The opening day program of the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival June 4 at Saratoga Race Course will feature six New York-bred stakes to celebrate the best of racing in the Empire State for New York Showcase Day.
Wednesday’s card kicks off with the $150,000 Beverly R. Steinman Hurdle Handicap (NSA-1) for open older horses at 2 3/8 miles over hurdles before the New York-bred program begins with six state-bred stakes worth $200,000 each. First post on Wednesday’s 10-race card is 12:40 p.m. Eastern with admission gates open to the public at 11 a.m.
"It's a tremendous opportunity to kick off this year's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival with a New York Showcase Day card to highlight the quality of competitive racehorses produced in the Empire State when the racing world and media will be focused on Saratoga," said New York Thoroughbred Breeders executive director Najja Thompson. "New York-breds compete and win at every level around the world. Featuring a card with six state-bred stakes races and lucrative purses at a historic venue such as Saratoga Race Course shows why it pays to breed and race in New York."
The state-bred stakes action kicks off in race 2 with the Mike Lee Stakes as R and H Stable’s grade 3 winner Mo Plex tops a competitive field in the seven-furlong sprint for sophomores.
Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, the son of Complexity enters from a determined head victory in the open-company Bay Shore Stakes going this distance April 19 at Aqueduct Racetrack. There, he dueled throughout with Faster Gator through splits of :23.09, :45.55, and 1:09.40 over the fast footing. Mo Plex stuck his head in front at the stretch call, and prevailed by that margin in a final time of 1:21.96.
Mo Plex faces a formidable opponent in the streaking Prince Valiant for owner Red Oak Stable and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The King for a Day colt, bred by Sugar Maple Farm, enters off three consecutive wins, topped by a 3 1/2-length romp last out in the New York Stallion Stakes Series Times Square division sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs April 13 at Aqueduct.
Commentator Stakes
The Commentator Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile route for 3-year-olds and up, will see Drake's Passage look to defend his title in this event as the first New York Racing Association stakes starter for trainer Miguel Clement following the recent passing of his father Christophe Clement.
The Robert S. Evans homebred, a son of the Christophe Clement-trained 2014 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tonalist , wired this event last year, drawing away by four lengths under a hand ride to mark his second stakes score at the Spa following a 7 3/4-length romp in the 1 1/8-mile state-bred Albany Stakes in August 2023.
He will be challenged by reigning NYTB champion older dirt male Bank Frenzy, who won four straight races over the winter at Aqueduct Racetrack, including three stakes scores. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez for LSU Stables, the 5-year-old Central Banker gelding, bred by Chester and Mary Broman, finished fourth last out in the Westchester Stakes (G3) May 4 at the Big A.
Bouwerie Stakes
NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Electric City Racing, and Sportsmen Stable’s Kay Cup makes her stakes debut in the Bouwerie Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies.
The Instagrand dark bay or brown filly made a successful return from a nearly eight-month layoff to graduate at second asking in an April 27 state-bred maiden special weight sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at the Big A. There, she pressed the pace and kicked clear in the turn to lead by 3 1/2 lengths at the stretch call, widening her margin to 4 1/4 lengths at the wire in a final time of 1:17.76.
Steep opposition will be provided by Robert Rosenthal and Bradford Bernstein’s multiple stakes-winning homebred Bernieandtherose, who enters on a four-race win streak that includes two state-bred stakes triumphs for trainer Domenick Schettino.
Kingston Stakes
Sanford J. Goldfarb’s grade 3-placed Hush of a Storm looks for a 10th overall win in the Kingston Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile Mellon turf test for older horses. Trained by dual Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, the 7-year-old Creative Cause gelding has made three starts this year, closing for second in the Dust Commander Stakes and third in the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3), both over the Turfway Park synthetic.
Hilly Fields Stable’s homebred Itsallcomintogetha looks to put it all together in his second start of 2025 following a neck defeat in a one-mile allowance optional claimer in March at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Phil Serpe, the 5-year-old Weekend Hideaway horse upset the 2023 NYSSS Cab Calloway division here and was also third in the state-bred Hudson Valley Stakes in July at Belmont at the Big A.
Critical Eye Stakes
Mark T. Anderson’s six-time graded stakes-placed Sterling Silver headlines the Critical Eye Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 6-year-old Cupid mare, bred by Mallory Mort and Karen Mort, has banked $1,046,051 via a 9-6-5 ledger from 30 starts and will look to improve on a runner-up effort in this event in 2023 at Belmont Park. Sterling Silver has made a pair of one-turn mile starts this year at the Big A, taking the state-bred Biogio’s Rose Stakes in April over a muddy and sealed track and a second to Jody's Pride May 10 in the Ruffian Stakes (G2).
A talented group includes Rosenthal and Bernstein’s homebred Bernietakescharge, who captured the Heavenly Prize Invitational Stakes against open company two starts back Feb. 22 at the Big A for trainer Schettino.
Mount Vernon Stakes
Trainer Horacio De Paz sends Awesome Czech and Can't Fool Me for the Mount Vernon Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for older fillies and mares.
Barry K. Schwartz, who was recently honored with an NYTB Lifetime Achievement Award, will be represented by homebred Awesome Czech, who was a closing neck runner-up to Scarlet Poppy last out in a one-mile allowance optional claimer May 3 at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old Mendelssohn bay was making her seasonal debut off a four-month layoff, following a past campaign that included a 2 3/4-length victory in the local state-bred Suzie O’Cain Stakes in August.
Roger Cimbora Jr.’s homebred Can’t Fool Me has made one stakes attempt, landing third in the 1 1/8-mile state-bred John Hettinger Stakes in September at the Belmont at the Big A meet. The 6-year-old Frost Giant chestnut returns to turf after a defeat in an off-the-turf match race when making her seasonal bow in a career already worthy of four wins.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
