The $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) Sept. 26 at Belmont Park features a high-stakes showdown, pitting European invader Sunlit Uplands against Diana Stakes (G1T) winner Kathynmarissa, with an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) on the line.
Sunlit Uplands gained respect in her first stateside appearance last month at Saratoga Race Course, when she lost by just a neck to And One More Time in the Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T). The daughter of Sands of Mali has been training at Belmont since her gallant effort, most recently going 5 furlongs over the turf Sept. 19 in 1:01.88 for trainer Stuart Williams.
"We've been very happy with her since the Ballston Spa," Williams said. "She came out of the race in great form, and we shipped her down to Belmont and picked out the Flower Bowl for her to run in as her next race. We're very pleased with how she's been training at Belmont and we're very much looking forward to seeing her run.
"She's adapted very well to being trained on the track. (Co-owner) Rae Guest is out there supervising the work for us and we're very happy with everything and it's going very well."
Sunlit Uplands will have to take on two of Chad Brown's runners—Cathedral and Kathynmarissa—in a race Brown has won eight times.
Kathynmarissa was last seen winning the Diana Stakes July 18 at Saratoga by a half-length over another Brown trainee Segesta. The 5-year-old daughter of American Pharoah had a less-than-ideal trip in the Diana, being pinched at the start and going six wide turning for home. Her versatility, paired with regular rider Jose Ortiz, will make her tough to beat Saturday
Brown's other entry Cathedral, a 4-year-old daughter of Too Darn Hot, finished 4 1/2 lengths behind Kathynmarissa in the Diana, which was her first race in the United States since her fourth-place finish to Gezora in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Peter Brant's grade 1-winning filly Gezora has not shown the brilliance she did at the Breeders' Cup, but the 1 1/4-mile distance Saturday may suit the daughter of Almanzor. She won the 2025 Prix de Diane (G1) at 2,100 meters (about 1 5/16 miles) and 2025 Prix Saint Alary (G2) at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles).
Martin Hughes' Esna will make her first start in the U.S. for trainer Brian Meehan after arriving Sept. 18 at Belmont. The 3-year-old daughter of Starman enters the race with back-to-back runner-up finishes in group 3 races.
"I think the idea of coming to Belmont was to really bring her up a level," Meehan said. "When we were looking at races, the Flower Bowl seemed the most sensible option. Obviously, I have no fear about taking a horse to the U.S. to race. It's been a lucky place for me in the past.
"Sensibly, it was the right race for the filly, and I think the track will suit her really well. I'm very excited to bring her and looking forward to running her."
Last year's Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) winner Fionn will look for her first win of the 2026 season after two off-the-board finishes.
As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, the winner of the Flower Bowl will earn an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland.
Belmont Park, Saturday, September 26, 2026, Race 11Entries: Flower Bowl S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Fionn (KY) Manuel Franco 126 Brad H. Cox 12/1 2 2Sunlit Uplands (IRE) James Doyle 126 Stuart C. Williams 6/1 3 3Favorite Memory (GB) Kendrick Carmouche 126 Cherie DeVaux 20/1 4 4Kathynmarissa (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 126 Chad C. Brown 8/5 5 5Storm Miami (IRE) John R. Velazquez 126 Amelia J. Green 12/1 6 6Opulent Restraint (IRE) Javier Castellano 126 William I. Mott 30/1 7 7Evershed (IRE) Dylan Davis 126 Arnaud Delacour 12/1 8 8Esna (IRE) Jamie P. Spencer 122 Brian Meehan 12/1 9 9Silvology (KY) Antonio Fresu 126 Claude R. McGaughey III 20/1 10 10Gezora (FR) Junior Alvarado 126 William I. Mott 6/1 11 11Cathedral (GB) Flavien Prat 126 Chad C. Brown 9/2
