Belmont: Stewart Manor, Awad Stakes Previews

Posted On 10 Nov 2026

By Christian Abdo —-

Pink Venom ships in for $175K Stewart Manor

ELMONT, N.Y. – Team Valor International’s Pink Venom ships in from her native Ireland on a three race win streak heading into Saturday’s $175,000 Stewart Manor, a six-furlong inner turf sprint for juvenile fillies, at Belmont Park.

Trained by the five-time Irish Champion Jockey Johnny Murtagh, Pink Venom enters from a victory over males in the straight six-furlong Birdcatcher Nursery on October 10 at Naas. The Soldier’s Call bay, with Ben Coen up, rallied to win by 2 3/4 lengths while carrying 136 pounds.

“She’s on the improve,” Murtagh said. “She’s improving all the time, so we are happy with her. I look forward to seeing her run.”

Pink Venom previously won six-furlong handicaps on September 21 at Fairyhouse and eight days later at Cork, the former going right hand-handed and the latter on the straight.

“That was a big effort last time and she is improving every run. We are hoping she can take the next step up to stakes company,” Murtagh said. “I think she’ll enjoy the bend.”

Pink Venom was off-the-board in her seven-furlong debut traveling left-handed in June at Leopardstown ahead of thirds going six furlongs at Fairyhouse and Naas. She was privately purchased by Team Valor after her last effort and will be transferred to trainer Amelia Green for a stateside campaign following the Stewart Manor.

“Barry Irwin bought her, she’s going to stay in the states. He was keen to run her off the plane and I thought this race would suit her really, really well,” said Murtagh.

Pink Venom [post 6, Jamie Spencer], originally a $99,683 purchase from Book 1 of the 2025 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, is a half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Rebel Diamond out of the Teofilo mare Periwinkle. Her second dam is Listed stakes-winner Royal Blue Star.

Brickyard Belle Racing, Beggs and Flowers and Briles Family Stable’s Brickyard Belle [post 5, Manny Franco] wheels back from an 11th place finish versus males in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on October 30 at Keeneland.

Trained by Miguel Clement, the Yaupon dark bay went off as the second choice in the international 12-horse field following a half-length score in the Grade 3 Matron over Saturday’s course and distance on October 3. She graduated on debut on August 27 at Saratoga Race Course.

“It’s very simple: she’s doing great and she did no running at the Breeders’ Cup, which I’m convinced was due to the ground,” Clement said. “I don’t think she traveled at any stage of the race. In the middle, she spun her wheels, late she had no turn of foot, every stage of the race, she was struggling. I don’t think she suited that track whatsoever.”

Brickyard Belle’s Matron victory earned a career and field-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I’m convinced the firmer the ground, the better,” Clement said. “I think it was a little bit loose at Keeneland. She trained very well, was 2-for-2, and I was very disappointed with that last start. I’m convinced it was the ground, but there is only one way to find out. My only reservation about running her back off short rest is the ground, because there’s more rain in the forecast next week.”

Brickyard Belle, a $600,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is a half-sister to graded stakes-winning turf sprinter Joe Shiesty and is out of the winning More Than Ready mare Ready to Unleash.

FMQ Stables’ Zomoroda [post 7, Samuel Marin] earned an 80 Beyer for a six-furlong debut graduation over the Tapeta on October 11 here. Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the Corniche dark bay stalked three-wide and pounced to a one-length victory. The $335,000 purchase from the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is out of the Grade 2-placed Overanalyze mare Over Emphasize.

“She broke her maiden on the synthetic and we’ll see,” said Cox. “I do think she’ll handle the surface there on the turf. She’s trained well since and seems like an honest filly. She lacks a little seasoning with just the one start, but she was impressive and stayed on well. We’re looking forward to giving her a shot to pick up some black type this weekend.”

Hat Creek Racing’s Fanshell Beach [post 9, Antonio Fresu] closed from eight lengths back in 8th-of-9 to land a one-length fifth versus males in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Indian Summer on October 4 at Keeneland. Trained by Wesley Ward, the Corniche chestnut previously beat the boys in the Riverside Rush in August at Ellis Park after a fifth in the Group 2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot.

Fanshell Beach defeated now Grade 1-placed colt Booked in her 4 1/2-furlong debut in April at Churchill Downs. She was an $80,000 purchase at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the multiple stakes-winning Unusual Heat mare Pacific Heat, and her second dam is dual stakes-winner Hotlantic.

Lea Farms’ New York-bred Legacy Lady [post 8, Edgard Zayas] was second last out in the local state-bred 6 1/2-furlong Joseph A. Gimma on October 2. Trained by Jorge Delgado, the Highly Motivated bay was beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Extravaganzoo, who exited to dominate the Key Cents on Halloween here.

Legacy Lady graduated second-out when making her turf debut sprinting five furlongs in July at Monmouth Park before a fourth versus males in the 5 1/2-furlong Skidmore on August 27 at the Spa. Bred by Stephanie Baltzan, she was a $135,000 purchase from the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the Buratino mare Queen of Lies, a half-sister to dual Grade 3-placed Agency.

A robust field includes dual group-placed Yuquot [post 4, Flavien Prat] for trainer Joe Sharp; Bittersweet Memory [post 10, Kendrick Carmouche] for conditioner Kelsey Danner; Queen Celine [post 12, Dylan Davis] for trainer Butch Reid, Jr.; Battle Queen [post 11, Leonardo Corujo] for trainer Orlando Rose; Winchester Road [post 1, Javier Castellano] for dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse; Scabiosa [post 2, Jomar Torres] for trainer Hugo Padilla; and Sun Valley [post 3, Jose Lezcano] for conditioner Michael Matz.

The Stewart Manor is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 10-race card, which also features the $175,000 Awad in Race 8. First post is 11:40 a.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.

Titan Ready tries stakes again in $175K Awad

ELMONT, N.Y. – The dual stakes-placed Titan Ready carries positive momentum off a four-length graduation into Saturday’s $175,000 Awad, a six-furlong Widener turf sprint for juveniles, at Belmont Park.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the dark bay son of Title Ready earned his first win in his fourth attempt on September 19 here in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight. He made his first two starts with close seconds for conditioner Sid Attard at Woodbine Racetrack, including the Listed Victoria in July when a head back of Uncle Dodo.

Titan Ready moved to the Cox barn this summer to land a 2 3/4-length second to Wood Island in Saratoga Race Course’s 5 1/2-furlong Skidmore on August 27 ahead of his win.

Cox said he had initially pointed Titan Ready [post 5, Manny Franco] to the one-mile Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on October 30 at Keeneland, but rerouted here after not making the cut for the overflow field.

“We brought him to Keeneland with the intention of running him in the Thoroughbred Aftercare and we found ourselves not even making the overnight,” Cox said. “I thought he was impressive when he broke his maiden up there and we’ll give him a shot in the stakes and see how he stacks up.”

Cox added that the colt is always willing to give his best.

“We like him. He can handle the sprint distances and showed that at Saratoga and Belmont, but we are hopeful he might have a little distance in his future,” Cox said. “He’s a sturdy horse that’s shipped around and handled all we’ve asked of him and I think we’re going to run him with confidence this weekend.”

A $12,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Titan Ready is out of the Speightstown mare Speighty Shirl and was bred in Kentucky by Charles Fipke from the regal line of his Reine-de-Course broodmare and multiple graded stakes-winner and top producer Lady Shirl.

Conditioner Tareq Moubarak will be represented by two live contenders in last-out stakes-winner Riyadh Way [post 4, Heriberto Figueroa] and romping maiden winner Reza [post 6, Javier Castellano].

Alwaleed Thamer Alosaimi International Stables’ Riyadh Way overcame traffic trouble last out in the five-furlong Hollywood Beach on September 26 at Gulfstream Park. There, he was in seventh through the early stages under returning rider Heriberto Figueroa and was in need of room in the turn, but angled out wide to surge strongly in the lane and draw off impressively to the 1 3/4-length score over the good footing.

Moubarak said he was pleased to see Riyadh Way win from off the pace after a 4 1/4-length gate-to-wire maiden score on August 23 over the same course and distance.

“He was real professional, he sat and waited like we taught him in the mornings because we thought there was a lot of speed,” Moubarak said. “He sat, relaxed and made a nice move. He’s moved forward from that race and I’m hoping for a big run. The six furlongs should suit him perfect.”

The son of Karakontie was pre-entered to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint but was not selected to the field, and enters the Awad off a half-mile breeze on November 7 over Gulfstream’s Tapeta in 50 seconds flat.

“He’s versatile. He can go to the front, sit in the back, whatever you want him to do,” Moubarak said. “He’s professional.”

Riyadh Way was a $7,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Happy Joy Joy. His second dam is turf graded stakes-winner Auntie Joy.

MM Bloodstock’s Reza graduated in his five-furlong debut by eight lengths over the Gulfstream Tapeta in September, and followed with his first foray on grass when an even fifth under Jose Ortiz in an allowance tilt over the same distance on October 29 at Churchill Downs.

“He broke his maiden impressively on the Tapeta, and if it rains, it would be better for him. The six furlongs should suit him too,” Moubarak said. “He’s doing well and had an easy race at Churchill – he was pretty far behind and five furlongs is just too sharp for him. Jose Ortiz said he goes over the turf just fine.”

Also bred in Kentucky by Charles Fipke, the Tale of Silence gelding was a $22,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the Grade 1-placed Orb mare Pleasant Orb. His second dam is 2005 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Pleasant Home.

Trainer George Weaver sends out Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson and Andrew Adkisson’s Just Joe [post 1, Flavien Prat] off a fourth in the local six-furlong Grade 3 Futurity on October 3.

The Uncle Mo bay landed eighth in his August 8 unveiling going 1 1/16 miles at Saratoga, but relished a cutback to 6 1/2 furlongs to graduate from off the pace in a September 7 maiden tilt at Kentucky Downs. In the Futurity, he was 14 lengths off the pace through the first half-mile and improved his position willingly but belatedly to come up 6 1/4 lengths shy of the victorious Good to Be King.

The Grade 3-placed More Champagne [post 2, Edgard Zayas] takes on the boys in search of her first stakes victory in the Awad. Trained by Tom Morley, the Golden Pal bay filly enters from a 2 3/4-length third in the Grade 3 Matron, beaten by Saturday’s Stewart Manor contender Brickyard Belle and Harper’s Corner, who both ran in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint next.

More Champagne, campaigned by StarLadies Racing, West Paces Racing, Titletown Racing Stables and U Racing Stables, was previously off-the-board in the five-furlong Group 2 Queen Mary in June at Royal Ascot ahead of a fifth in the 5 1/2-furlong Listed Bolton Landing in August at Saratoga Race Course.

“She was probably a work short of where I wanted her when we ran back in Saratoga,” Morley said. “The timing from Ascot wasn’t ideal, but then we got a good clear run into the race at Belmont, and I think the additional half-furlong helped her. She ran very well, but was beaten by two fillies that went on to the Breeders’ Cup.”

On debut, More Champagne defeated next-out winner Shining Moment by 6 1/2 lengths sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on April 24 at Keeneland.

“We’ve asked a lot of her, but she’s continued to grow and level out,” said Morley. “I do think she’s put some weight on now, which is great. She’s filling out a bit behind. I think you’ll see an even better filly next year.”

The $100,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the winning Wildcat Heir mare Wildcat Gaze, a half-sister to stakes-winners April Gaze and Saratoga Treasure.

Completing the field are the 3-for-3 Metallican [post 3, Ruben Silvera] for trainer Jamie Ness, stakes-winners Arctic Wolf [post 9, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Jack Sisterson and Moneta Agenda [post 8, Jean Gregor Briceno] for trainer Joseph Murphy, and maiden-winner McMoon [post 7, Christopher Elliott], who makes his first start off the claim for trainer Chandradat Goberdhan.

The Awad is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s 10-race card, which includes the $175,000 Stewart Manor in Race 9. First post is 11:40 a.m. Eastern.

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Contact: Mary Eddy