What to watch for: Outlining Belmont Stakes undercard fields
Saturday's slate of races at Belmont Park is everything we could ask for in a non-Triple Crown year. Sure, there's plenty to anticipate in the main event, the Belmont Stakes, with Tacitus facing off against War of Will. But it's that combined with what leads up to the feature that makes it a special afternoon.
In mini-Breeders' Cup fashion, seven more Grade 1 races highlight the card, with probables according to the New York Racing Association outlined here ahead of entries being taken Tuesday.
For 3-year-old fillies at a mile, it's Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress' chance to affirm her dominance over this crop, and the cutback should only help the speedy Tom Amoss trainee. It's worth noting her Oaks jockey, Jose Ortiz, hops off to ride up-and-coming Chad Brown runner Guarana.
Other intriguing challengers are Fancy Dress Party, who's 4-for-4 and a last out graded stakes winner at Keeneland; Cookie Dough, another with speed who has transferred to Kiaran McLaughlin's barn; and Ce Ce, who ships in from Michael McCarthy, who's bringing Victor Espinoza back to Belmont to ride.
This turf sprint runs through the ultra reliable World of Trouble, who has won on multiple surfaces this season and toyed with his rivals last time on Kentucky Derby weekend. Similar to Stormy Liberal in 2018, he could make an Eclipse Award case, especially with another victory here.
Challengers include Belvoir Bay, Peter Miller's mare who was second in Dubai's Al Quoz Sprint (G1); Disco Partner, who has won this race in consecutive seasons; and Bound for Nowhere, the well-known Wesley Ward trainee who scratched on Preakness weekend looking for firmer footing.
The feature for older turf fillies and mares features a big-name Chad Brown runner in Rushing Fall, who won Keeneland’s Jenny Wiley (G1) last time. But Brown isn’t an overwhelming force in this stop along a division he dominates.
Watch for Beau Recall on the step up for trainer Brad Cox, while Daddy Is a Legend, Got Stormy and Thewayiam are all well-known runners. The “other” Brown, Environs, may fare better in her third U.S. start if she can get out of the gate faster.
Will Bricks and Mortar keep the roll going? The Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) hero is 3-for-3 this season, with the Manhattan at 1 1/4 miles asking him to go just a bit farther this time. Given how he closed to win Churchill Downs’ Turf Classic (G1) last out, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Brown trains the turf star, while he’s also expected to saddle Arlington Million (G1) winner Robert Bruce and Raging Bull, who also won at the highest level last season. The biggest horse outside Brown’s barn is Channel Maker, who just won over this course last month in the Man o’ War (G1).
Here’s the main event. Names like Thunder Snow and McKinzie will shorten up in the Met Mile, while sprinters Mitole and Promises Fulfilled will stretch out. The distance hits right on the nose of where Coal Front and Firenze Fire want to go.
They’re saying this could be the race of the weekend — even more anticipated than the Belmont Stakes itself — with the Grade 1 winner Pavel and Candygram, a recent Belmont allowance winner, perhaps joining the fray.
With another victory here, Midnight Bisou would be tough to catch in the Eclipse Award race for top older female. The last out Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) winner will rematch with Escape Clause, who she narrowly beat in April at Oaklawn Park.
Come Dancing is an unknown of sorts. She owns a 114 Beyer Speed Figure — the best number of the year — and now takes on the best of the division. Spiced Perfection and Electric Forest are both graded winners this year as well.
The field doesn’t figure to be large, but there’s quality in a group of 3-year-old sprinters led by Mind Control, a Grade 1 winner who’s 2-for-3 this season as connections have left him around one turn. The Haskell (G1) could be ahead later this summer. First, he’ll make one more New York start.
Two big West Coast barns could be represented with Bob Baffert campaigning Much Better across the country. Meanwhile, Jerry Hollendorfer has also set up shop in New York, and he could bring back Rowayton. Lexitonian and Wendell Fong are both last out stakes winners among the probables.