This Saturday at Belmont Park features seven stakes races, all run by New York bred horses. The races are part of a unique day at Belmont, called New York Showcase Day. The main race on the card is the $200,000 McMahon Adena Empire Classic. This 1-1/8 mile stakes race is loaded with talent this year.
Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Together (IRE) was scheduled to return to Ireland on Sunday, a day after her impressive 1 1/4 - length victory in the 28th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1).
Every Saturday this Fall at Belmont Park, we're posting free handicapping picks for the entire day's races. The day will close with their first ever Guaranteed $300,000 Late Pick 4. Get a rebate on your wagers, win or lose, at OffTrackBetting.com.
Keeneland kicks off the "Win and You're In" action with Thursday's grade III, $150,000 JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes, which will offer a guaranteed berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Jessamine is led by Caroline Forgason's SOMALI LEMONADE, who looked sensational winning her career debut at Belmont September 11 for trainer Michael Matz. The 2-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid closed from last to win going away and could go favored.
Saturday's group I, $1.56 million Queen Elizabeth II, sponsored by Quipco, will offer an automatic starting berth into the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile and will be headlined by the undefeated FRANKEL (GB). Juddmonte Farm's 3-year-old homebred son of Galileo (IRE) is perfect in eight starts for trainer Sir Henry Cecil and looms a short-price favorite to annex his fifth career group I. Frankel is 4-for-4 this year, including a trio of group I's, the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in April, the St. James's Palace at Royal Ascot in June and Sussex at Glorious Goodwood in his last start July 27.
With the 28th Breeders' Cup fast approaching at Churchill Downs November 4 and 5, Woodbine Racetrack outside of Toronto is set to host the final three Breeders' Cup Challenge races Sunday over its world class turf course.
The Phillips Racing Partnership's Winter Memories, a spectacular last-to-first winner of the Garden City Stakes(G1) in her most recent start, headlines a field of eight 3-year-old fillies entered Wednesday for Saturday's 28th running of the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.
Tizway, who missed the October 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup with a fever, shipped from his Saratoga barn and worked a mile in 1:38.47 over the Belmont Park main track on Wednesday morning as he continues preparations for a start in the November 5 Breeders' Cup Classic.
Flat Out, the millionaire who dominated rivals in the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup earlier this month, was the first major Breeders' Cup Classic contender to arrive at Churchill Downs when he settled into Barn 47 Tuesday evening following a flight from New York.
It is a great weekend of racing at Keeneland, highlighted by five stakes races on Saturday including the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile featuring Gio Ponti. The 6-year old will try to win the race for the second consecutive year but it won't be easy as the field is perhaps the strongest in the history of the race. This should make the payoffs generous.