The New York Racing Association’s Belmont Racing Festival gets underway Thursday June 9, and concludes Saturday, June 11 with the Belmont Stakes.
Over the three days there will 17 stakes races and a whopping eight Grade 1 races on Saturday, including the Belmont Stakes.
Ontario Bred horses will be featured on all three race days.
THURSDAY, JUNE 9
ARTEMUS CITYLIMITS – TEMPLE CITY – DENE COURT, BY CITY ZIP
Breeder: Gunpowder Farms, LLC
Race 1: Allowance Option Claiming $62,500 (Seven Furlongs – Turf)
Owners: Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher and Michael Dubb
Trainer: Michael J Maker
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
The five-year-old gelding has three runner-up finishes in 2022 at the allowance level. He is stakes placed, finishing third in the Greenwood Stakes pres. by Stella Artois at Woodbine in August of 2020.
STAYHONOR GOODSIDE – HONOR CODE – NICKI KNEW, BY TETHRA
Breeder: Stan Dodson
Race 8: $150,000 Tremont (Five-and-One-Half Furlongs)
Owner: D. J. Stable LLC
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Jockey: Dylan Davis
The Mark Casse trainee broke his maiden at Woodbine on May 21, leading from start to finish in a four-and-one-half furlong sprint for juveniles over the Tapeta, earning an Equibase speed figure of 88.
Stayhonor Goodside breaks his maiden on May 21, 2022 at Woodbine Racetrack
FRIDAY, JUNE 10
BRITISH ROYALTY – ENGLISH CHANNEL – QUEEN MARTHA, BY RAHY
Breeder: Richard L. Lister
Race 8: $400,000 Gr. 2 Belmont Gold Cup (Two Mile – Turf)
Owners: Bruce Lunsford and Barbara J. Minshall
Trainer: Barbara J. Minshall
Jockey: Joel Rosario
The four-year-old gelding won the Breeders’ Stakes last October at Woodbine over a distance of 1 and 1/2 miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf course. He was second in his return from a layoff last time out in an allowance at Keeneland, where he posted a career best Equibase speed figure of 97.
BOX N SCORE – LEMON DROP KID – GAME (FR), BY MONTJEU (IRE)
Breeder: Sean Fitzhenry
Race 8: $400,000 Gr. 2 Belmont Gold Cup (Two Mile – Turf)
Owner: Robert V. LaPenta
Trainer: Johnathan Thomas
Jockey: Manuel Franco
The six-year-old gelding is making his stakes debut. He was fourth last time out in an allowance at Belmont Park and posted a 1-1-0 record last season in three races at the allowance level. His win came in a 1 and 3/8-mile engagement at Saratoga.
SATURDAY JUNE, 11
CHANNEL MAKER – ENGLISH CHANNEL – IN RETURN, BY HORSE CHESTNUT (SAF)
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm
Race 10: $750,000 Gr. 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan (1 and 1/4 mile – Turf)
Owners: Wachtel Stable, Gary R. A. Barber, Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing
Trainer: William I. Mott
Jockey: Luis Saez
The eight-year-old gelding is a five-time participant in the Longines Breeders’ Cup turf, with his best result coming at Keeneland in 2020, when he finished third, after leading heading into the stretch. He won his last time out in the Gr. 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland where he set a stakes record of 2:27.10 in the 1 and ½ mile race. He competed in this race in 2019, and 2020, finishing fourth on both occasions.
