 30 at Saratoga. The two-time graded stakes placed daughter of Candy Ride won the restricted Summer Colony at the Spa two starts back over graded stakes winners Golden Award and Bellera.

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Nonna Madeline is out of the multiple black type-producing Storm Cat mare Cool Storm and is a half sister to graded stakes winner Nonna Mela. Purchased for $130,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Nonna Madeline hails from the prestigious broodmare line of La Troienne and is a direct descendant of champion Numbered Account.

Jockey Manny Franco will make his debut aboard Nonna Madeline from post 3.

Completing the field is St. George Stable's Letruska, who will attempt to mimic her victory in the Grade 3 Shuvee last out. Sure to show speed, the 4-year-old daughter of Super Saver won the Shuvee in gate-to-wire fashion and displayed the same frontrunning style in her triumphs in the June 27 Added Elegance at Gulfstream Park and the Copa Invitacional del Caribe on December 9 at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska was unbeaten when campaigned in Mexico, where she was a two-time Group 1 winner.

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche has the mount from post 1.

The Beldame is slated as Race 8 on Sunday's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 12:50 p.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Channel Maker, Sadler’s Joy Face Off For The 15th Time In Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Grade 1-winning multimillionaires Channel Maker and Sadler's Joy will face one another for the 15th time, while each making their respective fourth straight appearance in Saturday's 43rd running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over the Widener turf at Belmont Park.

The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic honors the late horse racing columnist and founding president of the National Turf Writers Association, whose notable accomplishments include earning the Eclipse Award of Merit (1992) and the Big Sport of Turfdom Award (1993).

The 1 ½-mile mile test for older horses is one of five graded stakes events carded for Saturday's action-packed program, which also includes the Grade 2, $150,000 Pilgrim for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf; the Grade 2, $150,000 Kelso for 3-year-olds and upward going a one turn mile over the main track; the Grade 2, $150,000 Gallant Bloom for fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs over the main track, and the Grade 1 $250,000 Belmont Derby Invitational – a classic-distance test for 3-year-olds over the inner turf.

The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic has historically been used as a prep towards the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf. Horses to have scored the Joe Hirsch-Breeders' Cup Turf double include Manila (1986), Theatrical (1987), Tikkanen (1994), Buck's Boy (1998), English Channel (2007) and Main Sequence (2014). Other prominent victors of the prominent turf event include the great John Henry (1984) and fan-favorite John's Call (2000), both of whom won the Joe Hirsch as 9-year-olds, and champions Waya (1978), All Along (1983), and Sky Classic (1992).

R.A. Hill Stable, Wachtel Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Gary Barber's Channel Maker, winner of the 2018 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, will attempt to be the first non-consecutive winner of the race since Val's Prince won in 1997 and 1999.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Channel Maker was a wire-to-wire winner of the 2018 edition and was previously sixth in 2017 and second to Arklow in last year's running. The 6-year-old veteran of 35 lifetime starts arrives at the Joe Hirsch off a frontrunning victory in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational on August 29 at Saratoga, where he set an easy pace up front and responded well when urged by jockey Manny Franco, powering home in the final eighth of a mile to a 5 ¾-length triumph, garnering a 108 Beyer Speed Figure. He matched that figure when taking the 2018 Joe Hirsch.

“He seems to be doing well,” said Mott, whose other Joe Hirsch victories came with Theatrical (1987) and Shakespeare (2005). “Manny rode him very well the last couple of times and we're lucky to get him back. The race he ran last time, you can't expect that every time. But if he shows up, he's usually a factor.”

Channel Maker has been a Grade 1-winner on the NYRA circuit for the past three seasons. Four starts after his 2018 Joe Hirsch victory, he won the Grade 1 Man o' War in May 2019 over last year's Joe Hirsch winner Arklow and multiple Group 1-winner Magic Wand. He boasts the highest amount of lifetime earnings having amassed $2,494,051 in a record of 35-6-5-4.

Bred in Ontario by Tall Oaks Farm, Channel Maker is by two-time Joe Hirsch winner English Channel (2006-07) and is out of the Horse Chestnut mare In Return, making him a full-brother to two-time Canadian Grade 1-winner Johnny Bear.

Franco will pilot Channel Maker for the fourth time in a row from post 3.

Woodslane Farm's homebred Sadler's Joy also makes his fourth appearance in the Joe Hirsch but is still in search of his first victory, having finished fourth in 2017 and third in the past two editions.

Trained by Tom Albertrani, the 7-year-old son of 2004 Joe Hirsch winner Kitten's Joy will attempt to make amends after finishing a distant fourth to Channel Maker in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational last out.

Sadler's Joy and Channel Maker first squared off in the 2017 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, which was won by Beach Patrol, where Sadler's Joy finished fourth as the post time favorite.

“It's a good rivalry. They've both finished ahead of each other in the past,” Albertrani said. “A lot will depend on the weather and who prefers softer ground, so hopefully the rain can hold off.”

As of Wednesday, the National Weather Service calls for a 10% chance of precipitation for the Elmont, New York area with a high of 68 degrees.

Albertrani said Sadler's Joy is trip dependent and he does not want to see his horse too far off the pace to where he will need to make up a significant amount of ground.

“His ideal trip is not getting back too far,” Albertrani said. “There's a point where you just can't have him back too far and have him lose too much ground. That's where the race is usually won or lost. In these races where he makes a late move, he usually runs the quickest last quarter. Sometimes in a smaller field it helps him, so we just have to hope that he gets the right kind of trip.”

Despite his age, Albertrani said Sadler's Joy still has what it takes to compete at a high level. This year, he was third beaten three-quarters of a length in the Grade 1 Manhattan. In his following start, he crossed the wire first in the Grade 2 Bowling Green on August 1 at Saratoga before being disqualified to fourth.

“He still has it in him. He still trains well and he's still into it,” Albertrani said. “Hopefully, we can win another big race with him.”

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will climb aboard Sadler's Joy for the 18th time from post 1.

Gestut Ittlingen's Laccario invades from Germany for trainer Andreas Wohler, whose only previous starter in the Joe Hirsch was Sabiango, who finished fourth in 2003.

The dark bay 4-year-old son of Scalo was seventh in his only start this year in the Group 1 Preis von Europa on August 15 at Cologne, which was his only off the board finish in eight lifetime starts. Laccario was a 1 ¼-length winner of the Group 1 Deutsches Derby in July 2019 at Hamburg going the Joe Hirsch distance.

Breaking from post 6, Laccario will be ridden by Dylan Davis.

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of contenders in Rockemperor and Master Piece.

Owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Wonder Stables, Rockemperor joined Brown's stable last summer after previously being campaigned in France by Simone Brogi and has finished in the money five of his six starts in North America. The son of Holy Roman Emperor was a last out third to stablemate Digital Age in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on September 5 at Churchill Downs. In his prior effort, he was second beaten a neck to stablemate Instilled Regard in the Grade 1 Manhattan on July 4 at Belmont Park, where he registered a career-best 102 Beyer.

Bred in Ireland by Haras du Mezeray, Rockemperor is out of the Muhtathir mare Motivation whose dam Jade Island is a full-sister to multiple turf Grade 1-winning millionaire Yagli. He is a direct descendant of the prolific broodmare Best in Show.

Breaking from post 4, Rockemperor will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, who seeks a third win in the prestigious stakes.

Master Piece, a Group 2-winner in his native Chile, will make his North American debut for Brown. Owned by Don Alberto Corporation, the gray or roan son of Mastercraftsman won four straight races in the latter part of 2019, including the Group 2 Gran Clasico Coronacion on December 8 at Club Hippico.

Jockey Jose Lezcano will ride Master Piece from post 2.

Rounding out the field are Three Diamonds Farm's New York-bred Cross Border [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche], winner of the Grade 2 Bowling Green on August 1 at Saratoga and Highland Sky [post 7, Junior Alvarado], who was third in the Bowling Green for trainer Barclay Tagg.

The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is slated as Race 7 on Saturday's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 12:40 p.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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