2nd-Belmont The Big A, $92,000, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 6-27, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:34.40, ft, 5 1/2 lengths.
HIGHLAND FALLS (h, 5, Curlin–Round Pond {MGISW, $1,998,700}, by Awesome Again) was last seen running ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in a stacked edition of the race, but had come into that contest off a victory two back Sept. 1 in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.
Hammered at the windows here like he could not lose, the 1-5 favorite never gave them any reason to doubt in his seasonal bow with a comfortable score. Coaxed from the gate, but traveling well enough to overtake the lead nearing the quarter pole, Highland Falls had a slim advantage entering upper stretch but expanded it in the lane to 5 1/2 lengths over MSW Full Screen (Big Screen).
Hailing from a very busy female family, his siblings tally a pair of graded runners, namely Long River (A.P. Indy), G1SW-UAE, MSW & GISP-USA, $770,347 and Lake Lucerne (Dubawi {Ire}), SW & GSP, $285,074. Their half-sister Tyburn Brook (Bernardini) is responsible for GISW Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) as well as 'TDN Rising Star' GSP Knightsbridge (Nyquist). That mare's full-sister Fjord claims SP Wildlife (Animal Kingdom) to her credit. In addition to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff-winning dam, this is also the immediate female family of multiple Group 1 winners Black Minnaloushe and Pennekamp; and multiple Grade I winner Nasr El Arab. Lifetime Record: GISW, 11-6-2-1, $1,312,660. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
HIGHLAND FALLS, last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup champ, returns to the winner's circle in Race 2 at Belmont at the Big A! Flavien Prat was aboard for trainer @bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/BDfLS5h8at
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) June 27, 2025
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