Belmont Stakes Recap: Stars Take Flight in New York

The Belmont Stakes weekend was a highly anticipated 3 days of racing. The stakes races lived up to their billing.

Belmont Park Thursday Stakes Races

The Wonder Again Stakes (Grade 2 Turf)

The Wonder Again Stakes kicked off the graded stakes action. The race kicked off a big weekend on the grass for Chad Brown. In the race Consumer Spending was able to get the job done earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 88. The winner paid $2.90 to win, $2.30 to place, and $2.10 to show.

Brown teaming up with Manny Franco would be a combination that proved fruitful later in the weekend as well.

The Astoria Stakes

The Astoria Stakes was the 2nd consecutive race that saw a heavy favorite in the winner’s circle. Devious Dame was ridden to victory by Joel Rosario. Devious Dame is trained by Norm Casse and earned a winning Beyer Speed Figure 69.

The horse paid $2.90 to win, $2.20 to pace, and $2.10 to show.

The Tremont Stakes

The final stakes race of the Thursday card was the Tremont Stakes. Although not the favorite Two Of A Kind went off at 2-1 taking just slightly less money than the Wesley Ward trainee No Nay Hudson (Ire).

Two Of A Kind earned a winning Beyer Speed Figure of 76 and paid $6.50 to win, $4.00 to place, and $2.60 to show.

Belmont Park Friday Stakes Races

The Bed o' Roses Stakes (Grade 2)

The Bed o’ Roses Stakes was a short field, but looked to have some real superstars in it. In the end it was Luis Saez aboard Bella Sofia that found the wire first. The winning Beyer Speed Figure was 100.

Bell Sofia paid $3.50 to win and $2.30 to place. Show wagers were not offered due to the short field.

The Belmont Gold Cup (Grade 2 Turf)

The Belmont Gold Cup was an impressive performance turned in by an overseas shipper. Loft (Ger) was sent over from Germany and looked much the best in the stateside debut. The 2 mile turf marathon winner was given a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

Loft (Ger) paid $7.40 to win, $4.40 to place, and $3.00 to show.

The True North Stakes (Grade 2)

The True North Stakes appeared to go through Jackie’s Warrior. The star got a rich pay day for a public workout. The Steve Asmussen trainee put in what would be the most impressive performance of the weekend up to this point (although more fireworks were yet to come).

Jackie’s Warrior paid $2.50 to win, $2.20 to place, and $2.10 to show. The horse earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure, but what is most impressive in the race replay is how little of his effort comes from jockey urging. The horse did all the running on his own.

The New York Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The New York Stakes appeared to be the Chad Brown show. He had 4 runners in the race who all appeared to have a good shot at winning. Rougir was fancied by the betting public and went off at 3-5, but it was Bleecker Street that prevailed for the Brown barn. The horse was 5-2 at post and closed impressively into a pace that largely held together on the front end.

The winning Beyer Speed Figure came back as a 96 and the horse paid $7.70 to win, $4.00 to place, and $3.50 to show.

The Intercontinental Stakes (Grade 3 Turf)

The Intercontinental Stakes was won by Caravel with a wining Beyer of 90. The winning rider employed a tactic that can often be dangerous is the plodding pace of New York turf races. Tyler Gaffalione took Caravel out to an easy lead early and left the others too much work to do in the late stages.

The winner paid $7.90 to win, $5.10 to place, and $4.50 to show.

Belmont Park Saturday Stakes Races

The Acorn Stakes (Grade 1)

The Acorn Stakes looked like a real heavyweight battle between Matareya and 2 year old champion Echo Zulu looking to return after her first career defeat in the Kentucky Oaks.

Unfortunately, the public never got to see the matchup as the track veterinarian scratched Echo Zulu as the horses arrived at the gate. Matareya quickly attracted heavy favoritism and ran to expectation.

The horse paid $2.60 to win, and $2.10 to place.

The Longines Just a Game Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The Longines Just a Game Stakes was another big race for the always dangerous Chad Brown. Regal Glory returned to glory beating out Wakanaka (Ire) and stablemate In Italian (GB) to take the purse.

The winning mutuels were $4.80 to win, $2.90 to place, and $2.60 to show.

The Brooklyn Stakes (Grade 2)

The Brooklyn Stakes marked the first stakes victory of the weekend for Todd Pletcher. The hall of famer had plenty of other success on the horizon, but it was Fearless in the Brooklyn to pop the cork on a big Saturday for the trainer.

The horse paid $9.30 to win, $4.50 to place, and $2.80 to show.

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

The Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun was the return of the ultra talented Jack Christopher and the Chad Brown runner showed the world the talent that have led some to argue he’s the best 3 year old in the country.

Much like Jackie’s Warrior on Friday, Jack Christopher left no doubt and had a jockey aboard for show only. The horse carried the rider effortlessly to a crushing victory. The Beyer for the race came back a 107 and the winning mutuels were $2.70, $2.40, and $2.10.

The Ogden Phipps Stakes (Grade 1)

The Ogden Phipps Stakes had a heavy favorite in Letruska who looked dangerous as rail speed. Unfortunately, superwoman found her kryptonite. Search Results put pressure on her early and completely took her out of her game. By the time the horses turned for home she had absolutely nothing in the tank and dropped out the back.

Throughout the stretch it was Clairiere outdueling Malathaat to the wire. The winning Beyer was a 106 and the mutuels were $11.60 to win, $4.20 to place, and $3.30 to show.

The Jaipur Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The Jaipur Stakes saw a title defense as Luis Saez piloted last year’s champion to a ground saving victory. The champ passed race favorite Arrest Me Red in the final jumps for the victory in a tightly contested race.

The winning Beyer was a 102. The winner paid $10.40 to win, $5.20 to place, and $4.20 to show.

Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H (Grade 1)

On paper the Hill n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap looked like a two horse race. Speakers Corner and Flightline were set to throw down in an east coast west coast showdown. That all appeared to be over when Flightline, the heavy favorite missed the break and Speakers Corner got to an early lead.

That setup only made what happened next even more impressive. Flightline rushed up and had to check, eventually he flopped outside and at the far turn took his shot at Speakers Corner. The only way to describe the next 10 strides of the race is that Flightline broke Speakers Corner’s will to run. He blew the doors off him and finished an easy winner.

The winning mutuels were $2.90 to win, $2.80 to place, and $2.10 to show. The winning Beyer was a weekend best 112.

The Manhattan Stakes (Grade 1 Turf)

The Manhattan Stakes saw a repeat of a the early speed being dangerous on the New York turf. In this spot it was the other other other Chad Brown that got the job done. Manny Franco took Tribhuvan (Fr) out to an early stroll and opened up by several lengths.

When the running began in the late stages no one could catch the pace setter. The winner earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure. He paid $40.20 to win, $16 to place, and $8 to show.

The Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (Grade 1)

There was no Triple Crown on the line in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets. That didn’t stop the class of the field from getting the job done. The return of Cinderella story Rich Strike was a disappointing one as he never menaced in the race.

Instead it was a duo of Todd Pletcher runners running 1-2. Mo Donegal got the victory while the filly Nest ran 2nd.

Mo Donegal received a weak Beyer of 98 which seems to fit the feel of the strength of this field. He paid $7.20 to win, $3.80 to place, and $3 to show.

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