Belmont Park: G3 Winter Memories, Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint Previews

Posted On 25 Sep 2026

By Christian Abdo —-

Queen of Hawaii looks to rebound in G3 Winter Memories

ELMONT, N.Y. – Lindy Farms’ Irish-bred Queen of Hawaii is primed for a rebound effort in search of her first American stakes score in Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Winter Memories, a one-mile Widener turf test for sophomore fillies, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Philip Antonacci, the Kingman bay defeated elders in her stateside and barn debut in July at Saratoga Race Course, winning by a neck over next-out victor Play With Fire in a one-mile optional claimer from post 1-of-8.

Queen of Hawaii was a last-out 1 3/4-length fifth to Naomis in the one-mile Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 29 at the Spa. There, she again exited post 1-of-8 under Jose Ortiz and traveled just over four lengths back in seventh through three-quarters in 1:13.22, angling out in the lane to miss the superfecta by a head, with Naomis completing the course in 1:35.72.

“It was one of those days where Jose got off her and said, ‘nothing flowed our way at all,’” said Antonacci, who won this event last year with Ready for Candy. “Sometimes the rail works out like it did the time before and sometimes you get jammed up in the flow of the race. In the Lake Placid, they didn’t go that fast, but she still ran to the wire and ran a credible race. I think it was a sneaky good performance for her, and I think the winner looks like a really top filly, so the form should hold up really well.”

Queen of Hawaii previously made four starts for trainer Joseph O’Brien, including a third-out score in the Group 3 Irish EBF at The Curragh ahead of a seventh in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in October at Del Mar.

“I think this filly is getting better now at this time of the year,” said Antonacci. “She should be really competitive.”

Queen of Hawaii [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], a $270,611 purchase from Book 1 of the 2024 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, is out of the winning Galileo mare Hibiscus, a full-sister to 2018 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf-winner Line of Duty.

Live Oak Plantation’s Florida homebred Ultimate Love [post 7, Javier Castellano] was a half-length second last out in the Lake Placid and earned a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure with a close-up stalking trip. Trained by Michael Trombetta, the Curlin chestnut showed improvement from a fifth in the Grade 3 Lake George presented by Surfside four weeks earlier at the Spa, which followed a ninth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks there.

“She found herself in a great spot and she did everything really well, except she wasn’t quite able to hold off the horse that came and got her,” Trombetta said. “She’s been training well since. I didn’t put a ton of pressure on her because she’s been running hard this summer. She’s doing well and we are looking forward to getting to see her run again.”

Ultimate Love, who kicked off her campaign with a head defeat in the Listed Hilltop in May at Laurel Park, seeks her first win since the Selima last September there. That win capped a 3-for-3 start to the filly’s career and led to her favoritism in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, where she finished a three-length fifth from post 1-of-12.

“We are hoping she continues to move in the right direction,” said Trombetta. “Other than the [Belmont Oaks] when she had a really rough trip, she’s done everything pretty well.”

Woodslane Racing’s Kentucky homebred Sister Troienne [post 9, Junior Alvarado] is a newcomer to New York, but has already made noise in Kentucky and Florida, highlighted by a five-race win streak.

Trained by Brian Lynch, the Munnings chestnut’s streak spanned last September to January, including a second-out graduation at Churchill Downs, an allowance at Keeneland, and the Wait a While, Listed Ginger Brew and Listed Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park.

“She was a model of consistency through the winter,” said Lynch. “She showed up every time. She was always a big, robust sort of filly and she’s trained lovely this time around and looks amazing. I think she’s that much more mature, so it’ll be interesting to see how this little road trip goes with her.”

Sister Troienne’s streak came to an end with a head defeat in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride in February at Gulfstream ahead of a last-out fifth in the Grade 2 Appalachian in April at Keeneland.

“She’s had a little time off. She had some bone bruising there in the spring, so we gave her the time she needed and couldn’t be happier with the way she’s coming into it,” Lynch said. “She’s had a nice series of works and I think she goes into it as good as we can get her. It’s an ideal place for a comeback race and this sets us up for the [Grade 2] Valley View in late October at Keeneland.”

Sister Troienne is out of the stakes-placed Lemon Drop Kid mare Dyna Passer, a half-sister to Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Sadler’s Joy and multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Wolfie’s Dynaghost.

“I think she’s very tactical,” Lynch said. “If there’s no pace, she can be up close. If they’re going fast, she can find herself a nice tactical position.”

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, William Rucker and Michael Caruso’s Shelzawa [post 11, Flavien Prat] closed to graduate at fourth asking against elders in July at Saratoga before returning to win an optional claimer on August 29 there. Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Zelzal bay made her stateside and barn debut with a third in June at the Spa after two seconds in her native France for conditioner Joel Boisnard.

Brown also sends out Klaravich Stables’ French-bred Crossover Capital [post 2, Manny Franco], who is a perfect 2-for-2. The Zarak bay has made both efforts at 1 1/16 miles, closing to win versus maiden elders in June at Monmouth Park ahead of an optional claiming score on July 25 at the Spa.

Brown and the late Christophe Clement have each won the Winter Memories, which was inaugurated in 2016, a co-record three times with the former’s past winners including Rymska [2017], Duopoly [2020] and Salimah [2022].

Lee Pokoik’s Peppermint Twist [post 3, Jose Lezcano] won her debut in a one-mile maiden versus elders on August 30 at the Spa. Trained by George Weaver, the Not This Time bay traveled 6 1/2 lengths off the pace in third position early before closing strongly to win by four lengths and earn an 81 Beyer.

Rounding out the field are dual graded/group-placed Flowerhead [post 5, Antonio Fresu] for trainer Charlie Clover; Grade 3-placed Kokomotion [post 1, Edgard Zayas] for conditioner Whit Beckman; dual stakes-placed Lovely Grey [post 8, Dylan Davis] for conditioner Kelsey Danner; state-bred stakes-winner Victory Hall [post 4, Rajiv Maragh] for trainer Tom Morley; and Alone Time [post 10, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

The Winter Memories is slated as Race 8 on Sunday’s nine-race card, which includes the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint in Race 7. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

General admission at Belmont Park is available for $7 when purchased in advance and provides fans with access to grandstand seats on most days, all areas within the first floor of the grandstand and the backyard. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.

America’s Day at the Races presents daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.

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

Twenty Six Black spins back in G3 Belmont Turf Sprint

By Keith McCalmont

ELMONT, N.Y. – Roger Cimbora, Jr.’s popular New York-homebred Twenty Six Black brings ultra-consistent form to Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint, a six-furlong inner turf test for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Horacio De Paz, the 6-year-old War Dancer gelding, out of the First Dude mare Brazo de Oro, will look to go one better than his younger state-bred siblings A Little At First and Raise the Roof, who both ran second here last weekend on the return to racing at Belmont Park. Both siblings are trained by De Paz for Cimbora, Jr.

The 3-year-old full brother A Little At First, who is dual stakes-placed, finished 1 1/4-lengths back of 6-year-old Conman in a second-level state-bred optional claimer at 1 1/16-miles on turf on Friday; while the 2-year-old Raise the Roof, by Tourist, overcame a troubled start to land 1 1/2-lengths back of Captain George in a one-mile state-bred maiden on Saturday.

De Paz noted that both siblings should improve going forward if they continue to follow in the footsteps of the accomplished Twenty Six Black, who has banked $815,310 through a 21-8-5-2 ledger. His record includes a trio of stakes wins; two graded placings and a third-out state-bred allowance win here over the inner turf.

“If you go and look back at ‘Twenty Six’s PPs, he developed through those conditions, he didn’t just win them right off the bat. He ran seconds and thirds and then won it,” De Paz said. “It’s a credit to the New York-bred program that he was able to go through those conditions and earn that much money.

“When you go open company, you never know how a horse will continue to mature,” De Paz added. “’Twenty Six’ is a good example of how if you do right by the horse, they will take care of you. I’m very happy with what he’s been able to accomplish. He’s a cool horse and a barn favorite.”

Twenty Six Black captured the restricted Disco Partner last August at Saratoga Race Course to secure his first stakes win and followed with a closing third to returning rival Alogon in last year’s Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint at Belmont at the Big A. He completed his campaign with a one-length score over reopposing Waralo in the state-bred New York Turf Sprint Championship in October at the Big A.

Twenty Six Black returned to action in May with a neck defeat to Waralo in the Listed Elusive Quality in May at Belmont at the Big A ahead of a 1 1/2-length fourth in the Grade 1 Jaipur in June at the Spa. The hard-trying bay returned to winning form on July 5 in the Spa’s Listed Harvey Pack with a rallying 2 3/4-length triumph over Possiblemente, who exited that effort to win the Grade 2 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint.

Last out, Twenty Six Black finished a 1 1/2-length fourth in the Grade 2 Troy on August 9 at the Spa won by the pacesetting John the Beer Man by a head over the pressing Waralo, who was disqualified and placed third behind Doncho following an inquiry.

“The turf course was at a disadvantage to his style of running,” De Paz said of the Troy try. “They were nice horses as well and it favored the other horses tremendously…they are good horses, so there was no disgrace to losing to them. But on a fairer turf course he might have been able to catch them.”

Twenty Six Black is in the habit of firing off bullet works ahead of his recent good efforts, including on October 18 [47 seconds flat on the Belmont dirt training track; 1/237] ahead of his New York Turf Sprint win and on June 28 [47.01 on the Belmont dirt training track; 1/96] ahead of the Harvey Pack win. He posted another bullet on August 2 [47 flat on the Spa main track; 1/149] ahead of his Troy effort and, most recently, on September 20, went a half-mile in 47.44 over the Belmont dirt training track, best of 34 efforts at the distance.

“It just seems to be working for him,” De Paz said. “I don’t normally like to work horses that fast but when he did that at Saratoga, he seemed to run really good off of it. So, we kept him in that rhythm.

“He’s doing very good. He’s right on track for this race,” De Paz added. “We always thought the six furlongs would be more to his liking as well. He ran well at six furlongs at Aqueduct as well.”

Manny Franco, leading rider at the Belmont fall meet, retains the mount from post 2.

Trainer Ned Allard sends out a strong pair in Alogon [post 6, Forest Boyce] and Card Trick [post 4, Dylan Davis] from his Delaware Park base.

The Estate of Charles T. Matses’ Kentucky homebred Alogon competes in this event for the fourth consecutive year, having finished fourth in 2023 and third in 2024 ahead of a neck score over Bold Journey last year at Belmont at the Big A.

The 7-year-old California Chrome gelding has banked just shy of $700,000 through a 27-8-3-6 record and arrives from a three-quarter length score in the Laurel Dash on September 12 at its namesake track.

Alogon, a five-time stakes winner, won the Listed Turf Sprint Championship in November 2024 at the Big A in a dead heat with Works for Me.

C J T Stables’ Card Trick is seeking his first win since taking a turf route in February 2025 for his former conditioner William Downing. The 5-year-old Liam’s Map gelding has since made 12 starts for Allard, including a closing two-length third in the Listed Turf Sprint in May at Laurel Park. He was fifth last out in the Laurel Dash on September 12.

Winterhawk Farm’s Spirited Sol [post 8, Martina Rojas] has hit the board in each of his last 11 starts, including wins in the six-furlong Karl Boyes on synthetic in July at Presque Isle Downs and a closing 1 1/4-length score last out over firm turf in the Da Hoss on September 7 at Colonial Downs.

The 8-year-old Soldat gelding was conditioned through those starts by Kimberly DePasquale and will be saddled here by Kevin Rice.

Martha Nevins and Michael Pawasarat’s Jean Valjean [post 5, Jomar Torres] will ensure a swift pace, entering from gate-to-wire scores in the five-furlong Marhsall Jenney versus fellow Pennsylvania-breds in August at Penn National and the restricted Disco Partner at 5 1/2-furlongs last out on September 6 at Saratoga.

Trained by Elizabeth Merryman, the 7-year-old Uncle Lino gelding has won 10-of-24 starts for purse earnings of $396,441.

A salty field includes the speedy Waralo [post 1, Jose Lezcano], third last out in the Grade 2 Troy and a two-time turf stakes winner at six furlongs for trainer Chris Englehart; 2024 Karl Boyes winner Let My People Go [post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for trainer Mike Maker; and three-time winner Egyptian Mau [post 7, Antonio Fresu], who makes his first start since a fifth in the Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway in April at Keeneland for Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale.

The Belmont Turf Sprint is slated as Race 7 on Sunday’s nine-race card, which also features the Grade 3, $200,000 Winter Memories in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

-30-
Contact: Keith McCalmont