Belmont Oaks

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is Belmont Park's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S., now the first leg in New York's Turf Tiara series for 3-year-old fillies on the lawn. Originally known as the Rare Perfume and then the Garden City, the Belmont Oaks under its current name has only been in existence since 2014, although the race itself dates to 1979. The history may not be long and some of the...

Fozzy Stack says that Aspen Grove (Ire) is something of a forgotten horse heading into the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. and revealed that there were genuine excuses for her below-par effort in the Irish 1,000 Guineas when the Justify filly was found to be in season.  Aspen Grove carried Craig Bernick's distinctive silks to victory in a Group 3 contest at the Curragh last term and, with that valuable black-type success already secured, Stack felt connections could afford to be brave in travelling her over for Saturday's Grade I...

A half-dozen 3-year-old fillies, topped by the one-two finishers in the July 9 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S., will do battle in Sunday's GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S., one of three graded stakes taking place on the first Sunday in August. Highly-regarded McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), named after trainer Chad Brown's first employee when he struck out on his own, was an impressive debut winner last summer at the Spa, but went winless in her next three starts while placing in the GII Miss Grillo S., GII Edgewood S. and...

Adrian O'Brien, who under the banner of Hazelwood Bloodstock, raised and consigned GI Belmont Oaks winner McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) on behalf of her breeder Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, has opened up about what Saturday's top-level triumph means to everyone on his farm.  Hazelwood Bloodstock, which O'Brien set up alongside his wife Philippa in 2016, boards up to 30 mares with an emphasis on quality over quantity.  In Astrelle (Ire) (Makfi {GB}), the dam of McKulick and one of the first mares to walk through the gates at...

The book on training the modern racehorse goes something this: Give them at least six weeks off between races, start them no more than five times a year and never take a chance. It's a book that, apparently, Ken McPeek has never read. Among top-tier trainers, there is no one like him. He'll run fillies against the boys, run back in a week and he's not afraid to throw a 50-1 bomb into a race or, in the case of 2022 GI Belmont S. winner Sarava (Wild Again), a 70-1...

Plans for G1 Prix de Diane runner-up La Parisienne (Fr) (Zarak {Ire}) to race in America are on hold with connections opening the door to a tilt at the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after their star filly went down fighting behind Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Chantilly on Sunday.  It had been suggested that La Parisienne would be trained in America at some point in her career but part-owner Peter Bradley revealed on Monday that the filly will remain in the care of the father and son team...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Erik Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima (Commissioner) has been named the 2021 Texas Horse of the Year by the Texas Thoroughbred Association. She was also named Champion Three-Year-Old Texas-Bred Filly for 2021 following a season that included wins in the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S., GIII Wonder Again S. and GIII Herecomesthebride S. Bred by Lisa Kuhlmann, the dark bay also added wins in the Ginger Brew S. and Honey Ryder S. and runner-up efforts in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S....

Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) worked through traffic late to break through in her fourth straight attempt at the highest level and complete the first half of the GI Belmont Oaks/GI Belmont Derby double for the Coolmore contingent Saturday. Deemed a 'TDN Rising Star' off a 2 1/2-length debut success at The Curragh last September, the buzzed-about bay could only manage fourth in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2 and again in the G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom June 4--both as the favorite. She was most recently...

I don't know which is the greater compliment, the one extended across the continent or the one across the ocean. Putting them together, however, the hosts of the GI Belmont Derby Invitational can feel confident they must be doing something right. This race has now obtained such stature that the most exciting turf sophomore in the land has had to join the recent defections from the Bob Baffert barn in order to take part--even though Du Jour (Temple City) represents a partnership comprising Debbie Lanni and Baffert's own wife, Jill....

Every year the GI Belmont Oaks and Derby attract an intriguing mix of European invaders and America's best sophomore turf horses and this year is no exception. The Coolmore contingent, Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore have a strong shot at taking their second renewal of this race with 'TDN Rising Star' Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who enters this race of a narrow runner-up in Group 1 company. A debut winner at the Curragh in September, the bay was fourth in the G1 QIPCO One Thousand Guineas May 2 at...

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...

Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) made her Stateside debut in style with a late-surging victory as the heavy favorite in the GI Belmont Oaks Saturday, the first Grade I event of the track's fall meet. Caboosing the quintet early, the even-money favorite--who was receiving Lasix for the first time--bided her time at the back as second-choice Antoinette (Hard Spun) clocked a half-mile in :49.99. Still last entering the far turn, the bay swung out three wide in the lane and unleashed a furious rally, powering clear late for a decisive...