Belmont Park

Trudy Veinot's Dreamcatcher consignment makes its second auction appearance in the Fasig-Tipton July Sale of Selected Yearlings and, while a son of Gift Box (hip 107) is the veteran horsewoman's sole entry in the sale, she is excited about the colt's prospects in the ring Tuesday. Veinot, a transplanted Canadian now living in Lexington, purchased the colt for $30,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. "I liked his frame," Veinot said of the weanling's appeal. "There wasn't a lot of meat on those bones, but there was a beautiful frame....

Fort Bragg (c, 3, Tapit--March X Press, by Shanghai Bobby), scratched from last month's GI Woody Stephens S. after spiking a fever, narrowly outslugged the previously unbeaten Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) to gamely capture Saturday's GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park. Adding blinkers for this, the 3-5 favorite traveled smartly in third as Saudi Crown showed the way through an opening quarter in :22.47. Up a spot into second through an eye-opening half mile in :44.63, Fort Bragg loomed boldly on the outside as the two hit the quarter pole...

Trainer Raymond Handal has been provisionally suspended by the Horse Racing Welfare and Integrity Unit after his horse Barrage (War Dancer) returned a positive  test for the banned substance Zeranol after finishing second in an optional claiming allowance at Belmont May 28. Handal's provisional suspension starts July 1. Under the regulations, Handal has the right to request a provisional hearing and the analysis of the B sample, but must do so by July 5. The ruling was posted on the HIWU website Saturday morning. No further details were given. Zeranol...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) canceled live racing Friday at Belmont Park due to a rapid decline in air quality late this morning, the organization said in a release midday. After horses were in the paddock for the first race, the decision was made in consultation with the New York State Equine Medical Director, NYRA management and veterinary staff in order to ensure the safety of all participants. The indoor facilities at Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack remained open for simulcasting. Live racing is scheduled to resume on...

Ellis Park will host its first Grade I race in its 100-year history Saturday, but there are plenty of other graded stakes scheduled before the Fourth of July at Belmont Park, Delaware Park, Woodbine Racetrack and Gulfstream Park. Here's a rundown of what's on tap. Showdown in Belmont's Dwyer One of two graded stakes on Saturday in Elmont is the GIII Dwyer S. Going a mile, the race pits Fort Bragg (Tapit), who was forced to scratch from the GI Woody Stephens S. by trainer Bob Baffert when the 3-year-old...

Two New York residents sued the state, its governing bodies, elected officials, and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) on Thursday in an attempt to block the recently announced $455-million loan to renovate Belmont Park. "This case is about the State of New York's unconstitutional appropriation of taxpayer funds by loaning nearly half a billion dollars to NYRA, all while turning a blind eye to NYRA's past two decades of financial mismanagement, malfeasance and scandal, and, more importantly, ignoring the State's Constitutional prohibition against providing State monies--whether by loan or...

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who is currently the nation's leading jockey this year in both purse winnings and victories, waived his right to appeal a three-day "careless riding suspension" imposed by the Belmont Park stewards for a June 11 stretch-run infraction that resulted in an inquiry, but no disqualification. Ortiz will sit out June 25, 30, and July 1, according to the New York State Gaming Commission ruling dated June 17. Ortiz was attempting to rally from last by coming up the inside rail aboard Federalist Papers (More Than Ready) in...

The mission of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy is to better the lives of the some 3,500 people who care for the horses at the NYRA racetracks, which, among other things, means finding an outlet in the summer for the children of the backstretch workers during the Saratoga meet. It's a huge need given the obstacles backstretch families encounter when it comes to how to care for their kids, but the Racetrack Chaplaincy has come up with an answer. Some 10 years ago, the group started the Saratoga Enrichment Program,...

Just a few days after the running of this year's GI Belmont S., the final leg of the Triple Crown was back in the news. With the Belmont grandstand set to be torn down after the 2024 spring meet and with the new stands not expected to be ready until 2026, the 2025 Belmont S. will likely need a home. And after hinting that the race could be run in Saratoga, the New York Racing Association was more specific when the topic was addressed early last week. When asked by...

Saffie Joseph Jr. has nominated Violet Gibson (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) to the Wild Applause S. at Belmont Saturday, June 24, and has been given 23 stalls for the summer at Saratoga Race Course, according to an email from NYRA's Vice President of Communications, Patrick McKenna. "Following consistent and productive dialogue between Saffie Joseph Jr. and NYRA, Joseph Jr. will resume training and racing at NYRA tracks," McKenna wrote. "He has nominated Violet Gibson to the $150,000 Wild Applause and has been allotted 23 stalls for the 2023 summer meet...

2nd-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 3:30 p.m. When the hammer fell at OBS back in March, MUTH (Good Magic) was not only the session topper, but the 2-year-old tied the sale record with a final price of $2 million. Purchased by Amr Zedan and trained by Bob Baffert, the bay colt breezed during the under tack show by going 1/8 in :9 3/5. Muth debuts for these connections from the outside post with Juan Hernandez aboard. TJCIS PPS 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 1:05 p.m. On Belmont's Sunday card,...

4th-ELP, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 3:16 p.m. OXO Equine's BALTA (Munnings), a $685,000 '23 OBSMAR purchase who went :9 4/5 during the under tack show, debuts Saturday for Paulo Lobo. The 2-year-old chestnut colt's family tree includes GISW Cupid (Tapit) and is a half-brother to SW Opus Forty Two (Mendelssohn). Opposing him will be fellow firster, trained Kenny McPeek, Northern Flame (Flameaway), who brought $425,000 at the Fasig-Tipton August sale last year. Also entered is D. Wayne Lukas trainee Just Steel (Justify), who went for $500,000 at the '22...