Belmont

Johnny V. did it again. A week after wiring the GI Kentucky Derby aboard Medina Spirit (Protonico), John Velazquez sent Calumet Farm homebred Channel Cat (English Channel) to the front in Saturday's GI Man O' War S., and just held on by a nose over favored Gufo (Declaration of War). Channel Cat, off at 8-1, dueled from the inside through an opening quarter in an eye-catching :22.69 in this 1 3/8-mile affair. He began to shake clear rounding the clubhouse turn and slowed it down some to a testing half...

Promise Keeper (Constitution) tossed his hat in the ring as a potential GI Belmont S. starter with a strong performance in Saturday's GIII Peter Pan S. The chestnut, off as the 3-2 favorite, sat a stalking trip in second as the comebacking maiden winner Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) led through fractions of :24.53 and :48.62. Promise Keeper struck the front as they hit the quarter pole, and, after getting a bold challenge from Nova Rags (Union Rags) in the stretch, swatted that foe away to win by an expanding 2 1/4...

Grade I winners Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) and Civil Union (War Front) kick off their 2021 campaigns in Saturday's GIII Beaugay S. at Belmont Park. Harvey's Lil Goil followed a win in Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. Oct. 10 with a huge third--beaten only a neck at 20-1--in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland last time Nov. 7. Civil Union, winner of last term's GI Flower Bowl S. over this course, had a four-race winning steak snapped, finishing another two slots back...

Tabor, Magnier and Smith's Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winless since a blowout score in the 2019 G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, makes his first start on these shores in Saturday's GI Man O' War S. at Belmont Park. Second to dual Cartier Horse of the Year Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth for Aidan O'Brien at Ascot last July, the 5-year-old enters off a close third in the Bahrain International Trophy Nov. 20. The rail-drawn, 8-5 morning-line favorite kicks off his campaign...

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a major capacity increase at the state's racetracks and other outdoor large-scale sports and entertainment facilities Wednesday. The new order, which takes effect May 19, permits venue capacity to as much space as needed to meet the six-feet apart social distancing mandate. Another key part of the mandate is that fully vaccinated fans can be spaced next to one another, rather than six-feet apart, in areas that are separate from non-vaccinated patrons. "NYRA joins sports and entertainment venues throughout the state in thanking Governor...

2nd-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 6f, 3:38p.m. Shug McGaughey debuts 3-year-old BIG CITY MOMMA (Quality Road) for Courtlandt Farms. The $700,000 KEESEP graduate is out of stakes placed New York-bred Easy Living (Big Brown). The filly posted a pair of recent four-panel works at Belmont, including the most recent going :48 4/5 Apr. 24. Jose Ortiz gets the call. TJCIS PPs

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PRICEY DISTORTED HUMOR COLT DEBUTS 3rd-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6fT, 2:02p.m. Jeremiah Englehart unveils $500,000 KEESEP buy ASKIN FOR A BASKIN (Distorted Humor). His second is MSW Our Fantene (Touch Gold), who is the dam of GSW Javerre (Outflanker.) The gelding has been working well for this debut, including a best-of-35 five panels in 1:01 1/5 over the Belmont training track two back Apr. 10. TJCIS PPs

8th-Belmont, $92,000, Alw, 4-30, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, f/m, 6fT, 1:09, gd, 3 lengths. MINAUN (IRE) (f, 3, Zoffany {Ire}--Bee Eater {Ire} {SP-Eng}, by Green Desert) cost a mere €8,000 at the 2019 Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale--an event that takes place immediately after the company's premiere Orby sale--and showed a fair amount of promise on career debut, running the future GSP Oodnadatta (Ire) (Australia {GB}) to 1 1/2 lengths in a seven-furlong test at Leopardstown for Henry de Bromhead last June. She was allowed to take her chance against a trio of...

Technical Analysis (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) made an impressive sophomore bow at Belmont Thursday to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' for the Chad Brown barn. The Klaravich runner finished third to the re-opposing Island Treasure (Speightstown) on debut over a yielding course and distance Nov. 1 and broke through next out at Aqueduct Nov. 29. Breaking on top, the 4-5 favorite was overtaken by Caldee (More Than Ready), who shot off to a clear lead, leaving Technical Analysis in a ground-saving third. Biding her time through a half-mile in :48.23,...

1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:00p.m. Trainer Shug McGaughey unveils West Point, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing's FIRST CAPTAIN (Curlin), a $1.5 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Select sale last summer. The colt is the first foal out of GSW & GISP America (A.P. Indy), a homebred for the Iron Chef. The 3-year-old sports a bullet four-furlong work in :48 1/5 at Payson Apr. 10, and most recently, registered a :48 4/5 (28/63) for the same distance at Belmont Apr. 17. Also suiting up for the first...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced that NYRA Bets Gift Cards will be available for purchase for the 2021 Triple Crown beginning Apr. 25, at more than 150 Stewart's Shops across the Capital Region. NYRA Bets Gift Cards will be available at Stewart's Shops through the conclusion of the Saratoga meet. For a complete list of participating Stewart's Shops locations, click here. "We were overwhelmed by the response of fans to the introduction of our gift cards last summer and are excited to make them available earlier than...

America's Day at the Races, produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will present live racing throughout the 48-day Belmont Park spring/summer meet that will run from Thursday, Apr. 22 through Sunday, July 11. The network will also feature live racing from the 38-day Churchill Downs spring meet that runs Apr. 24 to June 26, as well as continued coverage of the 57-day Oaklawn Park which runs through May 1. Each live racing day at Belmont Park will feature coverage on FS2, which...