Belmont Racing Festival: Beyond the Belmont Stakes

For casual fans the Belmont Stakes is appointment viewing, especially when a triple crown is on the line. However, the marquee race is just one of many that should have fans excited about the weekend ahead from Belmont Park.

Belmont Park Thursday Stakes Races

The Astoria Stakes

The Astoria Stakes will be run on Friday and carries a purse of $150,000. The race is run at 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt for 2 year old fillies. These horses could end up on the path to the Kentucky Oaks.

• Confirmed Entries: Alexis’s Storm, Magic Beauty, Born Dapper, Shaymyname, Girl Bye, and Devious Dame

The Tremont Stakes

The Tremont Stakes will be run on Friday and carries a purse of $150,000. The race for 2 year old males will be 5 1/2 furlongs on the main dirt track.

• Confirmed Entries: Stayhonor Goodside, Little J P, Putthepastbehind, No Nay Hudson, Valenzan Day, Bisping, Two of a Kind, and Zelenskyy Strong

The Wonder Again Stakes (Grade 2 Turf)

The final stakes race on the Friday card is the Wonder Again Stakes. This grade 2 event will carry a purse of $200,000 and be contested at 9 furlongs on the turf. The race is restricted to 3 year old fillies.

• Confirmed Entries: Shad Nation, Myriskyaffair, Consumer Spending, Sweet Sensation, Tap the Faith, Vergara, and Skims

Belmont Park Friday Stakes Races

The Bed o’ Roses Stakes (Grade 2)

The Bed o’ Roses Stakes is a grade 2 event and will offer a purse of $300,000. The race is for older fillies and mares. It will be contested at a distance of 7 furlongs and run over the main dirt track.

Although the field will be small, this race has some heavy hitters with the likes of Obligatory, Glass Ceiling, and Bella Sofia.

• Confirmed Entries: Obligatory, Glass Ceiling, and Bella Sofia, and Easy to Bless

The Belmont Gold Cup (Grade 2 Turf)

The Belmont Gold Cup is a grade 2 turf event with a purse of $400,000. The race is contested over 16 furlongs (2 miles) on the Belmont turf. The race is for horses 4 years old and up.

The race lacks a bit of star power, but given the American emphasis on dirt and speed breeding, we don’t typically produce a ton of brilliant turf marathoners. The most intriguing runner in the field is Loft who will try US soil after breaking the maiden in Germany over this distance.

• Confirmed Entries: Loft, Abaan, British Royalty, Outbox, Strong Tide, Cibolian, Novo Sol, and Box N Score.

The Intercontinental Stakes (Grade 3 Turf)

The Intercontinental Stakes is a grade 3 turf event. The race has a purse of $200,000 and is restricted to older fillies and mares. The race will be contested at a sprint distance of 6 furlongs.

This race should give the winner a chance to stamp their claim on a division that hasn’t seen any dominant performances. Most of these come out of wins at lesser levels or losses at similar classes.

• Confirmed Entries: Star Devine, The Grass Is Blue, Lady Edith, Tobys Heart, Jouster, Robin Sparkles, Caravel, Assertive Style, Illegal Smile, Flower Point, Miss Majorette, Nevisian Sunrise, and Miss J McKay.

The New York Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The New York Stakes has the top purse of the Friday races at $750,000. The mile and a quarter turf race is a grade 1 turf event and is for older fillies and mares.

This race hardly lacks star power. The race features three last out graded stakes winners. Chad Brown looks to have a strong hand in this spot with 4 of the 7 entries.

• Confirmed Entries: Flighty Lady, Rougir, Virginia Joy, Core Values, Bleecker Street, Lovely Lucky, and Family Way

The True North Stakes (Grade 2)

The True North Stakes is a grade 2 sprint on the dirt. The race, which offers $300,000 in purse money, is for 4 year olds and up at a distance of 6.5 furlongs.

This race got a huge talent infusion when it was announced that the ultra fast Jackie’s Warrior would be opting for this race.

• Confirmed Entries: Mr Phil, War Tocsin, Jackie’s Warrior, Baby Yoda, Night Time, and Sound Money

Belmont Park Saturday Stakes Races

With the post draw yet to come for these races, all runners are probable. Especially in underfilled fields the racing secretary may look to add runners to expand the field size.

The Acorn Stakes (Grade 1)

The Acorn Stakes is a grade 1 The race offers a purse of $500,000 and is for 3 year old fillies. The race will be run at 8 furlongs on the dirt.

There are few runners officially pointed here but the big story could be the showdown between Echo Zulu and Matareya.

• Probable Entries: Dream Lith, Echo Zulu, and Matareya

The Brooklyn Stakes (Grade 2)

The Brooklyn Stakes is a grade 2 race. The race offers a purse of $400,000 and is for horses 4 years old and up. The race will be run at 12 furlongs on the dirt.

The 2022 edition has eome possible big names including Max Player, Fearless, Warrant, and Lone Rock.

• Probable Entries: Max Player, Strong Tide, Original Intent, First Constitution, Fearless, Warrant, Lone Rock, Locally Owned, and Portos

The Jaipur Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The Jaipur Stakes (Grade 1 Turf) is a win and you’re in to the Breeders’ Cup in November. The race offers a purse of $400,000 and is for horses 3 years old and up. The race will be run at 6 furlongs on the turf.

Gregorian Chant has been a great race horse at Santa Anita, but he’s still looking for the first stakes win outside of California after finishing third in the grade 2 Twinspires Turf Sprint.

• Probable Entries: Omaha City, Gregorian Chant, Scuttlebuzz, Gear Jockey, Greyes Creek, Whatmakessammyrun, Change of Control, Bound For Nowhere, Filo Di Arianna, Casa Creed, and Arrest Me Red

The Longines Just a Game Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The Longines Just a Game Stakes is a grade 1 race on turf . The race offers a purse of $500,000 and is for fillies and mares 4 years old and up. The race will be run at 8 furlongs on the turf.

It is a grade 1 turf event in the United States so the question is not if Chad Brown has a runner, its how many does he have. The answer is 3. Speak of the Devil, Regal Glory, and In Italian project to make up at least 60% of the field and you can bet they will likely own more than that share of the win pool.

Probable Entries: Leggs Galore, Wakanaka, Speak Of The Devil, Regal Glory, and In Italian

The Manhattan Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The Manhattan Stakes is also a grade 1 turf race. The race offers a purse of $750,000 and is for horses 4 years old and up. The race will be run at 10 furlongs on the turf.

This race could feature a fun group of horses that have all shown talent at the highest levels of turf racing. Chief among them are L’Imperator, Rockemperor, Gufo, and Channel Maker.

Probable Entries: L’Imperator, Tokyo Gold, Santin, In Love, Rockemperor, Gufo, Highland Chief, Channel Maker, and Adhamo

The Ogden Phipps Stakes (Grade 1)

The Ogden Phipps Stakes (Grade 1) is a win and you’re in to the Breeders’ Cup in November. The race offers a purse of $500,000 and is for fillies and mares 4 years old and up. The race will be run at 8 1/2 furlongs on the dirt.

This race may end up being the best race on the card. Every single horse on the list of probable entries has shown the ability to be a superstar. The list includes Malathaat and Letruska.

Probable Entries: Clairiere, Letruska, Search Results, Royal Flag, Malathaat, Ce Ce, and Bonny South

The Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (Grade 1)

The Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun is a grade 1 race. The race offers a purse of $400,000 and is for 3 year old horses. The race will be run at 7 furlongs on the dirt.

The Woody Stephens will mark the 2nd race back for the ultra talented Jack Christopher. The Derby hopeful was sidelined with an injury and unable to get enough foundation to make a push for the first Saturday in May. He did look good upon return and this race will mark his second start off the layoff.

Probable Entries: Key Point, Provocateur, Pappacap, Runninsonofagun, Cogburn, Jack Christopher, and Wit

Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan H (Grade 1)

The Hill n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (Grade 1) is a win and you’re in to the Breeders’ Cup in November. The race offers a purse of $1,000,000 and is for horses 3 years old and up. The race will be run at 8 furlongs on the dirt.

For many this has become one of the top races of the calendar. This year appears to have another contentious field with Speaker’s Corner set to face off against Flightline.

• Probable Entries: Informative, Caddo River, Aloha West, Speaker’s Corner, and Flightline

The Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (Grade 1)

The Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets is the marquee event and a grade 1 event. The race offers a purse of $1,500,000 and is for 3 year old horses. The race will be run at 12 furlongs on the dirt.

Undoubtedly, this is the biggest race on the card. There will be no triple crown, but the field, though maybe a bit soft, looks like one of the most wide open we’ve had in recent vintage and should be a good betting race.

Two of the low priced horses will be Mo Donegal and Rich Strike, but their off the pace style may not do much to help them win here.

Probable Entries: Golden Glider, Skippylongstocking, Barber Road, Creative Minister, Nest, We the People, Rich Strike, Mo Donegal

Our previous Belmont Stakes articles including Howling Time who was declared out of the race by Dale Romans.

Betting News Free Handicapping Tools

For more information on racing from all of the Belmont Park action, check out our free handicapping tools.