GII Suburban

Saratoga's opening weekend kicks off with a trio of graded stakes Friday--the GI Belmont Derby, GII Suburban Stakes and GIII Manila Stakes. Saturday's card features three additional graded tests, including the GI Belmont Oaks. The day's undercard is highlighted by the GIII Sandford and GIII Kelso. The Belmont Derby offers a salty assembly of turf horses, including European invader Luther (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is trained by Charlie Fellowes. In three starts this term, Luther was runner-up on the synthetic at Chelmsford in April before finishing fourth behind winner Henri...

Last season's GI Belmont S. winner Sir Winston (Awesome Again) will attempt to return to the scene of his most important victory and try to add Saturday's GII Suburban S. to his resume. Runner up in the GIII Peter Pan S. prior to his win in the third jewel of the Triple Crown, the Tracy Farmer hombred was sidelined because of a left front ankle injury last summer. Resurfacing with a forgettable 12th after a troubled trip in a soggy renewal of the one-mile Woodchopper S. over the Fair Grounds...

The GII John A. Nerud S., a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, and the 10-furlong GII Suburban H. will be moved up one week to the July 4 card at Belmont Park and will be televised on NBC. "By moving these races up one week, we'll be able to showcase the Stars and Stripes Racing Festival to a national audience on NBC," said Tony Allevato, NYRA CRO and President of NYRA Bets. The July 4 card will also include the Manila S., a one-mile...