Belmont at the Big A meet

In a battle worthy of a big stage, Cugino (Twirling Candy--Adorable Miss, by Kitten's Joy) threw down the gauntlet in the lane and fortune smiled on him as he claimed the GII Red Smith Stakes by the slimmest of noses. Quite consistent in his career, Cugino showed up when they called on him, but kept coming just a bit short of claiming that elusive first graded win. He lost a desperately close photo in the GIII Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland in Spring of 2024 when MGSW Neat (Constitution) got the...

1st-Belmont The Big A, $85,000, Msw, 10-26, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.57, ft, 4 lengths. WITH A KISS (f, 2, Gun Runner--Cathryn Sophia {GISW, $1,229,720}, by Street Boss), who bet down to 67 cents on the dollar for her debut here, kept tabs on fellow 'Insight' runner & pacesetter Imperatrice (City of Light) up the backstretch. As the pair sped away entering the far turn, With a Kiss pulled alongside and entering the lane the race was on. The chalk passed her stablemate inside the final furlong and graduate by four...

3rd-BEL, $85K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 2:11 p.m. ET. A $900,000 Keeneland September purchase, STRONG EFFORT (Practical Joke) goes out for St Elias and trainer Chad Brown. Responsible for MGISP Reinvestment Risk (Upstart), dam Ridingwiththedevil (Candy Ride {Arg}) was a $210,000 buy for Gainesway at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed sale while Strong Effort was in utero. The first-time starter's extended female family includes Canadian MGSW My List (Banker's Gold). TJCIS PPS 1st-BEL, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10 p.m. ET. Trainer Todd Pletcher has a pair of uncoupled entries set...

Ready for Candy flashed a strong turn of foot when it mattered most down the lane to take the GII Sands Point Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday. With a runner-up finish during her 2-year-old season in the Catch A Glimpse Stakes at Woodbine, Ready for Candy ran third in the GIII Mazarine Stakes in Toronto last November. The dark bay, who was a $400,000 purchase during the Fasig-Tipton February Mixed sale, made the switch from Michael DePaulo to Philip Antonacci. The filly's conditioner watched as she went gate-to-wire versus...

5th-BAQ, $85K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:21 p.m. ET. Bred by Summer Wind, PALADIN (Gun Runner) easily was knighted as a top-twelve price during the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale when the chestnut was hammered down for $1.9-million. The ownership group of Mrs. John Magnier, Peter Brant, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Brook Smith and Jane Lyon, who stayed in for a piece, sent the colt to trainer Chad Brown. Out of unraced Secret Sigh (Tapit), the first-time starter is a half-brother to a colt by Into Mischief--taken home by Case...

Bidding on Fasig-Tipton's digital platform opened Friday, Oct. 10 and will close Thursday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. ET for the Fall Flash Sale, a boutique two-entry auction offering a pair of fillies who have recently won Breeders' Cup prep races, the auction company said in a press release on Friday. The two offerings are: Iron Orchard (Hip 1): Undefeated 2-year-old daughter of Authentic won the GI Frizette Stakes, a Breeders' Cup "Dirt Dozen" race, this past Saturday to stamp herself among the leading contenders for the GI NetJets Breeders'...

6th-SA, $60K, Msw, 3-5yo, 6f, 6:33 p.m. ET. Set for his unveiling is $2-million 2023 Keeneland September grad JUDE (Uncle Mo), who was purchased by Zedan Racing and sent to trainer Bob Baffert. Out of winner at 2 Helena Bay (GB) (Johannesburg), the first-time starter is a half-brother to GI TVG Pacific Classic Stakes hero & sire Collected (City Zip) and a current 2-year-old colt in-training by Gun Runner--himself a $700,000 Keeneland September buy for M.V. Magnier and White Birch Farm. TJCIS PPS 8th-BAQ, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6fT, 4:53...

5th-KEE, $110K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 3:08 p.m. ET. Godolphin homebred BELLA BALLERINA (Street Sense) is set for her unveiling under the care of trainer Brendan Walsh, who also conditioned her half-sister, champion 3-year-old filly Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief). Both are out of GI Spinaway Stakes heroine Pretty City Dancer (Tapit), a $3.5-million buy for Stoud Coleman Bloodstock during the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed sale. This dam is herself a half-sister to GISW & MGISP Lear's Princess (Lear Fan). TJCIS PPS 4th-KEE, $110K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 2:36 p.m. ET. Lemon's...

With a big kick down the lane, Asbury Park (GB) (Frankel (GB)--Limonar (Ire), by Street Cry {Ire}) rolled home to take the GII Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes at the Big A on Saturday. Named a 'TDN Rising Star', presented by Hagyard, after the colt won at second asking in what was his 3-year-old debut over the grass going two turns upstate June 6, Asbury Park was well-beaten against optional claimers at course and distance July 18. The Chad Brown trainee was last seen running third in the Saranac Stakes...

The New York Racing Association has rolled out its 2025 stakes schedules for the 32-day Belmont  At The Big A  fall meet (BAQ) and the 27-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack which sport a combined purse structure in excess of $15-million, according to a pair of press releases on Saturday from the organization. Due to the ongoing construction of the new Belmont Park, the BAQ fall meet will once again be conducted in Ozone Park and will run from Thursday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 2. The meet will offer a...

2nd-Belmont The Big A, $92,000, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 6-27, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:34.40, ft, 5 1/2 lengths. HIGHLAND FALLS (h, 5, Curlin--Round Pond {MGISW, $1,998,700}, by Awesome Again) was last seen running ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in a stacked edition of the race, but had come into that contest off a victory two back Sept. 1 in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga. Hammered at the windows here like he could not lose, the 1-5 favorite never gave them any reason to doubt in his...

Sweet Seraphine (Quality Road) sounded the drum late and scored her first black-type in the Wilton Stakes at the Big A on Sunday afternoon. As a juvenile, the filly debuted in third at Ellis Park in early August before heading to the sidelines. The bay came off the bench to don cap and gown by a nose at Churchill Downs May 24. The 6-5 choice here took an awkward step at the start which put her several lengths off the speed up the backstretch. Chasing the pace into the far...