Belmont Park

Dual Grade I winner Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) makes his first start as an older horse Saturday in Belmont's GIII Westchester S. Victor of the GII Fountain of Youth S. last term, the Farish homebred captured the GIII Dwyer S. going a mile over this strip last summer and followed suit with a decisive score in the GI Runhappy Travers S. in August. Crossing the line a nose short of Vino Rosso (Curlin) in this venue's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. Sept. 28, the chestnut was promoted...

After Shug McGaughey saddles the likely favorite Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) in the GIII Westchester S. Saturday, he will send out on of the top choices in Belmont's GI Runhapppy Carter H. in the talented Performer (Speightstown). The Carter is typically run in April at Aqueduct, but was rescheduled and relocated due to the COVID-19 racing shutdown. It is a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Graduating at second asking going six panels at this oval last June, Performer followed suit with an...

NYRA will partner with Churchill Downs to host a Cross Country Pick 5 Saturday. The wager will include action from both Belmont Park and Churchill, with live coverage of all the races in the sequence available with America's Day at the Races on FS1 and MSG+. Belmont will be the site of the sequence's first two races, starting with the GIII Westchester S. in Race 7 at 4:32 p.m. Following will be the GIII Intercontinental in Race 8 at 5:04 p.m. Action will then switch to Churchill for Race 9...

Kendrick Carmouche said he has never experienced racism, at the racetrack or elsewhere. But that doesn't mean that the events surrounding the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers didn't hit home for the 36-year-old jockey. The New York-based Carmouche is one of only a handful of African-American jockeys riding in the U.S. Earlier this week, Carmouche posted an emotional video on social media. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he spoke of the heartache he had been experiencing since the Floyd killing. "It is very...

There was no better place to be in American horse racing than Belmont Park Wednesday morning as the track prepared to reopen New York racing later in the day after months of being shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic. That's where Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey called in from as the Green Group Guest of the Week on this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland. In a wide-ranging discussion, McGaughey talked about the return of stable star Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), racing finally resuming at his...

The race was just a $20,000 maiden claimer, but the importance of the moment was not lost on Belmont track announcer John Imbriale, who welcomed racing back to New York Wednesday. "We can finally say...they're off and running at New York's Belmont Park," Imbriale called out as the field burst from the gate. And as Star of the West (Flashback) crossed the wire to win the opener, Imbriale once again recognized that this race was something special. "It's now official. New York sports is back and beautiful Belmont Park is...

3rd-Belmont, $62,080, Msw, 6-3, 2yo, 5f, :58.42, gd. PRISONER (c, 2, Violence--Al Max Diner {SW, $131,226}, by End Sweep) denied the overly hyped Fauci (Malibu Moon) to graduate on debut in New York's first baby race of the year. Seizing the early advantage, the 6-5 second-choice dueled with favored Fauci through a :22.54 opening quarter and into the far turn. Prisoner shrugged off his foe in the stretch, cruising clear to a dominant 4 3/4-length victory. The winner is a half to Manuka Honey (Borrego), SW & MGSP, $177,084. Stakes...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols 3rd-BEL $64k, MSW, 2yo, 5f, post time: 2:23 p.m. The timely named FAUCI (Malibu Moon) is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the first 2-year-old race of the year in New York. Trained by Wesley Ward for Lindy Farms and Ice Wine Stable, the bay colt was a $175,000 KEESEP yearling. The race also includes a pair of graduates of the recent OBS March sale. Kelly Breen saddles Garoppolo (Outwork), who was purchased by Mr Amore Stable for $125,000 following a :21 1/5 quarter-mile work in Ocala....

It won't take long for the stars to come out at the abbreviated Belmont spring/summer meet, as multiple Grade I winners Got Stormy (Get Stormy) and Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) headline a stout six-horse field in Wednesday's opening-day feature at Big Sandy, the GIII Beaugay S. Third at 21-1 behind Rushing Fall in the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. last spring at Keeneland, Gary Barber's Got Stormy developed into a turf terror over the summer, capturing the De La Rose S. Aug. 3 at Saratoga and famously coming back...

The 2-year-old filly Community Adjusted (Summer Front) has been added to the Empire Racing Club's roster of runners, the group announced Monday. The dark bay filly will race for the partnership of Rob Masiello and ERC, and will be trained by Christophe Clement. Out of Rimini Road (Dynaformer), the filly was purchased by Masiello for $100,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. "Community Adjusted is a lovely filly with a nice neck and shoulder, and looks like she will be able to get a route of ground," said Masiello....

While the Thoroughbred industry is set to welcome back racing at Belmont Park this Wednesday, the races will not be shown on TVG. Reporting for HorseRacingNation, Ron Flatter said that NYRA races will appear only on FOX Sports, MSG+ and across advance-deposit wagering platforms, including TVG. "FOX Sports has significantly increased its commitment to horse racing every year since our partnership began in 2016," said Tony Allevato, Chief Revenue Officer for NYRA and the president of the company's advance-deposit wagering platform NYRA Bets. "This year, FOX Sports presented NYRA with...

Trainer Chad Brown was trackside at Belmont Park Thursday morning to oversee turf workouts for a pair of top-class distaffers. Working in company were eFive Racing's Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) and Peter Brant's Fifty Five (Get Stormy), who were each clocked a half-mile in a leisurely :50.48. The conditioner said that both mares would make an appearance on the much-anticipated opening day of the Belmont spring/summer meeting next Wednesday, June 3. They both worked fine and will be entered for the [GIII] Beaugay [S.]," Brown told the NYRA notes...