Jockey Club Oaks
Fourth most recently in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 11, Fionn (Twirling Candy) turned on the tables on that race's runner up, Laurelin (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) to win Saturday's GIII Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct. It's been a year of incredible form for the Brad Cox trainee as the 3-year-old filly has won five of seven starts including her first Grade I success in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational at Saratoga in July. In fact, that fourth in the QEII as the favorite marked...
The Belmont at the Big A fall meeting will feature 50 stakes races worth $10.35 million, officials at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced Thursday. Thirty-one days of racing are scheduled at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will once again stage the meeting due to the ongoing construction at Belmont Park. The meet begins on Friday, Sept. 13 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 3. Three Grade I contests for on the flat and six Breeders' Cup Challenge races are to be run, including the first of the elite-level events, the $500,000...
After then-Irish-based Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) took the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks and French filly Elusive Princess won the GIII Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks, it was only fitting another European, Godolphin homebred Eternal Hope (Ire) (f, 3, Teofilo {Ire}--Voice of Truth {Ire}, by Dubawi {Ire}), should capture the GIII Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. Saturday for her first graded/group win. Last-out Parx stakes winner Neecie Marie (Cross Traffic) was second, while Leopardstown G3 winner Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {(Ire}), sixth in the Belmont Oaks behind Aspen Grove, finished third. Sporting...
Former French runner Shantisara won a gritty battle with stablemate Higher Truth to take the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. at Belmont Saturday. Higher Truth seized the early advantage with Shantisara glued to her outside hip in second through a :25.51 opening quarter and :51.70 half-mile. They continued in this manner with a pair of rivals hot on their heels through five-eighths in 1:18.12. Moving up to look her barnmate in the eye turning for home, Shantisara battled Higher Truth to the wire, forging clear in the final strides to...
NYRA's Turf Triple series for fillies will be incentivized by a pair of lucrative bonus opportunities at the upcoming Belmont Park and Saratoga meets. The Turf Triple series for fillies kicks off July 10 at Belmont with the $700,000 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. The series continues with the $700,000 GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational Aug. 8 and is completed by the Jockey Club Oaks at the Belmont fall meet. The "New York Stakes Turf Bonus" will provide $315,000 to the owner and $35,000 to the trainer of any previous winner...
Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing's Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy) is 'probable' to proceed to the final leg of the inaugural Turf Tiara series, the $750,000 Jockey Club Oaks, to be contested over a mile and three-eighths at Belmont Park Sept. 7. Also victorious in the GI Belmont Oaks last month, the $61,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile acquisition remains under consideration for Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Oct. 12. "We'll probably run at Belmont," trainer Rusty Arnold told the NYRA notes team. "If she's good, she'll probably run [in the...