Belmont Park

Creative Minister Works for Belmont

Creative Minister (Creative Cause), coming off a third-place effort in the GI Preakness S., tuned up for the June 11 GI Belmont S. with a four-furlong work in :48.33 (2/5) at Belmont Park Tuesday. NYRA clockers caught Creative Minister marking off a quarter-mile in :24 over the fast track, rolling through without much urging from jockey Heman Harkie. Rounding the turn and heading for the wire, Harkie remained still aboard the grey colt who continued a steady rhythm down the stretch to complete the work in :48.33, galloping out five-eighths...

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Letter to the Editor: C'mon, Bill
Letter to the Editor: C'mon, Bill

Years ago, a dear friend, Joe Spadaro, a veteran turf writer who coined the phrase "get with the program!", and I were at a bar one evening up on Jericho Turnpike after the races at beautiful Belmont Park. We were commiserating with the Eclipse Award-winning writer Paul Moran about racing. I was always a pretty opinionated guy (still am) and Joe could hear my tone of voice elevating to rebut something that Paul said. Joe turned to me and said "Tom, never get into it with somebody who buys ink...

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The Week in Review: The Met Mile Belongs on Memorial Day

A New York racing tradition began in 1971, the first time that Memorial Day was officially celebrated each year on the last Monday in May. A crowd of 61,147 showed up that Monday at Belmont Park to watch Tunex win the $121,600 Metropolitan Mile for trainer Allen Jerkens and owner Hobeau Farm. For the next 42 years, New York racing fans circled Memorial Day on their calendars, knowing that it would be one of the biggest days of the year, thanks to the GI Metropolitan H. In 1976 and 1977,...

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Highly Motivated Narrowly Best in Battle of the Browns

8th-Belmont, $94,000, Alw (NW2$X), Opt. Clm ($62,500), 5-28, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:36.63, ft, neck. HIGHLY MOTIVATED (c, 4, Into Mischief--Strong Incentive {SW, $123,568}, by Warrior's Reward), an easing 4-5 favorite, overcame a bit of a slow start, but sat a good inside trip thereafter and outbattled his 'TDN Rising Star' stablemate Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile) to the line to lead home yet another Chad Brown-trained exacta Saturday afternoon at Belmont Park. Off to a hesitant beginning and then bumped by The Reds (Tonalist) to his outside, the $240,000 Keeneland November...

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Dark Angel's Chardy Party Makes the Grade in Soaring Softly

Stonestreet Stables has enjoyed a good bit of success over the last few years sourcing fillies from Europe and placing them with Wesley Ward, such as MG1SW and two-time Royal Ascot heroine Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}); GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint S. winner Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}); and SW Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}). The latest success story from their European venture is Chardy Party (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who took her record to two-for-two Saturday in Belmont's GIII Soaring Softly S. Rallying from well back to take...

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Big Sandy

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NYRA Assistant Starters Threaten to Strike on Belmont Day

At an impasse with NYRA over health insurance benefits, the union representing assistant starters at Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga has informed the racing organization that it will wage a strike starting on the day of the GI Belmont S. if its demands are not met. With recent discussions between NYRA and Local 3 of the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers failing to produce a solution, the union served NYRA with a Notice of Intent to Strike. The union is asking for NYRA to pick up the health coverage from the...

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Violence Colt Turns In 'Strong' Debut, Earns 'Rising Star' Nod

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte (Violence) was no secret to the betting public as the heavy 1-5 favorite for the Friday lid-lifted at Belmont Park and ran away from his overmatched rivals down the lane to earn 'TDN Rising Star' accolades. The $80,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $110,000 Keeneland September acquisition had registered three works since shipping up from trainer Todd Pletcher's South Florida base at Palm Beach Downs and signaled his readiness with a best-of-24 half-mile from the gate that was timed in :48 flat May 20,...

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Second Chances: 'An Added Sweetness' for Juddmonte Campaigning Arrogate Homebred Artorius

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. After blitzing home to finish a strong second on debut at Keeneland, Juddmonte homebred Artorius (c, 3, Arrogate--Paulassilverlining, by Ghostzapper) could make his next start during the upcoming GI Belmont S. Racing Festival. "That was maybe a bit short for him and there's a race on June 10th going a one-turn mile at Belmont," Juddmonte USA General Manager Garrett O'Rourke said. "Everything is going well with the colt....

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Pletcher Sophs Work Towards Belmont Day Spots
Pletcher Sophs Work Towards Belmont Day Spots

A trio of 3-year-olds from the barn of Todd Pletcher took to the Belmont dirt training track Friday morning as they prepare for stakes engagements during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), who defeated GI Preakness S. hopeful Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 9 ahead of a closing fifth in the GI Kentucky Derby May 7, breezed a half-mile in the company of his GI Central Bank Ashland S.-winning stable companion Nest (Curlin) in :50.02. Owned by Donegal Racing and Repole...

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New TV Ad Launched by We Are NY Horse Racing

The launch of a new television advertisement was announced by officials at We Are NY Horse Racing Friday, titled 'Community.' It seeks to further educate and inform New Yorkers about the importance of horse racing to the New York State economy. The ad will air on broadcast and cable networks across the state beginning Friday, with additional ads to be unveiled in the coming months. The ad also appears on YouTube, below. [tdn_video service="youtube" videoid= "DGMHF4HIblw"]

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Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, May 10-16

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 05/13/2022 Licensee: Peter Eurton, trainer Penalty: $1,000 Violation: Late reporting Explainer: Trainer Peter Eurton is fined $1,000.00 pursuant to California Horse Racing Board rule #1629 (Penalty for Late Declaration) and for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1865...

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