Belmont Park

'TDN Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy) made the grade with a dominating win in Saturday's GII Vosburgh S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar. Following Sea cleared the field of four from his outside draw and it was smooth sailing from there. The Spendthrift Farm homebred, off at odds of 5-2, cut out fractions of :22.59 and :45.24, and, after leaving the rail open as he cornered for home, hit the gas in the stretch to win for fun by 4 3/4...

A spot in the starting gate for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will be on the line in Sunday's GIII Futurity S. at Belmont Park. The Wesley Ward-trained duo of unbeaten Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) and Poppy Flower (Lea), both scratched out of Saturday's loaded GIII Matron S., are the top two choices on the morning-line while taking on the boys here. Keeneland debut winner Chi Town Lady switched to turf following some time on the shelf to add Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. Aug. 18. Poppy Flower, in...

The Belmont fall meet, originally scheduled to conclude Oct. 31, will be extended to include three additional dates from Friday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 7, it was announced Saturday. These dates were originally scheduled to be run at Aqueduct Racetrack as opening weekend of the Aqueduct fall meet. New York State is continuing to operate a COVID-19 mass vaccination site throughout the first floor of Aqueduct. As a result, the facility remains closed to the public. "NYRA is committed to supporting the ongoing effort to vaccinate New York, and...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, in collaboration with TRF board member Anita Motion, will host a silent auction of original artwork to benefit the nearly 500 horses in the care of the organization. The event will be held at Belmont Park this Saturday, Oct. 9. The display featuring the artwork will be set up in the Clubhouse Lobby at Belmont Park and will run throughout the day starting when gates open at 11:00 a.m. The auction will close at approximately 4:52 p.m., which is the scheduled post time of the day's...

After a year lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDNY Stair Climb returns to Belmont Park on Sunday, October 17. This year's 7th annual event is part of the nationwide 9/11 stair climb program that pays tribute to the FDNY firefighters who died more than 20 years ago on 9/11. The climb benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), which supports the families of fallen firefighters and the FDNY Counseling Service Unit. "Twenty years later, I still remember what trauma looked like etched on the faces of firefighters at the...

There have been other impressive performances turned in by 2-year-old fillies in recent weeks (namely Hidden Connection {Connect}  in the GIII Pocahontas S. and Ain't Easy {Into Mischief} in the GII FrontRunner S.), but 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) reaffirmed her spot at the top of the division Sunday as she blew away her competition in Belmont's GI Frizette S., a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5 at Del Mar. The L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer was...

Sunday's GII Pilgrim S. at Belmont featured just four horses, but it was far from boring, as 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis and GIII With Anticipation S. runner-up Portfolio Company threw it down pretty much from start to finish. Bass homebred Annapolis was pounded down to clear favoritism off a head-turning, fast-finishing 4 1/2-length debut score at Saratoga Sept. 4, and prompted Portfolio Company here through easy splits of :24.34 and :48.96 as Expected pacesetter Doctor Jeff (Street Boss) was ridden with surprising patience after breaking slowly. Annapolis ranged up on...

The controlling speed of Saturday's GI Woodward S. on paper, Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector (Bernardini) made best use of his best asset and took them gate-to-wire to earn an overdue Grade I victory. Favored Maxfield (Street Sense) completed the exacta, while Dr Post (Quality Road) flashed home from the tail to be third. Looking to remain perfect in three starts since an amicable trainer switch from Tommy Drury to Bill Mott, Art Collector bounced beautifully from gate three and was soon in front for Luis Saez, as 64-1 Mo Gotcha...

The second-longest shot on the board in a compact field of six, Jeff Treadway homebred Sail By (Astern {Aus}) sat closest to a soft pace and took full advantage of her trip to cause the upset in Saturday's GII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont Park. Away alertly from the inside gate, Sail By conceded the lead to rank outsider Charlee O (Tourist), who enjoyed a soft time of it up front through an opening half-mile in :49.40. Stablemates and market leaders McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Kinchen (Ire) (Lope de...

Sunday's running of the Bertram F. Bongard S. for New York-breds at Belmont ended in tragedy as Happy Happy B (Honor Code) broke down during the race and had to be euthanized. The 2-year-old suffered a catastrophic injury to his right front leg. Breaking down about 70 yards before the wire, Happy Happy B threw rider Jose Ortiz, who was sent to North Shore Hospital to have his left leg evaluated. Ortiz's agent Jim Ricco Jr. reported Sunday evening the rider was fine and was not expected to miss any...

The once-defeated 3-year-old filly Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) looms a short-priced favorite facing four older females in Sunday's GII Gallant Bloom H. at Belmont Park. A smashing 11 1/4-length winner of a local six-furlong maiden May 6, the $20,000 OBS June graduate yielded late to be second to then-unbeaten Australasia (Sky Kingdom) in the June 6 Jersey Girl S. The dark bay returned to winning ways, scoring by 6 1/2 length in a first-level allowance over this surface July 11 and came from just off a moderate tempo to dust...

Sent off at odds of 3-4 to open his account at first asking, Overstep (Into Mischief) turned on the afterburners through the Belmont stretch to become yet another 'TDN Rising Star' for his all-conquering stallion. Drawn one from the outside in stall eight, the $360,000 Keeneland September yearling pressed the pace outside of 7-1 chance Silver Samurai (First Samurai), appearing to have that one whenever Irad Ortiz, Jr. elected to pull the trigger. On even terms with 2 1/2 furlongs left to run, Overstep was shaken up once heads were...