Belmont at the Big A

Irad Ortiz, Jr. paced all other riders at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet to secure the leading rider title with 35 wins. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano came in second [27 wins] with Manny Franco and Jose Lezcano tied for third [23 wins]. Ortiz, Jr. earned his 21st NYRA meet title on the heels of a strong summer meet at Saratoga Race Course where he posted 55 wins. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown earned his fourth NYRA meet title of the year with 24 winners, finishing...

In the weeks leading up to the Breeders' Cup, most of the news is focused on when the stars are shipping and breezing. But, with one week left to go before World Championship Saturday, there is plenty of racing action with seven graded events from coast-to-coast. Sophomore colts take center stage at Keeneland in the newly upgraded GIII Bryant Station S. GI Belmont Derby hero Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) looks to make amends after an unplaced effort in the course-and-distance GI Shadwell Turf Mile Oct. 8. His best efforts have...

New York-bred Fingal's Cave (Carpe Diem), perfect in four career starts in the Big Apple, takes on graded stakes company for the first time in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. The bay cuts back in distance to seven furlongs after capturing her stakes debut in Saratoga's Fleet Indian S. versus state-breds going 1 1/8 miles in the mud Aug. 26. "At some point, we will challenge her and this seems to be a good spot," trainer David Donk said. "The Raven Run is for straight 3-year-olds, it's...

Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) took over on the GII Sands Point S. turn under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and kept finding from there to turn the tables on Vergara (Noble Mission {GB})--who beat her by a head last time in the Dueling Grounds Oaks--while giving her superstar sire yet another graded winner. Victorious in her first two turf routes, the Andrew Rosen homebred was subsequently third in the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland in April and again in Belmont's GII Wonder Again S. over yielding sod June 9. Fifth...

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle the top two choices on the morning-line for Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland, one of three graded stakes races on the afternoon. McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the even-money choice to become Brown's fifth winner in this prestigious affair, broke through with a career high in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. July 9 and added the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. at Aqueduct Sept. 17 two starts later. She cuts back in trip to 1 1/8 miles here. McKulick...

With Breeders' Cup weekend at Keeneland right around the corner, 15 graded stakes--including seven 'Win and You're In' events--will take place throughout North America on an absolutely loaded day of racing Saturday. Five of those graded races will go down in Lexington, including a stacked renewal of the 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. The overflow field of 14 (plus two AE's)'s lone graded winner, GI Hopeful S. hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), bypassed last weekend's GI Champagne S. in favor of this first attempt around...

1st-Belmont at The Big A, $95,000, Msw, 10-2, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:17.28, sy, 4 3/4 lengths. GOOD SAM (f, 2, Good Samaritan--Twizzler, by Twirling Candy) was by far the priciest of 63 first-crop yearlings by her freshman sire (by Harlan's Holiday) when fetching $310,000 at KEESEP after also being his most expensive weanling/short yearling at $110,000 at KEEJAN. Off at 4-1 breaking from the rail over a sloppy track Sunday, she justified those price tags while becoming winner number nine for Good Samaritan. Quickest from the blocks, the bay...

There are but five weeks remaining between now and the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland Nov. 4 and 5, and many of horse racing's biggest names will take in their final prep races over the course of the next couple of weekends. Better than 40 graded stakes, the majority of which have championship weekend implications, are set to take place from sea to shining sea, including 21 'Win and You're In' events offering the winners an all-expenses paid trip to the Bluegrass. Santa Anita stages one of the four Breeders' Cup...

5th-BAQ, $95K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:05 p.m. EDT Allen Stable's $575,000 KEESEP acquisition LIMITS OF POWER (Good Magic) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Chug McGaughey. Out of GISP Modification (Vindication), the dark bay is a half-brother to Grade I-winning sprinter and new Spendthrift stallion Yaupon (Uncle Mo), as well as MGSP Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last). He breezed a best-of-153 half-mile in :47 flat on the Belmont training track two works back Sept. 17. Chad Brown unveils another pricey graduate of that auction in $475,000...