Happy Belmont Day!

Magnificent day of racing with six Grade 1 stakes races led by the Belmont. Only the Breeders’ Cup cards offer more Grade 1s. Oh, and pack a lunch – and maybe a dinner. First post is at 11am and the last post is at 8:02pm.

Trivia question: Who won the other two editions of the Belmont Stakes contested at Saratoga?

Race 12 – The Manhattan – Grade I

One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Mellon Turf for Four Year Olds and Up

1. Tiz Dashing: Didn’t fire in the Makers Mark Mile as he was in position but faded (91 Beyer). Two back in the Canadian Turf he sat off a hot pace and then drew off in the lane at 11-1 (96 Beyer). He’s basically a miler who is stretching out. Passing.
2. Test Score: Last out in the Turf Classic at Churchill he faded after being three, then four wide after coming from an outside post (78 Beyer). Two back he won the Pegasus Turf where he had a nice burst in the final sixteenth (97 Beyer). Not fast enough.
3. Make Me King: Came to the U.S. off a fourth in the Dubai Turf and made his first start at Churchill in the Turf Classic where he was wide early and then found an inside lane and was best of the rest as Rhetorical ran away with it (101 Beyer). Gets a slice.
4. Integration: Was narrowly defeated in this race last year. Hasn’t been quite the same horse this year but did win an N2X race last out (92 Beyer). He’ll be running late. Lasix OFF. Meh.
5. Deterministic: Defending champion of this race has won eight of fourteen career starts and most recently was victorious in the Ft. Marcy running off a nine month layoff. In the Ft. Marcy he went right to the front and took them all the way (100 Beyer) at 3/5. Last year he won this race (100 Beyer) and the Fourstardave (101 Beyer) over this track. Likes to set the pace. Using.
6. Bright Picture: Andre Fabre trainee comes stateside with this gelding who has won both a Group 2 and Group 3 stakes this year in France. In the Grade I Prix de Ganay in April he was a clear second behind 2025 Arc de Triomphe winner Danyz. Appears to be handy enough to handle the tighter American turf courses. Likes to stalk and he’ll have pace setters in front of him to target. Prat in the saddle. The Pick.
7. Rhetorical: In the Turf Classic at Churchill he went wire to wire (107 Beyer). Started his 2026 campaign in the Markers Mark Mile where he couldn’t catch Zulu Kingdom (96 Beyer). If he runs back to his Turf Classic he’s a serious contender. I assume they will stick with front running tactics that worked so well last time, but he’ll have company today. He’ll be too short for me off that win. Use underneath.
8. One Stripe: Has not won a graded stakes since coming from South Africa but he just missed in the Pegasus Turf (96 Beyer) and was a good second in the Makers Mark Mile (97 Beyer). Regular South African jockey Gavin Lerena comes to the U.S. for the mount. Does he want this much ground? Lean against.
9. Battle of Normandy: Has hit the board in all three starts this year but hasn’t gotten top prize for Shug. Last out in the Ft. Marcy he had a nice stalking trip on the rail but couldn’t run down Deterministic who took the field the whole way (98 Beyer). Similar trip in the Canadian Turf where he finished second in a wall of horses (89 Beyer). Passing.

Picks  6-5-3-7

Race 13 – The Belmont Stakes – Grade I

One Mile and a Quarter on the Dirt for Three Year Olds

1. Vitruvian Man: Longshot ships in from SoCal where we last saw him finish a distant third in the Santa Anita Derby after a rail skimming trip (86 Beyer). You’ll get a price.
2. Powershift: Is this colt a rabbit to set it up for Renegade? Broke his maiden last out with a pace pressing trip (95 Beyer). Might be lone speed. Can he get a mile and quarter off that maiden win? He’ll give you a thrill on the front end.
3. Chief Wallabee: In the Derby he did not have the cleanest trip as he was contacted multiple times by rivals. But he finished a solid fourth (91 Beyer) after being fairly close to that hot pace. In the Florida Derby he had a pocket trip but couldn’t but Commandment ran him (and The Puma) down (99 Beyer). He’s talented but hasn’t been finishing off his races. Hits the board.
4. Renegade: Went off as the second choice in the Kentucky Derby and ran to his odds as he came from well off the hot pace to battle Golden Tempo to the wire as he just missed (95 Beyer). Two back in the Arkansas Derby he won by open lengths (98 Beyer). He’ll be a short price and will be coming from the clouds. The track has not been favoring deep closers. Gets a slice.
5. Ottinho: Was “best of the rest” in the Blue Grass (89 Beyer) as no one was catching Further Ado that day. Two back he finished a distant third in the Withers (65 Beyer). Passing.
6. Growth Equity: Broke his maiden for Chad/Klaravich and then went in the Peter Pan Stakes where he stalked and move in front at the quarter pole held off a challenger (93 Beyer). Not sure he beat much there – but it was a professional performance. Show me.
7. Commandment: In the Derby he ran on evenly finishing seventh (88 Beyer) as he was too far and back early and made a significant middle move which left him without his closing pop. Swept the Gulfstream preps including out finishing Chief Wallabee in the Fountain of Youth (101 Beyer) and narrowly besting The Puma in Florida Derby (101 Beyer). Should be closer today and we trust that Johnny V will position him better . The Pick.
8. Emerging Market: Won the Louisiana Derby where he got by Pavlovian late (90 Beyer) in only his second career start. Then in the Derby he was a bit flat in the final sixteenth – as were most of the horses near that strong early pace (85 Beyer) and finished 10th. Look for a pace pressing trip from this post. Could contend.

9. Golden Tempo: Derby winner got the right setup at Churchill as he was at the back of the field and came with a long sustained run to pass them all as the race completely fell apart (95 Beyer). Ran in all three of the Fair Grounds Derby preps, winning the Lecomte and hitting the board in both the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby (88 Beyer). Will come from the back again. Deep closers have not fared well during this short meet. Underlay off the Derby win. Passing.

Picks 7-3-8-4

Trivia Answer: In the 2024 Belmont Stakes Dornach defeated Mindframe by a half-length and in 2025 Sovereignty bested Journalism in a matchup of the Derby and Preakness winners.