The only graded stakes winner in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies, Farnsworth Stables' Gozzip Girl, has the edge in the $150,000 Sands Point (gr. IIT) May 30 on the turf at Belmont Park.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009The Ruffian Equine Medical Center, located across the street from the backstretch at Belmont Park, opened its doors May 26 under the direction of Dr. James Hunt and Dr. Patricia Hogan.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Chocolate Candy, fifth in the Derby, breezed seven furlongs at Belmont Park in 1:27.34 with exercise rider Lindsey Molina aboard as he continued prepping for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 6. Chocolate Candy, who will enjoy the services of jockey Garrett Gomez in the Belmont, was caught in splits of 24.63, 48.87 and 1:14.02 shortly before 6 a.m.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Odds-on favorite Criticism notched her fourth graded stakes victory in a little more than six months, taking a short field of fillies and mares wire-to-wire in the $150,000 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT) May 23 on the Belmont Park turf.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Belmont Stakes contenders Summer Bird, sixth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), and Charitable Man, winner of the Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) earlier this month, are both scheduled to breeze May 23 on the main track at Belmont Park in preparation for the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 6.
Friday, May 22, 2009Shadwell Farm, sponsor of the Memorial Day feature race at Belmont Park May 25, the Shadwell Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), will again sponsor the "Best Turned Out Horse" Award. An award of $500 will be presented to the groom of the best turned out horse participating in the Met Mile.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Game Face and Any Limit have developed a nice little rivalry, and the two foes will meet for the fourth time this year when they do battle in the $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap (gr. II) on May 24 at Belmont Park.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Robert V. LaPenta's Brave Victory and Miner's Escape breezed a half-mile in company on the main track at Belmont Park May 21 as they prepped for a start in the $1 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 6.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Paul Pompa Jr.'s multiple graded stakes winner Backseat Rhythm will try to bounce back from a troubled fifth-place effort in last month's Jenny Wiley (gr. IIT), as she takes on seven fillies and mares in the $150,000 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT) May 23 on the Belmont Park turf.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
As officials in Maryland work to achieve full accreditation for Pimlico Race Course through the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance, the New York Racing Association is anticipating alliance approval for Belmont Park before the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Trainer Todd Pletcher said May 9 that Susan Magnier's Dunkirk, 11th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is under consideration for the $1 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 6.
Saturday, May 09, 2009A welcome and familiar face will headline the Belmont Stakes Day entertainment lineup when singer Linda Eder returns to Belmont Park to sing "New York, New York" as the field for the 141st Belmont Stakes (gr. I) makes its way to the starting gate June 6.
Friday, May 08, 2009
The lone graded stakes winner in the field, Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren's Charitable Man will continue on his comeback trail when lining up for the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) May 9 at Belmont Park.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Edward Evans' Quality Road, one of the favorites for next Saturday's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has developed another quarter-crack, this one on the inside of his right-front hoof, putting his status for the Run for the Roses in question.
Friday, April 24, 2009
The accreditation of Churchill Downs by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance is being called a major accomplishment by the officials involved, but they also acknowledge it's just the beginning. Safety and integrity standards will change, and compliance will be reviewed at least every two years.
Thursday, April 09, 2009The Daily Racing Form, together with the New York Racing Association, invites family, horsemen, media, and friends to remember and celebrate the life of turf writer Joe Hirsch during Belmont Stakes Week. The tribute service will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. June 5 at Belmont Park in the North Shore Terrace (4th floor Clubhouse level).
Wednesday, March 11, 2009A suspect allegedly involved with stealing equipment from the barns of Belmont Park-based trainers Bruce Levine and Linda Rice during the weekend of Feb. 28 was arrested by Nassau County Police on March 2.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
A New York state government panel said Belmont Park can support a sprawling casino, hotel, retail, and housing development to bring jobs and money to the state.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Nominations for the 2009 Triple Crown of racing the 135th Kentucky Derby (gr. I), 134th Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and 141st Belmont Stakes (gr. I) are being taken from horsemen with promising for 3-year-olds.
Monday, January 05, 2009
New York Gov. David Paterson is proposing to permit a casino at Belmont racetrack, a move he believes will raise $370 million in a franchise fee payment to the deficit-ridden state.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008The Race Track Chaplaincy's New York division has teamed up with Darley USA, a group of local breeders and owners, and a concerned group of Saratoga residents to bring some Christmas joy to approximately 100 people connected to the backstretch community at Saratoga Race Course.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
The New York Racing Association will raise the purses on 13 grade I races offered at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga in 2009. The hikes are part of the 2009 NYRA stakes schedule, which was approved by NYRA's Board of Directors at a meeting Dec. 3. It now awaits approval from the New York State Racing and Wagering Board.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
The 37-day 2008 Belmont fall meeting, which ended on Oct. 26, produced mixed business results. All-sources handle on NYRA races was $356.3 million, compared with the 2007 figure of $346.5 million, for an increase of 2.8%. Because the 2008 meet included four more days than the 2007 meet, there was actually an 8.3% decline in the equivalent daily average all-sources handle figure.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Sunshine for Life, sent off as the longest shot in a field of seven fillies and mares, took advantage of a soft pace and uncontested lead, going gate-to-wire while pulling off a shocking upset in the $110,300 Athenia Handicap (gr. IIIT) Oct. 11 at Belmont Park.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The nation's financial crisis has stepped up efforts to prod state government in New York to select an operator for the long-stalled video lottery terminal casino at Aqueduct, and launched a renewed effort to bring VLTs to Belmont Park.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
In an awesome-looking performance, Vineyard Haven won the $400,000 Champagne (gr.I) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park. The victory would likely stamp him as an early favorite for the $2-million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr.I) Oct. 25, if he was being pointed to the Oct. 25 race at Santa Anita.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Vineyard Haven, Cribnote, Munnings and Break Water Edison, the top four finishers, respectively, in the Hopeful Stakes (gr.I) last month at Saratoga, meet again in the $400,000 Champagne Stakes (gr.I) at Belmont Park Oct. 4.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti, who has established himself as one of the top 3-year-old turf runners in the nation this year, looks to return to his winning ways when he takes on six sophomores in the $250,000 Jamaica Handicap (gr. IIT) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Trainer Tom Albertrani is looking forward to taking big steps with Gemswick Park and Royal Ballade in the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (gr.I) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park. Gemswick Park, owned and bred by Eugene Melnyk, and the Darley-owned Royal Ballade, are coming off open-length maiden wins at Belmont Sept. 14. Both fillies led from gate-to-wire.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Already a graded stakes winner overseas, Godolphin Stable's Tam Lin became a grade II winner on American soil when he wore down Forefathers in upper stretch and sped away to a convincing 4 1/4-length victory Sept. 28 in the $250,000 Kelso Handicap on the Belmont turf.
Sunday, September 28, 2008John Confort and Albert Weiss' Our Golden Dream will try to follow up on her impressive debut when she takes on a full field of 12 juvenile fillies in the $150,000 Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 1 on the Belmont turf.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Jockey John Velazquez reached a major milestone at Belmont Park Sept. 28 with his 4,000th career victory when he guided Rogue Agent to a six-length victory in the muddy first race.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Curlin made racing history by winning the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr.I) at Belmont Park in New York Sept. 27. Curlin's victory, which was worth $450,000, made the colt the richest North American-based Thoroughbred of all-time and the first to vault past the $10-million mark.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Godolphin Stable's Cocoa Beach has raced in her native Chile and in the Middle East, but apparently, she has found a home in New York.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Battling saddlecloth-to-saddlecloth with Fabulous Strike through the final yards, a determined Black Seventeen, the longest shot in the field at 23-1, got a head in front at the wire to take the $400,000 Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I) over a sloppy Belmont Park surface in New York Sept. 27.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Marc Keller's Grand Couturier scored his second consecutive grade I win, coming from off the pace to post a resounding victory in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (gr. IT) Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Dynaforce repelled a challenge from heavily favored Mauralakana at the top of the stretch to power away to a four-length victory in the $588,000 Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT) at Belmont Park Sept. 27.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Jess Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, are donating $100,000 from "Jackson Curlin for Kids" to Anna House, the on-track daycare center for children of backstretch workers at Belmont Park.
Friday, September 26, 2008
The soft turf course at Belmont Park could give Barry Schwartz's gelding an edge in the one-mile event Sept. 28.
Friday, September 26, 2008
With Belmont Park hit with 1 1/2 inches of rain overnight and the prediction that two more inches, accompanied by high winds, are on the way, the New York Racing Association has canceled live racing for Friday, Sept. 26.
Friday, September 26, 2008
After battling dual-classic winner Big Brown down the stretch in the Sept. 13 Monmouth Stakes only to fall a neck short, Gary Tanaka's Proudinsky will try to get back to his winning ways when he takes on eight turfers in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A star-studded cast of seven talented sprinters led by grade I winners Fabulous Strike and First Defence will do battle in the $400,000 Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.
Thursday, September 25, 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
All eyes will be on reigning Horse of the Year Curlin as he takes aim at Cigar's all-time earnings record in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I) Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Curlin t-shirts will be on sale Sept. 27 at Belmont Park when the reigning Horse of the Year attempts to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup(gr. I) and become the first American horse to surpss $10 million in earnings.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Horse of the Year Curlin had a "perfect" workout Sept. 22 in his final move before attempting to become the first American racehorse to break the $10-million mark in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I) at Belmont Park Sept. 27.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin's plans changed for two of his graded stakes-winning sprinters, Abraaj and Lucky Island, when the former suffered a slight setback that will force him to miss the $400,000 Vosburgh (gr. I) at Belmont Park Sept. 27.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Hal and Patti Earnhardt's homebred Indian Blessing, who was scratched from the 1 1/16-mile Ruffian Handicap (gr. I) two weeks ago, returns to the racetrack as a sprinter and faces older horses for the first time. Last year's champion juvenile filly will try for her fifth graded stakes victory of the season Sept. 20 when she takes on a short but talented field in the $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Good Night Shirt's journey to a second Eclipse Award resumes Sept. 21 at Belmont Park when he goes out to defend his title in the $150,000 Lonesome Glory Steeplechase (NSA-I). The son of Concern won the inaugural running of the 2 1/2-mile stakes in 2007 en route to year-end honors and returns from his customary summer vacation as the horse to beat.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Doremifasollatido saved ground early, moved into contention while splitting horses at the top of the stretch and pulled away for a two-length victory in the $250,000 Matron (gr. II) Sept. 13 on the Belmont dirt.
Saturday, September 13, 2008