Belmont

Both plaintiff Bob Baffert and defendant the New York Racing Association (NYRA) traded volleys of legal filings that were posted electronically just before 6 p.m. Tuesday. They all relate to Baffert's ongoing quest to fight NYRA's attempts to either banish him outright or to give him a hearing that would adjudicate the "detrimental conduct" charges NYRA has levied against Baffert over the repeated equine drug positives in his trainees. NYRA on Oct. 12 filed a memorandum of law in support of its earlier motion to dismiss Counts I, III, IV...

W.S. Farish's ascending homebred Royal Flag rallied to a convincing win in Sunday's GII Beldame S. at Belmont, her third graded stakes conquest in her last five starts. Graduating second out by eight lengths in the Aqueduct mud in December of 2019, the chestnut repeated by nine lengths in a Gulfstream allowance/optional claimer and made it three straight with a score in a similar spot last May at Churchill. Disappointing somewhat with a distant third in the GIII Molly Pitcher S., she was a close runner-up in the GIII Shuvee...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PLETCHER UNVEILS PRICEY INTO MISCHIEF 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 12:35 p.m. Spendthrift Farm teamed up with My Racehorse on a $600,000 son of Into Mischief in KEESEP acquisition PROVOCATEUR, who debuts in this test for trainer Todd Pletcher. The bay is a full-brother to Grade III winner One Liner and SP Roderick. This is also the family of Grade I-winning stallions Daredevil (More Than Ready) and Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great). Christophe Clement unveils Ruthenian (Union Rags) here as well. He is a half...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency SON OF ROSALIND DEBUTS AT BELMONT 4th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:11 p.m. Harrell Ventures' CHANCEUX (Speightstown) makes his debut in this event for trainer Todd PLetcher. The chestnut is the second foal out of Grade I winner Rosalind (Broken Vow), a $1 million FTKNOV acquisition by SF Bloodstock. Rosalind also captured the GII Sheepshead Bay S. and placed in three more top-level events. TJCIS PPs

Castleton Lyons's Chi Town Lady (Verrazano), the lone stakes winner thus far in a potential-laden field of 12, will try to make it three-for-three to start her career in Saturday's GIII Matron S. over six furlongs on the Belmont turf. Debuting as an overwhelming 1-5 on the Keeneland dirt this April, the chestnut obliged with a three-length graduation and, after a length break, overcame a stumbling start to score a 1 3/4-length success in the Bolton Landing S. over yielding grass Aug. 18 at Saratoga. An array of contenders will...

In a summer full of impressive and promising performances in allowance races at Saratoga, it was the Sept. 4 run of a total no-name who could've been had by anyone in the sport for just $10,000 months earlier that stood out the most on the speed-figure scale. And Saturday, modestly-bred Baby Yoda (Prospective) will try to back that monster effort up while making his stakes debut against four rivals in Belmont's GII Vosburgh S., a Win and You're In qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Debuting for owner Gerald...

The first two across the line in a thrilling renewal of this summer's GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. will face off once more in a seven-horse renewal of the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. over 1 1/2 miles on the Belmont turf Saturday. Otter Bend Stables' Gufo (Declaration of War) has yet to be out of the trifecta in 12 career outings and picked up stakes scores in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S., GIII Kent S. and English Channel S. last year as a sophomore to...

Trainer Rohan Crichton said he has given up on his attempts to run Bajan Girl (Speightstown) in Sunday's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland after being told he would not be allowed to enter. Crichton is one of five trainers recently suspended by Gulfstream officials after it was found that they were violating house rules regarding clenbuterol. He is in the midst of serving a 30-day suspension and cannot run at any of the tracks owned by The Stronach Group. However, a suspension issued by a racetrack is not reciprocal...

Undefeated Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) looks to maintain her position at the top of her division as the headliner in Sunday's GI Frizette S. at Belmont, a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar next month. The bay earned the 'TDN Rising Star' nod and a 92 Beyer Speed Figure for her impressive 5 1/2-length graduation on debut going 5 1/2 panels at Saratoga July 15. She became the first top-level scorer for her leading freshman sire next out when running the field...

'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) looks to take his record to two-for-two as he steps up to the big leagues Sunday in Belmont's GII Pilgrim S. Out of the accomplished and well-bred My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), the Bass homebred circled the field in the stretch of his two-turn unveiling at Saratoga Sept. 4 and powered home to an ultra-impressive 4 1/2-length victory. Barnmate Midnight Worker (Outwork) makes his first start on grass here off a third in the Sapling S. at Monmouth Sept. 5. "He trained like he...

Trainer Chad Brown will have two chances--led by even-money morning-line favorite McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB})--for his ninth GII Miss Grillo S. victory Saturday. McKulick, named for the late Mary McKulick, a longtime office manager and bookkeeper for Brown, kicked home nicely from fifth to graduate over three next-out winners, including runner-up stablemate Consumer Spending (More Than Ready), at the Spa on debut Aug. 8. She is drawn widest of all in post six for the Miss Grillo. Brown will also saddle Kinchen (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who finished an...

With three graded wins on his resume so far this year, the highly regarded Maxfield (Street Sense) will take on five rivals in Saturday's GI Woodward S., which returns to Belmont Park for the first time since 2005. The 2021 GIII Mineshaft S., GII Alysheba S. and GII Stephen Foster S. hero was second-best behind Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga last time Aug. 7. The 7-5 morning-line favorite, winner of the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at two, adds blinkers here. "For his stallion career and...