Belmont Park

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown worked multiple Breeders' Cup contenders on a crisp and overcast Saturday morning at Belmont Park. Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Champagne S. winner Jack Christopher (Munnings) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.85 (4/18) in preparation for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5 at Del Mar. The move was completed in company with GI Frizette S. runner-up Gerrymander (Into Mischief), who is possible for the one-mile $150,000 Tempted S. Nov. 5 at Belmont. "He's trained brilliant since day one and he continues to do...

7th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 10-22, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:47.36, ft, 7 3/4 lengths. NOSTALGIC (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Been Here Before {SP}, by Tapit), scratched out of an intended unveiling here about a month ago, showed three easy breezes in the interim and was let go at 9-1 as her second-time-starting stablemate Handbelle (Tapit) took the most tote attention. The Godolphin homebred showed little early foot and sat far back in second last down the backside through splits of :24.02 and :48.50. She sliced through a seam and began to inch...

Jump Sucker Stable's Slipstream backed up a sharp maiden victory earlier in the meet with a score in the GIII Futurity S. Sunday at Belmont, a Win and You're In qualifier for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Debuting locally over six furlongs on grass, the $170,000 Keeneland September purchase ran an even fifth after hitting the gate at the start, then faced more early trouble in a Saratoga off-the-turfer July 30 before finishing a distant third. Cruising to a 5 1/4-length graduation going seven panels here Sept. 18,...

Bubble Rock ran to the money and earned her black-type badge with a decisive victory in the GII Matron S. at Belmont. Runner-up to the re-opposing Lady Danae (Klimt) on debut sprinting on the Saratoga lawn Aug. 13, she broke through next out with a 3 1/4-length graduation over that course and distance Sept. 3. Favored to repeat in this step up in class, the dark bay ran two wide in a joint fourth through a swift first quarter. Ranging up three wide turning for home, Bubble Rock tugged her...

'TDN Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy) made the grade with a dominating win in Saturday's GII Vosburgh S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar. Following Sea cleared the field of four from his outside draw and it was smooth sailing from there. The Spendthrift Farm homebred, off at odds of 5-2, cut out fractions of :22.59 and :45.24, and, after leaving the rail open as he cornered for home, hit the gas in the stretch to win for fun by 4 3/4...

A spot in the starting gate for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will be on the line in Sunday's GIII Futurity S. at Belmont Park. The Wesley Ward-trained duo of unbeaten Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) and Poppy Flower (Lea), both scratched out of Saturday's loaded GIII Matron S., are the top two choices on the morning-line while taking on the boys here. Keeneland debut winner Chi Town Lady switched to turf following some time on the shelf to add Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. Aug. 18. Poppy Flower, in...

The Belmont fall meet, originally scheduled to conclude Oct. 31, will be extended to include three additional dates from Friday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 7, it was announced Saturday. These dates were originally scheduled to be run at Aqueduct Racetrack as opening weekend of the Aqueduct fall meet. New York State is continuing to operate a COVID-19 mass vaccination site throughout the first floor of Aqueduct. As a result, the facility remains closed to the public. "NYRA is committed to supporting the ongoing effort to vaccinate New York, and...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, in collaboration with TRF board member Anita Motion, will host a silent auction of original artwork to benefit the nearly 500 horses in the care of the organization. The event will be held at Belmont Park this Saturday, Oct. 9. The display featuring the artwork will be set up in the Clubhouse Lobby at Belmont Park and will run throughout the day starting when gates open at 11:00 a.m. The auction will close at approximately 4:52 p.m., which is the scheduled post time of the day's...

After a year lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDNY Stair Climb returns to Belmont Park on Sunday, October 17. This year's 7th annual event is part of the nationwide 9/11 stair climb program that pays tribute to the FDNY firefighters who died more than 20 years ago on 9/11. The climb benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), which supports the families of fallen firefighters and the FDNY Counseling Service Unit. "Twenty years later, I still remember what trauma looked like etched on the faces of firefighters at the...

There have been other impressive performances turned in by 2-year-old fillies in recent weeks (namely Hidden Connection {Connect}  in the GIII Pocahontas S. and Ain't Easy {Into Mischief} in the GII FrontRunner S.), but 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) reaffirmed her spot at the top of the division Sunday as she blew away her competition in Belmont's GI Frizette S., a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5 at Del Mar. The L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer was...

Sunday's GII Pilgrim S. at Belmont featured just four horses, but it was far from boring, as 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis and GIII With Anticipation S. runner-up Portfolio Company threw it down pretty much from start to finish. Bass homebred Annapolis was pounded down to clear favoritism off a head-turning, fast-finishing 4 1/2-length debut score at Saratoga Sept. 4, and prompted Portfolio Company here through easy splits of :24.34 and :48.96 as Expected pacesetter Doctor Jeff (Street Boss) was ridden with surprising patience after breaking slowly. Annapolis ranged up on...

The controlling speed of Saturday's GI Woodward S. on paper, Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector (Bernardini) made best use of his best asset and took them gate-to-wire to earn an overdue Grade I victory. Favored Maxfield (Street Sense) completed the exacta, while Dr Post (Quality Road) flashed home from the tail to be third. Looking to remain perfect in three starts since an amicable trainer switch from Tommy Drury to Bill Mott, Art Collector bounced beautifully from gate three and was soon in front for Luis Saez, as 64-1 Mo Gotcha...