Belmont Stakes

GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) departed the Pimlico backstretch Monday morning on a van bound for Saratoga, where he will train towards a possible appearance in the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, the GI Belmont Stakes over a mile and a quarter on Saturday, June 7. Trainer Michael McCarthy revealed the news when a guest on At The Races With Steve Byk on satellite radio Monday morning. One day after winning the Preakness in breathtaking style, part-owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and McCarthy indicated...

'TDN Rising Star' Colloquial (Vekoma), a front-running winner of Keeneland's Lafayette S. Apr. 7, will make his next start in the GI Woody Stephens S. on the blockbuster GI Belmont Stakes program at Saratoga June 7. He worked four furlongs in :47.60 (5/54) at trainer George Weaver's Keeneland base Thursday morning, his second breeze since winning the Lafayette. He'll ship up to the Spa this weekend, per Weaver. "He's training well, we're looking forward to raceday," Weaver said. "He's proven that the talent is there. Now, it's just a matter...

Revel at the Races, a night of live music and hospitality held Thursday, June 5 at the Night Owl in Saratoga Springs, will open the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga weekend, Sports Illustrated announced Thursday. In partnership with The New York Racing Association, Inc., this event will be headlined by artist and rapper G-Eazy. Tickets are on sale now and are available here. The event follows the successful second annual late-night Revel at the Races held during Kentucky Derby Weekend. "Revel at the Races is a natural extension of Sports Illustrated's...

Amo Racing's Hill Road (Quality Road) may have earned himself a tilt at the June 7 GI Belmont Stakes with his win in the GIII Peter Pan Stakes at Aqueduct Saturday. "He bounced out of the Peter Pan in good shape," trainer Chad Brown said Sunday. "Hopefully once we get him back under tack and he's healthy and good, we will go onto the Belmont." A debut winner at Leopardstown last August, Hill Road was third behind champion Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del...

After reading "Enough Already. It's Time to Fix the Triple Crown" by Bill Finley, I must say I find myself not only disappointed by Mr. Finley's attitude, but also shocked by how he misconstrues and ignores the facts. In 2019, Bill Mott was planning to run Country House in the Preakness. Mott actually said, "We're leaning toward the Preakness, since he is the Derby winner and we don't want to pooh-pooh the Triple Crown. We want to support that." But two days later, Country House was coughing, placed on antibiotics,...

It was hardly a surprise when Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott announced Tuesday that GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) would not be running in the GI Preakness Stakes and would instead point for the GI Belmont Stakes. No matter how prestigious the race is, no matter how special the Triple Crown has historically been, the modern-day trainer cringes at the thought of running their horses back in two weeks. They just don't want to do it. Bill Mott, as meticulous and patient as he is, certainly is...

"The Bel-Mint Stakes," a tribute version of Mint Cookie Crumble ice cream, has been re-branded by Stewart's Shops in honor of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the New York Racing Association announced Monday. The Bel-Mint Stakes will be available at more than 175 Stewart's Shops ice cream counters for a limited-time only, from Apr. 28 through June 8. The GI Belmont Stakes will be run for the second time at Saratoga Race Course June 7.

It was on the first Saturday in May, 2024 that Mystik Dan (Goldencents) ran the race of his life to win the GI Kentucky Derby by a nose over Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). One year and four starts later, he hasn't won again, but will hope to end the losing streak on the anniversary of his greatest triumph. On Saturday, Mystik Dan will take on seven others in the Lake Ouachita S. at Oaklawn Park. It will be his first start since he was beaten 20 3/4 lengths in the...

A Review, By Bill Finley Whether it was 60 Minutes, the FX Network, HBO or some other programs, the television media has bludgeoned the horse racing game in recent years. The great parts of this game barely get mentioned while the programs concentrate on the ugly aspects, namely breakdowns and drugs. So it was reasonable to be worried that more of the same was on its way when Netflix announced it was producing a racing documentary called 'Race For The Crown.' But this show, which includes six episodes, isn't like...

A special Belmont Stakes Racing Festival three-day admission pass is now available at nearly 200 Stewart's Shops throughout the greater Capital Region, the New York Racing Association, Inc. announced in a press release Thursday. The pass includes general admission to Saratoga Race Course for three of the five days of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival: Thursday, June 5, Friday, June 6, and Saturday June 7--Belmont Stakes Day, featuring the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown--for $99. The admission pass, which represents a savings of 15 percent based on individual...

Unraced since finishing second in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic, 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) is nearing his 4-year-old debut, which will most likely come in the May 4 GIII Westchester S. at Aqueduct. His comeback was put on temporary hold because he was turned out for 60 days after undergoing an elective surgical procedure on a hind ankle. He had his first published workout this year when breezing three furlongs in :36.23 Mar. 13 at Palm Beach Downs. "He's come back very well," trainer Todd Pletcher...

John Stewart's Resolute Racing has joined Horse Country and will begin offering tours of its Midway farm starting Mar. 25.   Tours of Resolute Racing will be offered three days a week through the spring and will include everything from the foaling barn to Resolute's efforts in aftercare. Notable broodmares residing at the farm include two-time Eclipse champion Goodnight Olive; Puca, the dam of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage and GI Belmont Stakes Dornoch; Queen Caroline, the dam of Eclipse champion Forte; and Resolute's first Grade I winner Didia (Arg). Tours...