Belmont

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) released its 2021 racing calendar. A total of 202 days of live racing are scheduled to be held at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Aqueduct's winter meet will continue through Sunday, Mar. 28 and be followed by an 11-day spring meet starting Apr. 1 and concluding Apr. 18 (click for winter and spring Aqueduct stakes schedule). Racing then shifts to Belmont for a 48-day spring/summer meet starting Apr. 22 and ending July 11, highlighted by the 153rd running of the GI...

After a horse reportedly named after a racist slur won the first race at Aqueduct Jan. 8, reaction on social media and throughout the industry was swift to denounce the name and trainer Eric Guillot, who had posted a picture of the horse and its name days earlier on social media. The 3-year-old gelding by Uncle Mo, who won his debut Friday, was named Grape Soda, a racist stereoptype directed at African Americans. A Tweet on January 1 on Eric Guillot's Twitter feed indicated that he had been named after...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency DAUGHTER OF PLUM PRETTY DEBUTS IN NY 1st-BEL, $80K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 12:20p.m. PLUM AWESOME (Curlin), the latest offspring of GI Kentucky Oaks victress Plum Pretty (Medaglia d'Oro), makes her career bow in this spot for Todd Pletcher. Mandy Pope purchased dual Grade I winner and millionaire Plum Pretty for $4.2-million at the 2012 KEENOV sale and she has produced one winner from three to race thus far. Also debuting in this test is Gary and Mary West homebred Wedding Band (Candy Ride {Arg}),...

8th-Belmont, $63,000, Msw, 10-16, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.43, sy, 8 lengths. TEN FOR TEN (c, 2, Frosted--Summer Vacation, by Eskendereya) kicked off his career with a second-place effort sprinting six panels at Saratoga Sept. 7 and was backed down to slight 2-1 favoritism while getting blinkers in his route debut. Hustled to the front by Jose Ortiz straight off the blocks, the $410,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase repelled a bid from 2-1 chance Savoy (Honor Code) approaching the quarter pole and spurted clear through the lane, scoring by an impressive...

MGISW Tiz the Law (Constitution) breezed six furlongs in 1:12.26 (1/1) over the Belmont main track Friday morning in preparation for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7. The Empire-bred will be vanned to Kentucky Sunday to continue his preparations for the World Championships. Under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law went in company with stablemate Niko's Dream (Central Banker) (five furlongs in 1:01.05) before drawing away at the top of the lane. He recorded splits of :13.07, :24.84, :36.43, and :47.63 before galloping out seven furlongs...

With impressive gains in handle and with the reopening of the casino at Aqueduct, NYRA will increase purses starting Oct. 18 and for the remainder of the Belmont meet. Like many tracks, NYRA was forced to make purse cuts due to COVID-19 related problems that reduced revenue sources. Rather than an across-the-board purse increase, NYRA will put more money into certain categories, in particular maiden races. The purse for an open maiden special weight race will go from $63,000 to $80,000. New York-bred maidens will see a purse increase from...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED TRIO DEBUT AT BELMONT 3rd-BEL, $63K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT, 1:26p.m. Michael Tabor's THE GIRL HERSELF (American Pharoah) is one of three blue-blooded fillies making their career bow in this test. Out of Grade I winner Circle of Life (Belong to Me), the bay is a half to Grade I-winning sire Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) and MGSP The Roundhouse (Fusaichi Pegasus). Juddmonte homebred Nubian (Pioneerof the Nile) also looks to open her account here. The bay is a daughter of European champion Special Duty...

As has become the custom in New York's top turf races, Chad Brown offers a three-pronged attack in Saturday's GI Flower Bowl S., a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland next month. Leading the fray is dual Grade I-winner Cambier Parc (Medaglia d'Oro), victorious in four graded stakes last season--the GI Queen Elizabeth Cup, GI Del Mar Oaks, GIII Wonder Again S. and GIII Herecomesthebride S. Sent off the even-money favorite in her sole start of 2020 in the Sept....

A pair of 'TDN Rising Star' sophomores take on their elders in a five-horse renewal of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. Saturday at Belmont, which is a "Win and You're In" event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Leading the sophomore duo is unbeaten Happy Saver (Super Saver). A dominant debut winner going seven panels at Belmont June 20, the Todd Pletcher pupil dominated a nine-furlong allowance next out at Saratoga July 26. The Wertheimer and Frere homebred made it three-for-three in Laurel's Federico Tesio S. Sept. 7....

Undefeated Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) looks to continue his domination of the 2-year-old colt division as the headliner in Belmont's GI Champagne S. Saturday, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup. A debut winner at Churchill June 19, the bay scored a decisive win in the GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 7 and was an impressive victor of the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at Saratoga Sept. 7, earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. "He handles everything well," said trainer Steve Asmussen's Belmont Park-based assistant trainer Toby Sheets. "Just...

Vequist (Nyquist) was ultra-impressive when earning her diploma in the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 6 and looks to replicate that performance at Belmont Saturday in the GI Frizette S., which grants the winner a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Missing by just a nose in her 4 1/2-panel unveiling at Parx July 29, the dark bay graduated in style with a dominant 9 1/2-length success in Saratoga's Spinaway. "She has to confirm it; anybody can do it once," Butch Reid said. "You have to...

Winner of the 2018 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S., Channel Maker (English Channel) made amends for a close second in last year's renewal with a front-running score in the 2020 edition Saturday at Belmont. Taking up his preferred position at the head of affairs, the chestnut clicked off splits of :22.89, :49.44 and 1:14.45. Still in front turning for home, the hard-knocking gelding kept on finding in the lane, rolling clear to victory. "We would have wanted to envision it working out this way and it worked out,"...