Belmont

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will feature a series of Secretariat-related fan giveaways and vintage artifacts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's historic 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival from Thursday, June 8 to Saturday, June 10. The first 5,000 fans to pass through the main admission gates at Belmont Park Friday, June 9 will receive a commemorative poster of Secretariat crossing the finish line in the 1973 Belmont Stakes. The first 5,000 through the main admission gates Saturday, June 10...

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Zedan Racing Stables' MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) will skip Saturday's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, at Belmont Park. Taiba worked seven-furlongs in 1:27.40 Friday at Santa Anita in what was to be his final prep for the one-turn mile. He has not raced since an eighth-place effort in the G1 Saudi Cup February 25 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. "His works have been good, but not like I'd like to see them. I just don't think he's ready for...

Trainer Brad Cox has added a third GI Belmont S. contender to his lineup with Tapit Shoes, a stakes-placed son of Tapit who was last seen running second to Red Route One (Gun Runner) in the Bath House Row S. at Oaklawn Park on April 22. "He's a pretty consistent workhorse, steady, and always gallops out well," Cox said Thursday morning at Churchill Downs. "He gives us some confidence that he could like the mile and a half." Owned in partnership by Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers Racing, Martin Schwartz, Michael...

1st-Belmont, $75,000, (S), Msw, 5-28, 2yo, 5f, :58.68, ft, 6 lengths. THE WINE STEWARD (c, 2, Vino Rosso--Call to Service, by To Honor and Serve) brought a final bid of $340,000 from trainer Michael Maker at OBS March earlier this year after breezing in :10.2 to be the second-highest progeny of his freshman sire (by Curlin) at the sale. A popular choice at the window, the bay drew the inside gate at post-time odds of 2-5 and, despite a hesitant beginning, stayed in contention with a rail-skimming ride around the...

Though trainer Christophe Clement had to scratch his expected morning-line favorite from this event, he had more than enough talent waiting in the wings as Queen Picasso (GB) (Kingman {GB}), off a debut victory at Gulfstream Apr. 5, made it two-for-two with a win in the GIII Soaring Softly S. Unveiled around two turns in south Florida, the half-sister to G1SW Acclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) had already proven her affinity for the grass while her main rival, race-time favorite Lady Beth (Hard Spun), was forced to debut over the all-weather...

A graded stakes trio, led by the GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita, will kick off Memorial Day weekend on Saturday afternoon. The lightly raced 5-year-old Bruce Chandler homebred Spirit of Makena (Ghostzapper) looks for his third straight victory for trainer George Papaprodromou following a 1 1/2-length score over the re-opposing Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) in the GIII San Carlos S. last time Mar. 11. Spirit of Makena is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. The field of seven also includes last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up and popular 9-year-old...

National Treasure (Quality Road), winner of last Saturday's GI Preakness S., has made his way to Belmont Park for a potential start in the GI Belmont Stakes June 10. Bob Baffert said National Treasure got a feel for the Belmont Park main track Thursday with a light jog. "He's going well. We're going to get him up there, train him and see how he's doing," Baffert said. He added National Treasure will have one work at Belmont before a decision is made whether to test the 1 1/2-mile race. "When...

The prospective field for the GI Belmont S. picked up a pair of top contenders Monday when trainer Brad Cox confirmed that he is pointing Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) and Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) to the final leg of the Triple Crown. Neither has run since the GI Kentucky Derby, where Angel of Empire, the favorite in the race, finished third and Hit Show was fifth. "They both had their first works back after the Derby on Sunday and we're getting them ready to go for the Belmont,"...

Eclipse Award winner Forte (Violence) worked a half-mile in :50.31 breezing Sunday morning at Belmont Park, which has him back on a path to make it to the GI Belmont S. It was his first work since he was scratched the morning of the GI Kentucky Derby by a state veterinarian due to a foot bruise. After the scratch, Forte was placed on the vet's list in Kentucky for 14 days, which meant he could not run in the GI Preakness S. "He looked very good in this work and...

In the final local prep for the GI Belmont S., Arcangelo (Arrogate) found the wire just in time to secure his first stakes win in the 69th running of the GIII Peter Pan S. With only three prior starts, all at Gulfstream Park, the gray colt debuted second sprinting in the slop Dec. 17 before running fourth behind subsequent GII Louisiana Derby victor Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) going a mile Jan. 14. Facing older maidens for the first time at the same distance Mar. 18, the 2-1 shot cleared in the...

1st-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 5-11, 2yo, f, 5fT, :57.61, fm, 2 3/4 lengths. CYNANE (f, 2, Omaha Beach--Burning Arch, by Arch) became her freshman sire's (by War Front) first winner Thursday with a front-running 2 3/4-length win. Pushed hard from the outside gate by GI Kentucky Derby winning jockey Javier Castellano, the dark bay filly, one of the longer shots on the board at 9-2, took command from outside of a pair of rivals. Sam's Treasure (Munnings) tried to stick with her early but Cynane proved up to the challenge, brushing...

9th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 7fT, 5:12 p.m. The first foal out of GIII Go for Wand H. heroine Indulgent, MAY FANE (Uncle Mo) dons the royal blue as a Godolphin homebred for trainer Bill Mott. Indulgent is herself a daughter of Fast Cookie, making her a half-sister to MGISW and Darley stallion Frosted (Tapit) and to the dam of GSW/GISP Caramel Swirl (Union Rags). Third dam Fleet Lady, also a graded-stakes winner herself, produced champion 2-year-old colt Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). Further down in the family are MGISP Solomini (Curlin),...