G2 Belmont Gold Cup, G2 Intercontinental, G3 Pennine Ridge Race Previews

Posted On 31 May 2026

Tawny Port, Corruption top wide-open G2 Belmont Gold Cup

By Michael Adolphson

SARATOGA SPRINGS , N.Y. – America’s top-rated staying test on turf, the 12th edition of the Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup for 4-year-olds and upward, returns with a competitive renewal on Thursday, June 4, at Saratoga Race Course, including eight contenders set to tackle a stamina-sapping two miles on the famed oval’s inner turf course.

A pair of hard-knocking Grade 1-placed aspirants, Peachtree Stable’s Tawny Port and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Harry Colburn’s Corruption, lead the long-winded lot, collectively hoping to stamp their Upstate ticket to Down Under.

Continuing the partnership between The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the Victoria Racing Club, Thursday’s test of endurance is a ‘Golden Ticket’ event, offering the victor an automatic berth into the two-mile Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup, “the race that stops a nation” worth more than AUD $10 million [USD $7.2 million] in total prize money. One of the globe’s most prestigious thoroughbred affairs, the Melbourne Cup will be held on Tuesday, November 3.

Fans will have the opportunity to take their photo with the Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy on Thursday from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Porch. The 18-carat trophy is created from 34 gold pieces and was hand-crafted for over 200 hours. The Melbourne Cup is awarded to the owner of the winning horse, and smaller replicas are given to the trainer and jockey.

A five-time winner from 31 starts who has earned nearly $2.2 million, the Miguel Clement-conditioned dual Grade 3-winner Tawny Port makes his second start of the season after a fourth in the Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 18 at Keeneland over 12 furlongs. A nose-beaten runner-up in the Grade 1 Canadian International last October, he brings class to the table, but the nine-time graded stakes-placed 7-year-old seeks his first victory since Saratoga’s Listed John’s Call over 13 furlongs in August 2023. Flavien Prat, winner of the 2019 Belmont Gold Cup on Amade, will ride from post 3.

“He’s been training remarkably well, so I’m cautiously optimistic,” Clement said. “I think he’ll relish the two miles. He had a prep race the other day at Keeneland, which went perfect. He came back better, tighter and he thrives in training at Saratoga. He is one of the few rare horses that I really think takes his level to another element once he’s at Saratoga.

“Last year, he ran three races for me while based at Saratoga in a span of 40 days,” Clement continued. “He nearly won a million dollars. He ran at Kentucky Downs, came back six days later there and then nearly won a Grade 1 in Canada. He really thrives at Saratoga. He is eating better. He looks better. He just flourishes here, like no other horse.”

Corruption [post 7, John Velazquez], third last out in the Grade 1 Turf Classic over nine furlongs on May 2 at Churchill Downs, has boasted solid form throughout his 13-race, five-win career. Consistency and New York blacktype are in the blood of the son of Grade 1 Travers-winning Medaglia d’Oro, as his dam Thundering Sky broke her maiden at Aqueduct and won stakes at Belmont and Saratoga, while also placing in no less than five graded stakes in her final season of racing [2018].

Corruption stretches out beyond 12 furlongs – a distance over which he was second in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 3 Pan American in March – and seeks to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since taking an 11-furlong turf optional claimer in July over this surface. Hall of Famer John Velazquez, winner of the race a record four times – Parchment Party [2025], The Grey Wizard [2024], Baron Samedi [2021] and Charming Kitten [2014] – retains the mount.

“He won’t mind [the two-mile distance] at all,” Casse said. “He’s a galloper and he’ll go all day. Johnny knows him well, now. It’s his third start off the layoff, so he should be good. He had a bit of a troubled trip [in the Turf Classic]. He broke slow, which doesn’t work well for him because he wants to be up close to the lead, and then he got checked a couple times. Nothing went right, so I thought his effort was better than it looked.”

Another with a pedigree that screams top-tier New York action is Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Wesley Ward-trained Navy Seal [post 2, Jose Ortiz], a former Coolmore disciple who joined the Ward yard two summers ago and has rewarded the Kentucky-based conditioner with a pair of allowance victories and a third last out in Keeneland’s Grade 2 Elkhorn. By Dubawi, sire of 2023 Belmont Gold Cup-winner Siskany, the 5-year-old three-time winner from 17 starts is out of 2018 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational victress Athena.

“He trains like he’ll run all day long,” Ward said. “I don’t get many of these [stayers]. I was lucky enough to win a mile-and-three-eighths race there last year with him and he just seems to want to run all day. We’ve been galloping him two miles. Usually, my gallops are a little over a mile but with this guy, he goes out there and gets a pretty good clip going for two miles. The funny thing about him is you can’t get him tired. He comes back feeling like a million bucks.

“I’ve never been to Australia,” Ward continued. “I ran a horse in Australia, Cannonball, and I wasn’t able to go because I had a horse beat half a thumbnail in the Florida Derby, and we were on the Derby trail. I’ve always wanted to go to Australia my whole life, but the Melbourne Cup is a long stretch. I’d have to talk to [racing manager] Alex Cole and the Hays and see what they’d want to do if we’re successful enough to win this race.”

Another talented sort looking to get his overdue day in the sun is Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Nicolas Drion and Mathilde Powell’s 8-year-old West Coast stalwart Flashiest [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], who ships in from Santa Anita Park to make his 40th lifetime start.

Boasting four wins and six graded stakes placings, including a run of three consecutive seconds going into this, the stakes winner exits a half-length runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham over 10 furlongs. Trained by Leonard Powell, the son of Mizzen Mast is another who tries the two-mile trip for the first time, while seeking his first victory since May 2024. Irad Ortiz Jr., winner of the 2015 edition on Innovation Economy, rides from the inside post.

“He’s had a few seconds lately, but he’s run some big races and he’s doing very well,” Powell said. “He’s kind of found a niche going longer distances since he turned eight and we’re shipping with high expectations. I think the two miles will suit him and he’s a good horse, especially when he’s on the lead, that relaxes very well. He has his quirks and he’s not an easy horse to be around, but we are very attached to him.”

Damchu Stables’ New York-bred Miztertonic [post 4, Javier Castellano] is one of a capable pair trained by Keri Brion, along with Watters Edge’s Worthington [post 5, Chris Elliott].

Exiting a pair of thirds in allowance company, including last out over 11 furlongs on the Big A turf on May 7, Miztertonic broke his maiden on the Saratoga grass in July 2024 before coming back to win a state-bred allowance over the same 1 1/16 miles last August. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who wore the late Queen Elizabeth II’s royal silks to take the 2018 edition on Call To Mind, has the call.

“I love this horse – I wish I had a barn full of him – and I know it looks ambitious on paper, but I have told the owner for two years that the farther he goes, the better he is,” Brion said. “I’ve even wanted to make this horse a jumps horse, because I feel like even going a mile-and-three-eighths, he hasn’t shown his very best. I thought, looking at the race, it was the best time to take a shot, and I believe there’s more to this horse that we have not actually seen, especially with a chance to go over two miles. He’ll settle early and come running late and he’s been training awesome coming into it, with a really good work this past Wednesday.”

Homebred Worthington makes his first start on record since a third in October’s two-mile, $150,000 John Forbes Memorial at Far Hills. He seeks his first victory for the trainer and third lifetime, while appearing to be a future dual-purpose sort.

“He’s coming in great, and we were considering just turning him into a steeplechase horse, but he obviously ran so well going two miles, despite getting into a lot of traffic at Far Hills,” Brion said. “He is a funny horse who is difficult to ride because you have to get him covered up or he runs off, so he’s a little bit of a project, but Chris is riding him and knows the plan. He’ll come home strong if he does that. You won’t see it in his past-performances, but he has run at a couple of these steeplechase meetings going a flat mile and a half and two miles to try to get him settled, instead of running on the flat, which might light him up too much, so his fitness is fine. That’s been going well, so we’ll see what happens.”

The John Forbes winner, Paul and Molly Willis’ Fleetfoot [post 8, Kendrick Carmouche], a former Shadwell pupil trained by Jim Bolger in Ireland up until a second in Leopardstown’s Group 3 Kilternan over Irish Champions Weekend last September, makes his sixth start for trainer Barry Foley and exits a second in a 2 1/2-mile hurdle maiden on May 2 at Great Meadows and a three-length win in a two-mile allowance on the flat on May 25 at Fair Hill.

Ninth in the Elkhorn to kick off his season, one race prior, he brings substantial class to the fore, including a lucrative 12-furlong handicap victory over Irish Derby weekend and a respectable run behind Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf champ Ethical Diamond in York’s Ebor Handicap.

“This has been the plan for him, but the only worry I have is that the inner turf may be a bit tight for him,” Foley said. “Other than that, he’s in great order. I’ll be hopeful for a big run. I think, at Keeneland, the ground was too quick for him, and he also needed that run. Winter in Virginia, where we train, isn’t very easy for it and there weren’t many days when I had a good track. He’s also a hard horse to get fit because he has a lot of ability and I don’t have anything else that can work with him. That said, the couple of runs this season should have him spot-on to get him through.”

Stuart Janney, III.’s Kentucky homebred Concord Green [post 6, Manny Franco] has banked $154,317 through an 11-2-2-1 ledger for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

The 4-year-old War Front gelding relishes a distance of ground, entering from a pair of strong efforts traveling 12-furlongs on the turf topped by a neck score in an optional-claimer on March 7 at Gulfstream Park. Concord Green arrives from a prominent 1 1/2-length second in a Keeneland allowance on April 16.

Concord Green, a half-brother to Grade 3-winner Scarlett Sky, is out of the winning Arch mare Mata Mua – a half-sister to Grade 3-winner My Impression. His third dam is Grade 3-winner Sky Blue Pink.

Completing the field, one would be remiss not to mention Pin Oak Stud’s main-track-only entrant Parchment Party, last year’s winner over a rained-off 14 furlongs for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. A winner of his last four stateside races, with two stakes victories apiece sandwiching a 20th of 24 runners in the Melbourne Cup, the son of Constitution took Churchill Downs’ 12-furlong Listed Isaac Murphy last out.

The Belmont Gold Cup [Race 10] is one of four stakes on Thursday’s 11-race program, and is co-featured with the Grade 2, $250,000 Intercontinental [Race 8], the Grade 3, $300,000 Pennine Ridge [Race 3] and the $175,000 Jersey Girl [Race 2]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races presents daily coverage and analysis of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.belmontstakes.com/event-info/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, and the best way to bet every race of the five-day meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Gratefully puts undefeated record on the line in G2 Intercontinental
By Keith McCalmont

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Adelphi Racing Club, Shelly Hume and Russell Hume’s Gratefully puts her perfect 5-for-5 record on the line in Thursday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Intercontinental, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older fillies and mares, on Day Two of the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

The Intercontinental [Race 8] is one of four stakes on Thursday’s 11-race program, and is co-featured with the Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup [Race 10], the Grade 3, $300,000 Pennine Ridge [Race 3] and the $175,000 Jersey Girl [Race 2]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Robert Falcone, Jr., the 4-year-old Laoban dark bay returns to the site of her first career win, a six-length romp in an off-the-turf maiden claiming sprint in August at the Spa while in the care of conditioner Ray Handal. She made her next four outings for Falcone, Jr., including a pair of six-furlong optional-claiming scores at Belmont at the Big A with another off-the-turf win in September before finally getting to grass and prevailing by a nose in October.

The $155,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase has sprinted six furlongs twice this year over the Santa Anita Park turf, stalking and pouncing to a 3 3/4-length optional-claiming score over firm footing in January ahead of a frontrunning head win over Saratoga Special in the restricted Wishing Well over good ground on February 21.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will be aboard for the first time and Falcone, Jr. said the veteran rider will have tactical options.

“Good horses overcome a lot. When the gates open, it will be whatever her and Johnny have in mind,” Falcone, Jr. said. “If she wants to go, it’s tough to take anything away from her and if she wants to sit, that can work out well, too. She’s shown she can sit.

“She won here on the dirt going 5 1/2-furlongs,” Falcone, Jr. added. “She doesn’t like to lose. There’s a couple races she could have gotten beat in, and she came back on a couple times to win. She’s a fighter.”

Gratefully [post 7, John Velazquez, 122 pounds] was scratched from the Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway on April 12 at Keeneland with a foot bruise but has since recovered to work a trio of bullets over Saratoga’s Oklahoma dirt training track, including a half-mile effort in 46.60 seconds May 28.

“She came out of it fine. It was unfortunate and bad timing, but the next day she was almost 100 percent and the day after that she was fine,” Falcone, Jr. said regarding the scratch in Kentucky. “She settled in well here at Saratoga and has been working good up to this race.”

Falcone, Jr. said he is hopeful that Gratefully can put together another great performance for an ownership group that will be sure to show up in numbers at Saratoga.

“Adelphi is a great partnership; good people and they’ve treated me well. It’s nice to have a good one for them,” Falcone, Jr. said.

Gratefully is out of the dual graded stakes-winning More than Ready mare Selflessly.

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. will send out graded stakes-winner In Our Time [post 3, Flavien Prat, 124 pounds] for Resolute Racing and Miller Racing. The 5-year-old Not This Time dark bay made the grade last out with a stalk-and-pounce score in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway on April 12 at Keeneland.

There, she broke alertly from post 5-of-11 under returning rider Flavien Prat and was briefly on top before conceding the lead to Shining Star and the pressing Saratoga Special through a half-mile in 44.52. In Our Time saved ground in third position until the top of the lane before Prat gave the cue and the mare responded with an impressive turn-of-foot to squeeze up the fence and score by 1 3/4-lengths over returning rival Creed’s Gold in a final time of 1:02.17. The winning effort earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

In Our Time had raced in seven straight races at one-mile or greater before cutting back in distance to score a pacesetting win traveling 6 1/2-furlongs in September at Kentucky Downs. She followed with a trio of prominent efforts, including a second to the reopposing Time to Dazzle in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Franklin in October at Keeneland and a runner-up try to Segesta in the one-mile Grade 1 Matriarch in November at Del Mar.

She entered the Giant’s Causeway from an off-the-board effort in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf in January at Gulfstream.

“She had run well on the cutback at Kentucky Downs and then at Keeneland she ran well in the Franklin but got in a wicked duel that day,” Joseph, Jr. said. “I thought for her to rate on the cutback [last out] was very important. She showed that versatility and Flavien rode her great that day. This is where she’s going to stay [sprinting] – she’s very versatile and goes in there with a good shot.”

Ice Wine Stable and Smart Choice Stable’s Grade 2-placed New York-bred Shoot It True [post 9, Juan Hernandez, 120 pounds] was a perfect 2-for-2 sprinting on the Spa turf versus elders last summer for trainer Wesley Ward.

The 4-year-old Munnings dark bay made her first four starts on dirt, including a prosperous juvenile campaign that saw the $340,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale purchase graduate on debut in April 2024 at Keeneland and take the state-bred Notebook against males that November at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Shoot It True switched to turf last summer at the Spa, rallying to a state-bred optional-claiming score in July and beating open allowance company in August. She completed her sophomore campaign with a one-length second to multiple graded stakes-winner Queen Maxima in the Listed Senator Ken Maddy in October at Del Mar.

The well-traveled dark bay has landed second in each of her two starts this season, including an allowance sprint in April at Keeneland ahead of a three-quarter length miss last out to Moon Spun in the Grade 2 Unbridled Sidney on May 1 at Churchill Downs. There, she exited the outermost post 7 under Hall of Famer Joel Rosario and saved ground in sixth position before cutting the corner and chasing home the frontrunning winner, who stopped the clock in 1:01.64.

Ward said he was hoping to change tactics last out with Shoot It True.

“She drew the outside post in somewhat of a short field and we wanted to go that day,” Ward said. “I’ve been having the jockeys take her back, but I told Joel to just go ahead and go from that outside post and if you’re not on the lead, be close. She hopped out of there, so Joel did his patented style where he just took back and unfortunately, she came through the inside which is a tough thing to do for closers – especially her. She didn’t get the best of trips, and she still ran a really big race.”

Both of Shoot It True’s dirt scores came in gate-to-wire fashion, but she has settled into a closing type since switching to turf.

“I thought we’d teach her to come from behind. I thought in New York-bred races, she’d be pretty tough to beat, and it would be a good way to school her to do something like that last year and she was [successful]. Now, in these bigger races, I’d like to see her closer up to the pace,” Ward said.

Shoot It True is out of the Malibu Moon mare To the Moon Alice – a half-sister to Unchained Melody, who won the 2017 Grade 2 Mother Goose at Belmont Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will send out a strong pair of closing sprinters in dual graded stakes-winner Time to Dazzle [post 6, Jose Ortiz, 124 pounds] and graded stakes-winner Creed’s Gold [post 2, Javier Castellano, 122 pounds].

Time to Dazzle and Creed’s Gold were fifth and third, respectively, last out in the Unbridled Sidney with the two mares often racing together, including in last year’s Intercontinental when fourth and seventh, respectively.

Tracy Farmer’s Time to Dazzle, a 5-year-old Not This Time grey, has banked $816,137 via a 17-4-2-1 ledger topped by scores in the 2024 Grade 3 Ontario Colleen at Woodbine and a closing 3 1/4-length victory in the aforementioned Grade 2 Franklin in October at Keeneland.

She launched her current campaign with a 2 3/4-length fourth versus males in the Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia and is off-the-board in two starts since, including a fourth in the Giant’s Causeway.

“I don’t know that we’ve seen her best race since returning from Saudi,” Casse said. “She’s run well but I feel like she’s better than what we’ve seen. Maybe we’ll see the real Time to Dazzle at Saratoga.

“She’s a nice horse and one that might prefer a bit longer than 5 1/2-furlongs,” he added. “She’s coming into it well.”

Kristin Meldahl’s Creed’s Gold, a 5-year-old Jimmy Creed chestnut, boasts a consistent 14-5-3-3 record for purse earnings of $439,888 led by a gate-to-wire score in the Grade 3 Hendrie in July sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs over the Woodbine Tapeta.

Creed’s Gold will look to improve upon a seventh-place finish in this event last year, having hit the board in all three starts this season topped by a stalking score in the five-furlong Lightning City in February at Tampa Bay Downs.

Demar’s Legacy set a rapid pace in the Lightning City of 21.22 seconds and 43.44, setting it up for the closing pair of Creed’s Gold, who bested multiple stakes-winner Love Appeals by 1 3/4-lengths.

Casse said he’s hopeful another swift pace will develop in the Intercontinental.

“She always gives a good effort, but 5 1/2-furlongs is just a touch short for her, so she needs some luck,” Casse said.

Multiple stakes-winner Twirling Queen [post 1, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 122 pounds] could be among the frontrunners, entering from a gate-to-wire score in the Captiva Island sprinting five furlongs over the Gulfstream Park Tapeta on March 14. There, she exited post 9 and zipped through splits of 21.03 seconds and 43.67 en route to a 1 1/2-length score in a final time of 56.08.

Trained by Jose D’Angelo for Hernan Gomez, the 5-year-old Twirling Candy bay had a difficult outing in this event last year finishing last-of-8 after being carried in by the victorious Pipsy at the break and then steadied before chasing the speed and fading.

Twirling Queen posted a trio of turf sprint stakes scores in 2024, including Listed victories in the Mamzelle at Churchill Downs, the Coronation Cup at Saratoga and the Senator Ken Maddy at Del Mar. Her strong 5-for-7 2024 season included a win in the Melody of Colors over the Gulfstream synthetic.

Trainer Graham Motion sends out a complementary pair in speedy stakes-winner Roja [post 10, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 122 pounds] and the stalking graded stakes-winner Italian Soiree [post 8, Dylan Davis, 122 pounds.]

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables’ Roja captured the 5 1/2-furlong Blue Sparkler two starts back on July 12 at Monmouth Park to close out her sophomore season, dueling with the pacesetting Serene Spirit through a half-mile in 45.68 before taking command and kicking clear to a 3 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:03.40.

The Karakontie dark bay [6-3-1-1, $188,527] returned victorious in her 4-year-old debut on April 29 at Churchill, wiring a five-furlong turf sprint in a rapid 56.14 to earn a career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I was really impressed with her last time at Churchill. This filly is a real blue collar, tough filly,” Motion said. “She’s pretty quick. She hasn’t done much wrong. I mean looking at her PPs, I kind of forgot how consistent she’s been.”

Hit The Bid Racing Stable and CMNWLTH’s Italian Soiree made her first 10 starts for trainer John Terranova topped by a stalking one-length score in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Coronation Cup here in July. The 4-year-old Uncle Mo bay powered clear to a 1 3/4-length score at first asking for Motion in her seasonal debut, earning a career-best 93 Beyer in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint on April 12 at Laurel Park.

Italian Soiree followed with a stretch-out try in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day May 2 at Churchill Downs where she led in the early stages before fading to last-of-9.

“We tried to stretch her out last time. We took a bit of a gamble; it didn’t really work out,” Motion said. “I’m probably kind of annoyed at myself for doing that. I think we’ve decided that we are going to keep her going short. She’s had the right spacing this time and she’s done well. I feel good about running her in here, but it is a very competitive race.”

Edward Seltzer, Beverly Anderson and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Love Cervere [post 5, Manny Franco, 122 pounds] enters from a closing three-quarter length score in the Listed License Fee over six-furlongs of firm footing on May 3 at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Miguel Clement, the 4-year-old Into Mischief bay utilized similar tactics to take the Grade 3 Glen Cove in October traveling six-furlongs at the Big A. She will make just her second start at the Spa, having previously landed a 1 1/2-length third in the Listed Galway in August.

A talented field is completed by Qatar Racing’s Grade 3-placed Ready to Jam [post 4, Junior Alvarado, 122 pounds]. The 5-year-old More Than Ready mare, a game second in the Grade 3 Royal North last May at Woodbine, rallied to capture the six-furlong Autumn Days in October at Belmont at the Big A for then trainer Mark Casse last out. She was acquired for $500,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and makes her seasonal and stable debut for dual Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.

Bam’s Bliss Kiss is entered for the main-track only in both the Intercontinental and in Wednesday’s $200,000 Mount Vernon here.

Bottas makes sophomore debut in G3 Pennine Ridge

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Dahman’s Grade 2-winner Bottas will make his sophomore debut and first effort since the Breeders’ Cup in Thursday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Pennine Ridge, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for sophomores, during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Miguel Clement, the Vekoma dark bay captured the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Pilgrim on October 3 at Belmont at the Big A, punching a “Win and You’re In” ticket to the one-mile Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, where he finished ninth 28 days later at Del Mar.

Bottas’ lone other start was a 2 1/4-length debut win over Thursday’s course and distance in August. That effort, which earned a respectable 78 Beyer Speed Figure, came in last-to-first fashion and in the opening race on Travers Day, stamping the colt as one to watch going forward.

“I’m very excited for this race. He’s a very good horse,” Clement said. “Hopefully, I didn’t get it wrong, that I didn’t leave him short. It’s that simple. He’s doing very well.”

The experienced racing driver Valtteri Bottas competes in Formula 1 for Cadillac. The equine Bottas [post 1, Manny Franco], a $300,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, is a half-brother to stakes-winner Parenting out of the winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Iadorakid, a half-sister to Canadian Champion Turf Male El Tormenta and Grade 3-winner Zero Tolerance.

Gary Barber’s Blackmail [post 5, Javier Castellano] upset the one-mile Woodhaven last out on April 25 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the Not This Time gelding posted a career-best 85 Beyer in the stalking victory under a heady ride from returning Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who rallied his charge up the rail to edge the favored Instability.

“It was a great ride by Javier, he sat on him and made the late run,” Casse said. “He’s by one of the hottest sires in the world and I find they tend to get better with age as well.”

Blackmail made his stakes debut in the Woodhaven following a pacesetting optional claiming effort in February at Tampa Bay Downs that saw him cross the finish line third, but disqualified to seventh for interference in the first turn.

Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Blackmail was a $150,000 purchase at February’s Fasig-Tipton February Digital Sale and is out of the winning Street Cry mare Waving, who also produced dual stakes-placed Aquitania Arrival.

Casse also sends out Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch’s Grade 3-placed Blinging It Back [post 6, Jose Ortiz] off a fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 American Turf on May 2 at Churchill Downs. The Volatile gray went off at odds of 56-1 and left a decent account of himself in the 7 1/2-length defeat to Stark Contrast, earning an 84 Beyer, his best mark on turf.

Blinging It Back made his first four starts on dirt, including seconds sprinting here in last summer’s Listed Tremont and Grade 3 Sanford. He graduated fifth-out in his turf debut in September at Kentucky Downs, and kicked off this season with a third in the 7 1/2-furlong Cutler Bay in March at Gulfstream Park.

The $80,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, a half-brother to multiple stakes-winner Ima Discreet Lady [51-15-11-9, $700,670], is out of the multiple stakes-placed Too Much Bling mare Ima Three Blinger.

Mo Speed Racing’s West End Kid [post 9, Tyler Gaffalione] is 2-for-3, running fourth in his February debut at Gulfstream Park, then adding blinkers to roll to two wins in Kentucky. Trained by Will Walden, the Twirling Candy bay’s scores both came by over three lengths traveling 1 1/16 miles, in an April maiden at Keeneland and an optional-claimer last out on May 8 at Churchill Downs. The performances earned 84 and 85 Beyers, respectively.

“I can’t say enough good things,” Walden said. “He is freaky. To say he doesn’t yet understand his job sounds ignorant, but I don’t think we’ve tapped into who he really is yet. He’s just been leveling off and running away from them. I think he’s super talented. This is the same distance, but I think as we go on, he could be better at nine furlongs or longer as well.”

West End Kid, a $350,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Scat Daddy mare To a Friend, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-placed Starting Over and graded-placed Into Vanishing.

Rounding out the field are stakes-placed Noble Dynasty [post 4, Junior Alvarado] for Hall of Famer Bill Mott; maiden winners Glavine [post 8, John Velazquez] for trainer Tom Morley, Time for America [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Michelle Nihei; as well as Chips and Fish [post 2, Chris Elliott] and the maiden Asked and Answered [post 7, Ruben Silvera] for conditioner Antonio Arriaga.

Talk to Me Jimmy [blinkers OFF] is entered for the main track-only.

The Pennine Ridge is slated as Race 3 on Thursday’s 11-race card, which features the Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup [Race 10] – a ‘Golden Ticket’ event offering the winner an automatic berth into the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup – the Grade 2, $250,000 Intercontinental [Race 8] and $175,000 Jersey Girl [Race 2]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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Contact: Christian Abdo