Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 New York Stakes will be contested at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York on Saturday, June 28. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will be featured when they take to Belmont Park's turf track and go 1 1/4 miles for a purse of $200,000.
A field of just six will line up in the New York Stakes - race 9 on Belmont Park's Saturday card. Post time is 5:28 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all six entries for this Grade 2 stakes.
Tannery - made her 2014 debut with a good win in the minor Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth Park May 26. She had a respectable third in the Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct to end 2013 after her best career result - a nice win as favorite in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine October 27. Other results last year include a fourth in the minor Owsley Stakes May 1, the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay score, a good second behind Laughing in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park September 28, an OK fourth against males in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer and a colossal letdown - an eighth last year's New York Stakes June 29. She has participated in some huge races against the boys in the past and has fared well. Tannery has 21 career starts with seven wins, four seconds and two third place finishes, and, off a win - has to be one of the favorites. She leaves from the rail with Javier Castellano aboard.
Riposte - British bred filly made her North American debut in February and finished a good second in the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream February 8 and has since raced to a respectable third in the Grade 3 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay and a second as 8-5 choice in an Allowance at Keeneland April 11. Last time out was a career defining win in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Stakes on this track May 24 in wire-to-wire fashion. Riposte has placed in all four of her North American starts and is also off a win last time out - there has to be a lot of confidence heading into the weekend. Joel Rosario will be in the saddle from gate 2.
Inimitable Romanee - H Graham Motion trained mare had seven starts last year with two seconds and three third place finishes before an nice win in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct November 9. She continued the good results starting this year with another win in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream February 17. Inimitable Romanee raced to a seventh in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes March 29 but bounced back with a win in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland April 24. She has won three of her last four starts (all graded stakes) with an uncharacteristic poor result sandwiched in there but he looks to be in decent form ahead of this weekend. Alan Garcia gets the call from post 3.
New York Stakes betting online at Belmont Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Viva Rafaela - Brazilian bred Todd Pletcher trained mare had two wins and a second in six starts at home before shipping to North America. She recorded her first win in three starts state-side in an Allowance Optional Claiming November 11 after an eighth and a fourth respectively in similar races at Saratoga. She was a disappointing eighth in the Grade 3 Marshua's River Stakes January 4 but has looked better in three grade stakes starts since - a third in the Grade 1 The Very One Stakes in February was followed by a good second in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream March 29. Last time out she stumbled to a fifth in the Grade 1 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland April 24. Viva Rafaela is still looking for her first graded stakes score in North America with Joe Bravo will be in the saddle Thursday from post 4.
Scampering - Shug McGaughey trained mare races in graded stakes company for just the third time Saturday - the first resulted in a seventh in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland last April and the second was a fourth - two back in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes in this track May 3. She enters off a second here in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 21 but hasn't won since April, 2013. She has 14 career starts with three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes and leaves from gate 5 with John Velazquez aboard.
Gathering - started her career in Europe with mixed results. She has placed in her last two starts overall - a second and a third respectively in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races on this track. Her last graded stakes action came last April - a ninth in the Bewitch Stakes. She was scheduled to have Irad Ortiz guiding her but Ortiz was injured in a race Wednesday. Gathering is a longshot indeed starting from the outside post with an unknown jockey!
Race 9 on Belmont Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:28 PM.