Belmont

Undefeated Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) looks to maintain her position at the top of her division as the headliner in Sunday's GI Frizette S. at Belmont, a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar next month. The bay earned the 'TDN Rising Star' nod and a 92 Beyer Speed Figure for her impressive 5 1/2-length graduation on debut going 5 1/2 panels at Saratoga July 15. She became the first top-level scorer for her leading freshman sire next out when running the field...

'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) looks to take his record to two-for-two as he steps up to the big leagues Sunday in Belmont's GII Pilgrim S. Out of the accomplished and well-bred My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), the Bass homebred circled the field in the stretch of his two-turn unveiling at Saratoga Sept. 4 and powered home to an ultra-impressive 4 1/2-length victory. Barnmate Midnight Worker (Outwork) makes his first start on grass here off a third in the Sapling S. at Monmouth Sept. 5. "He trained like he...

Trainer Chad Brown will have two chances--led by even-money morning-line favorite McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB})--for his ninth GII Miss Grillo S. victory Saturday. McKulick, named for the late Mary McKulick, a longtime office manager and bookkeeper for Brown, kicked home nicely from fifth to graduate over three next-out winners, including runner-up stablemate Consumer Spending (More Than Ready), at the Spa on debut Aug. 8. She is drawn widest of all in post six for the Miss Grillo. Brown will also saddle Kinchen (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who finished an...

With three graded wins on his resume so far this year, the highly regarded Maxfield (Street Sense) will take on five rivals in Saturday's GI Woodward S., which returns to Belmont Park for the first time since 2005. The 2021 GIII Mineshaft S., GII Alysheba S. and GII Stephen Foster S. hero was second-best behind Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga last time Aug. 7. The 7-5 morning-line favorite, winner of the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at two, adds blinkers here. "For his stallion career and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 3:50 p.m. ET Joseph Murphy's WOLFE COUNTY (Medaglia d'Oro) is the latest foal to the races for the stakes-placed Dawn Raid (Vindication) making him a half-brother to 2016 GI Preakness S. and GI Haskell Invitational S. hero and WinStar sire Exaggerator  (Curlin). Dawn Raid is herself a half-sister to MGSW and Sovereign Award winner Embur's Song (Unbridled's Song). He squares off with fellow debutant Monologue (Runhappy), a half-brother to SW & GISP Endless Chatter (First Samurai) and to...

6th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 4:43 p.m. ET    SIDEKICK (Honor Code), a 2-year-old half-brother to MGISW and GI Woodward S.-bound Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), debuts for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey. The Edward J. Hudson, Jr. and W.S. Farish colorbearer worked four furlongs from the gate in :48 (7/50) at Belmont Sept. 25. John Velazquez has the mount. TJCIS PPs

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) fired back in court Monday against Bob Baffert's attempt to collect $162,086 in legal fees and expenses from NYRA that have resulted from the Hall of Fame trainer's lawsuit against NYRA. Calling his request "premature" while claiming that the $450 to $975 hourly fees charged by his lawyers are "disproportionately high," NYRA also alleged that Baffert is attempting to twist a legal provision "intended to incentivize attorneys to represent individual civil rights plaintiffs that might otherwise be unrepresented" to his own financial benefit when...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PLETCHER UNVEILS CURLIN FILLY 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:00 p.m. Repole Stable, Eclipse Thorougbreds and Michael House teamed up to acquire NEST (Curlin) for $350,000 at KEESEP and she debuts in this spot for trainer Todd Pletcher. Out of SW Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the bay is a full-sister to Grade I winner Idol and a half to SP Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile). TJCIS PPs   PRICEY CURLIN COLT DEBUTS AT CHURCHILL 3rd-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:43 p.m. Juddmonte's $900,000...

'TDN Rising Star' Life is Good (Into Mischief) takes on his elders for the first time Saturday and will be heavily favored to defeat them in a four-horse renewal of Belmont's GII Kelso H. Informative (Bodemeister) is scratching in favor of Saturday's Parx Dirt Mile. Devastating the field to graduate by 9 1/2 lengths and earn a 91 Beyer Speed Figure on debut at Del Mar Nov. 22, the $525,000 KEESEP buy captured the one-mile GIII Sham S. next out at Santa Anita Jan. 2. Romping by eight lengths when...

European shipper Yibir carried the blue Godolphin silks to victory in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., securing a spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in the process. Off a step slow, the chestnut caboosed the field early as Tango Tango Tango (Tourist) was pressed by fellow longshot Slicked Back through early splits of :25.37, :49.45 and 1:14.46. Still last on the backstretch run, Yibir swung out five wide turning for home and instantly inhaled his rivals, charging clear for a dominant victory. "We've been...

Former French runner Shantisara won a gritty battle with stablemate Higher Truth to take the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. at Belmont Saturday. Higher Truth seized the early advantage with Shantisara glued to her outside hip in second through a :25.51 opening quarter and :51.70 half-mile. They continued in this manner with a pair of rivals hot on their heels through five-eighths in 1:18.12. Moving up to look her barnmate in the eye turning for home, Shantisara battled Higher Truth to the wire, forging clear in the final strides to...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-BEL, $90k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:38 p.m. ET Seven horses make their career debut in this potential-laden nine-horse field, headed by PROTONIC POWER (Protonico), part of an uncoupled entry for the Todd Pletcher barn. Owned by Sumaya US Stable, who campaigned his sire, the colt is out of Grade III winner Sheza Smoke Show (Wilko), making him a half to 2020 OBS April topper and subsequent Grade I winner Princess Noor (Not This Time). The bay stayed home at Belmont for the summer and...