Saratoga: Nitrogen, May Day Ready clash in Belmont Oaks
Saratoga's summer season has begun, and Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Belmont Oaks is the centerpiece of the weekend.
A compact field of seven 3-year-old fillies will line up to go the 1 1/8-mile distance on the Saratoga turf course. Topping them all is Nitrogen, undefeated in 2025 for Mark Casse. The Medgalia d'Oro filly has simply run away from her competition at all distances and even off the turf in the slop on Belmont Stakes day. It seems like she should be able to handle this field, but her biggest rival might be one she has already defeated this year.
May Day Ready began her career undefeated in three starts last year before finishing second to Aiden O'Brien's Lake Victoria in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Nitrogen was behind her in third. May Day Ready's connections sent her to test the waters in Japan, where she finished 13th in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1).
After a long layoff, the Tapit filly came back in the Wonder Again (G2), where she finished a wrapped-up third behind Nitrogen in the off-turf conditions. Can she regain her form here? It has been an uphill climb, according to her trainer, Joseph Lee.
The rest of the field includes fillies who have improved with every start, Brad Cox's Fionn, winner of the Regret (G3), and two from Chad Brown's barn, Opulent Restraint and Virgin Colada.
The Belmont Oaks is race 11, post time 6:13 p.m. EDT.
Coverage of Saratoga is on "America's Day at the Races" beginning at 12:30 p.m. EDT on FS1 and at 1:30 p.m. on FS2.
FanDuel TV also offers coverage of Saratoga as part of its daily racing broadcast.
NYRA Bets customers can stream the races for free on the app.
Free past performances for this and more top stakes are provided by Brisnet.
Speed Figures
Here are the top lifetime speed figures of the Belmont Oaks entrants.
| Post | Horse | Beyer* | TFUS* | Brisnet | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warming | 81 | 103 | 85 | 98 |
| 2 | Opulent Restraint | 80 | 107 | 91 | 108 |
| 3 | Totally Justified | 81 | 113 | 92 | 116 |
| 4 | Virgin Colada | 77 | 102 | 90 | 110 |
| 5 | Fionn | 82 | 111 | 92 | 112 |
| 6 | May Day Ready | 83 | 107 | 97 | 122 |
| 7 | Nitrogen | 91 | 114 | 97 | 120 |
*Beyer and TimeformUS speed figures are presented courtesy of Daily Racing Form.
HRN handicappers
If you're betting Saratoga, you need to read this: Which jockeys can make you money.
The turf talent runs deep in the Belmont Oaks, but Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis have settled on one filly to take it all.
HorseCenter features reminiscences of D. Wayne Lukas from Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman, plus plays for the Suburban (G2), also on the Saturday docket.
This week's Ron Flatter Racing Pod takes a trip to Fairmount Park, where Vince Gabbert is working to make the St. Louis-area track the best in Illinois. HBPA president Jim Watkins talks challenges and opportunities that Illinois horsemen and owners face at both Fairmount and Hawthorne. Fairmount track announcer Keith Nelson co-hosts this week's episode. Finally, HRN's Ed DeRosa has plays analysis and tips for Saturday's Saratoga stakes.
Super Screener picks the Belmont Oaks for the biggest upset of the weekend:
"The Super Screener top long-shot pick, May Day Ready, ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf along with Virgin Colada and Nitrogen, and she was the best of that day from among the trio," said Mike Shutty. "With her stout route breeding and balanced energy-distribution profile, (May Day Ready) will move forward with the added distance here. The risk-reward value proposition is highly favorable."
Get your copy of the Super Screener, plus every weekend through the Breeders' Cup, here.