Man o' War S.

Pop quiz: The $400,000 GII Man o' War S. is scheduled to run this weekend at Belmont at the Big A at 11 furlongs on the grass. What previous Man o' War winner still holds the course record at Belmont Park for the distance? If you guessed Influent (Ascot Knight--Katerina Key, by Key to the Mint), you'd be right. Two months before he won the Man o' War in 1997, then a Grade I, he covered the same 1 3/8 miles on Belmont's Widener Turf Course in 2:11.06 in the...

By the age of nine, most racehorses have left their best days well behind them. However, 5-1 shot Red Knight (Pure Prize) clearly did not get that memo, pulling off the most important victory of his career in Saturday's GI Man o' War S. at Belmont. Breaking from the inside gate under Irad Ortiz, Jr., the chestnut trailed the field early while racing inside of favored 3-5 European import Warren Point (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was caught napping at the start with Frankie Dettori in the irons. Up front, Channel...

The late Daylami (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}) carried the Godolphin blue to victory in the GI Man o' War S. at Belmont Park fully 25 years ago and it didn't take long for the Dubai-based operation to strike again, as the outstanding Fantastic Light (Rahy) followed suit just two years later.Both stars would go on to prove victorious in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in 1999 and 2001, respectively. No one will confuse Warren Point (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) with either of those luminaries, but the homebred bay should jump favored to...

Trainer Graham Motion joined this week's TDN Writers' Room after his trainee Highland Chief (Ire) had a breakthrough performance in the GI Man o' War S.

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning turf male Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) took to the Belmont turf course Thursday morning for some light work ahead of his appearance in Saturday's GI Man o' War S. With rider Shane Fetherstonhaugh aboard, the 4-year-old schooled a bit in the Belmont paddock before heading out to the track around 9 a.m., where he was allowed to stretch out through the final stages. "He went out to the turf so he could have a light canter and then he just had a little blowout down the straight...