Several trainers from the Oct. 3 races at Belmont indicated which way they were leaning for next month's Breeders' Cup.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Music Note, as expected, swept to victory with jockey Rajiv Maragh in the $600,000 Beldame (gr. I), the first of five grade I stakes at Belmont Park Oct. 3.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
There was a time not too long ago that a meeting among the nation's best fillies and mares in the $600,000 Beldame (gr. I) was a distinct possibility. But with Rachel Alexandra on the sideline, Zenyatta staying in California for the Lady's Secret (gr. I), and Icon Project now heading to Keeneland's Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I), the Beldame has lost some of its appeal.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
The Ladies Handicap, scheduled for Dec. 14 at Aqueduct, possesses a colorful history by virtue of its lengthy history and its illustrious group of winners.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Defending older filly and mare champion Ginger Punch will take another step toward defending her honors Sept. 27 when she takes on four rivals in the $600,000 Beldame (gr. I) at Belmont Park.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Unbridled Belle has lived in the shadow of her more illustrious stablemates for most of her career. But when Todd Pletcher trainees Rags to Riches, Indian Vale, Panty Raid, and Octave stepped out of the spotlight, the grade I-winning Broken Vow filly got her chance to shine.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Trainer Bobby Frankel said he isn't thinking about the Breeders' Cup Championships as much as the Sept. 30 Beldame (gr. I) at Belmont Park. The Frankel-trained Ginger Punch, a 4-year-old, will be the favorite in the Beldame, a 1 1/8-mile dirt race for fillies and mares.
Friday, September 28, 2007
The 2007 New York Racing Association stakes schedule highlights the inaugural Breeders' Cup Challenge with Belmont and Saratoga each hosting challenge-day events. The powerhouse race days highlight NYRA's stakes schedule, which features 38 grade I races and nearly $33 million in stakes purses.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Paul Saylor's Fleet Indian gamely held off a late challenge from Balletto for a narrow victory in Saturday's Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park in a key prep for the Nov. 4 Emirates Airlines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Fleet Indian looks to be the likely favorite in the $600,000 Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park Oct. 7. The 5-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie has been a perfect 5-for-5 in 2006 for her new connections.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Todd Pletcher, the nation's reigning champion trainer, worked a number of his horses Sunday in preparation for grade I stakes appearances at Belmont Park Oct. 7.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Nominations have been released for the Oct. 7 program at Belmont Park, the biggest day of the Belmont Fall Championship Meet with five grade I races. The card is highlighted by the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Ashado, last year's champion 3-year-old filly, rebounded nicely from her worst career defeat with a game triumph Saturday in the Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park and will now move on to attempt to win the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I), which she won last year.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Beldame's three-year-old season was marked by a number of wire-to-wire scores, and it didn't matter if the races were short or long, on fast or off tracks, or against males or females. She started the season in the Carter Handicap in April 1904 at Aqueduct and led all the way to beat sixteen rivals, most of them older males, under a feathery 103 pounds.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Saturday's $750,000 Beldame Stakes (gr. I) will be the moment of truth for several fillies looking ahead to the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I). Most importantly, the 1 1/8-mile race should tell us if last year's Distaff winner and 3-year-old filly champ Ashado is heading back in the right direction after her sound defeat in the Personal Ensign (gr. I).
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Juddmonte Farms' Sightseek goes out on top with a win in the Beldame, the seventh grade I victory of her stellar career. Meanwhile, Proud Accolade drew raves for his Champagne victory and Darley has another top filly in Balletto.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Juddmonte Farm's Sightseek ended a spectacular career in a gallop Saturday afternoon, waltzing off to a repeat victory in the $750,000 Beldame (gr. I) for fillies and mares at Belmont Park.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
She's tackled the best of the best in the 3-year-old filly division. Now Society Selection is ready to take on tolder grade I winners Sightseek and Storm Flag Flying in Saturday's $750,000 Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Storm Flag Flying, preparing for a showdown with Sightseek in Saturday's $750,000 Beldame (gr. I) at nine furlongs, worked a half mile over Belmont's main track Sunday morning in :47 3/5, handily.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Juddmonte Farm's' Sightseek romped to her fourth consecutive grade I victory in Saturday's $750,000 Beldame for fillies and mares at Belmont Park, setting the stage for a possible showdown with Azeri in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita.
Saturday, October 04, 2003
Juddmonte Farms' Sightseek, who missed last weekend's Ruffian (gr. I) with a cough, blazed six furlongs in 1:10 3/5 Sunday morning at Belmont Park. It was the fastest work at the distance by more than two seconds.
Sunday, September 21, 2003
The 38-day fall meet at Belmont Park will offer a $10.5 million stakes schedule featuring 14 grade I races, including the $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday, September 27.
Monday, August 25, 2003
Godolphin has won graded stakes four of the last five weekends; Imperial Gesture keeps string alive in Beldame.
Saturday, October 05, 2002
Azeri did her part in winning Wednesday's Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita, and now it's up to Edward P. Evans' Summer Colony to match her or do her one better when she takes on six talented fillies and mares in Saturday's $750,000 Beldame Stakes.
Thursday, October 03, 2002
How the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) shakes out will largely be determined this week when the country's top fillies and mares enter their final preps for the Oct. 26 championships.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002
Trainer Mark Hennig is looking for a productive Breeders' Cup preview weekend when he sends out stable stars Summer Colony and Raging Fever at Belmont Park.
Tuesday, October 01, 2002
Take Charge Lady, runner-up in the Gazelle Handicap (gr. I), provided some off-track excitement Sept. 22 in the distaff division of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
The two major races of the weekend that served as a prelude to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) were supposed to help clear the picture.
Tuesday, October 09, 2001
Gazelle Handicap (gr. I) winner Exogenous survived a stewards' inquiry to earn her second straight grade I victory, winning Saturday's $750,000 Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park. After describing an "S" shape while weaving her way to the wire -- bumping Spain repeatedly in the process – Exogenous completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.20, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Flute.
Saturday, October 06, 2001
John Oxley's Beautiful Pleasure worked six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 Tuesday morning at Keeneland and will likely use the Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park on Oct. 6 as her final prep for the World Thoroughbred Championships.
Wednesday, September 26, 2001
Winning the Beldame in stakes-record time, Riboletta defeated Beautiful Pleasure in a pre-Breeders' Cup showdown between the two top mares from the West Coast and the East Coast.
Saturday, October 14, 2000
Lemon Drop Kid drew post position four and was installed as the 4-5 favorite for the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) Saturday at Belmont Park. Earlier on the card, Riboletta and Beautiful Pleasure will face off in the $750,000 Beldame.
Thursday, October 12, 2000
It looks as if the much-anticipated showdown between Riboletta and Beautiful Pleasure will become a reality in the Beldame Stakes on Oct. 14.
Thursday, September 28, 2000
