First Look: Belmont Park weekend stakes featuring the Ruffian
While closing day of the abridged Belmont Park Spring/Summer meet signifies the move upstate to Saratoga, there are three stakes races on tap at Belmont this weekend, most notably the Grade 2 Ruffian, featuring 2018 Champion 3 Year Old Filly Monomoy Girl.
Friday's feature at Belmont Park is the Gold Fever, with a field of seven 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track. Tom Amoss-trainee Long Weekend headlines the entries.
Saturday's Ruffian, for older fillies and mares is a one-turn mile on the Belmont main track, and Monomoy Girl looks to be the heavy betting favorite for trainer Brad Cox.
On Sunday, closing day, the River Memories, for older fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles on the turf will be the featured race of the day.
A first look at the fields:
Friday, July 10
$80,000 Gold Fever
The 2020 Gold Fever drew a field of seven, with Long Weekend, winner of four of five career starts the headliner. In his latest effort, he captured the Bachelor at Oaklawn Park in April.
Newstome also comes into the Gold Fever following a stakes win, as he took the Woodstock Stakes north of the border at Woodbine last month. Newstome will be joined by Michael Trombetta stablemate Premier Star, a former Jorge Navarro runner.
Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle stakes winner Listentoyourheart for the Gold Fever.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Star Tapiture | M. Trombetta K. Carmouche |
| Entered | ||||
| Newstome Goldencents | M. Trombetta M. Franco |
| Entered | ||||
| Hopeful Treasure Oxbow | M. Pino R. Silvera |
| Entered | ||||
| Listentoyourheart Afleet Alex | C. Clement J. Alvarado |
| Entered | ||||
| Wondrwherecraigis Munnings | B. Russell J. Lezcano | Entered | |||||
| Long Weekend Majesticperfection | T. Amoss J. Ortiz |
| Entered | ||||
| Liam's Pride Liam's Map | D. O'Neill D. Davis |
| Entered |
Saturday, July 11
Grade 2 $150,000 Ruffian
Monomoy Girl is the big name for probable entries for Saturday's Grade 2 Ruffian, a one-turn mile jaunt for older fillies and mares on the main track. The Champion for Brad Cox won her return to the racetrack after a year and a half absence, taking an allowance optional claiming event at Churchill Downs in May.
This will be her first time facing graded stakes competition since winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November of 2018 at Churchill.
No other probable in this race won last out, and only Jack Sisterson's Vexatious hit the board in her latest outing. She finished third against allowance company at Churchill Downs last month.
The always-dangerous Bob Baffert could have Mother Mother in the Ruffian field.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monomoy Girl Tapizar | B. Cox |
| Possible | ||||
| Vexatious Giant's Causeway | J. Sisterson |
| Probable | ||||
| Bellera Bernardini | T. Pletcher |
| Possible | ||||
| Afleet Destiny Hard Spun | U. Lewis |
| Probable | ||||
| Always Shopping Awesome Again | T. Pletcher |
| Possible | ||||
| Piedi Bianchi Overanalyze | C. Martin |
| Probable | ||||
| Mother Mother Pioneerof the Nile | B. Baffert |
| Possible | ||||
| Overheated Distorted Humor | R. Handal |
| Probable |
Sunday, July 12
$80,000 River Memories
The Sunday feature will be a long turf route for older fillies and mares.
Clement may have both last-out allowance winner Wegetsdamunnys and Olympic Games in the River Memories.
Trainer Shug McGaughey could have 5-year-old War Front mare Civil Union, coming out of an allowance win on the Belmont turf last month primed for Sunday's race.
Stakes-placed Dyna Passer for trainer Tom Albertrani could come off the bench here. She also won an allowance race in her latest effort, at Gulfstream Park in March.