First Look: Belmont card leads graded-stakes calendar

Belmont Park picks up the torch this weekend with five graded stakes, with Santa Anita and Woodbine each having one graded race on the calendar.

Yibir returns in the Man O'War to face Gufo, who almost won here last year. And We the People looks to return to the win column in the Peter Pan, a traditional prep for the Belmont Stakes.

Here is an early look at the likely fields.

Saturday

Man O’War (G1), Belmont, 1 3/8 miles (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Yibir, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Turf, returns from overseas, where he finished second in the Dubai Sheema (G1) and the Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Newmarket. Gufo looks to avenge a loss by a nose in this race last year. He bounced back from his 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf to win the Pan American (G2) by two lengths over Abaan, also expected here.

Peter Pan (G3), Belmont, 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds

After gaining notice by starting his career with two straight wins this year, We the People looks to return to form after a seventh-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1). Cooke Creek was 4: 2-1-1 before finishing eighth in the Withers (G3). Golden Glider started his career with a debut win in November and an allowance win in January, but has finished no better than fourth in three graded-stakes starts since.

Beaugay (G3), Belmont, 1 1/16 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

After 13 races in France, Rougir came to the U.S. and finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She since has been transferred to Chad Brown. Runaway Rumour is looking for her first victory in six starts since winning a listed stakes at Belmont in July, though she finished second in the Grade 2 Lake Placid and Sands Point, both at this track. Lemista was second by a half-length in last year's edition of the Beaugay.

Runhappy (G3), Belmont, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up

Drafted won the Toboggan (G3) to start the year and was fifth in the Carter (G1) last out. Repo Rocks was second in the Toboggan and third in the Tom Fool (G3) before dropping to allowance company for a win last out. Answer In is looking for his first graded-stakes win. In his only other graded start, he was third in last year's Southwest (G3).

Vagrancy (G3), Belmont, 6 1/2 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Bella Sofia won the Test (G1) and the Gallant Bloom (G2) before finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint last out. Tiz Splendid news would try her first graded stakes after allowance wins at Keeneland and Gulfstream. Miss Brazil won an Aqueduct allowance last month in her first start since finishing fifth in the Victory Ride (G3) in July.

Santa Barbara Stakes (G3), Santa Anita, 1 1/2 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Queen Goddess, winner of the American Oaks (G1) in December, came back to finish fifth in the Bayakoa (G3) before scoring in the Santa Ana (G3). Neige Blanche's third-place finish in the Santa Ana followed wins in the Grade 3 Red Carpet and Astra. Queen of the Temple raced twice in 2020 and once last year before breaking her maiden last out in her second start this year – finishing in the money in all of her starts.

Probables were not available for Sunday's Jacques Cartier (G3) at Woodbine for 4-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the synthetic track.