And just like that, heavy rain forced postponement of the two top turf races before Saturday’s running of the $2 million Belmont Stakes (G1).
The $1 million Manhattan Stakes (G1) and the $500,000 Jaipur Stakes (G1), a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ race have been rescheduled for Sunday at Saratoga Race Course, where it’s been raining since Friday affecting Belmont Stakes odds.
The Jaipur was scheduled as race 9; the Manhattan as race 12, just before the 157th Belmont Stakes featuring Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism in a field of eight going 1 ¼ miles in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
The New York Racing Association also said four other turf races on the Belmont Stakes program have been moved to the main track – race 3, race 6, the Wonder Again (G3), race 10, the Pennine Ridge (G3), and race 14, an allowance optional claimer.
NYRA has published new wagering menu for Saturday’s races:
Post time for the Belmont Stakes is 7:04 p.m. (FOX Sports), and there’s a chance the rain stops, but the track will remain wet.
This could be more than just a two-horse race at the Spa, where the Belmont is being held for the second year in a row as Belmont Park undergoes reconstruction.
The Belmont Stakes odds are changing throughout the day and currently Journalism is the favorite, with Baeza, a strong closing third in the Derby, the second choice, ahead of Sovereignty.
There’s also trainer Bob Baffert’s Rodriguez), who missed the Derby and the Preakness with a foot issue, and likely will try for the lead and go gate-to-wire. No matter what, it’s always tough to bet against a Hall of Famer – with Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith aboard, no less – who has won a record 17 Triple Crown races (six Derbys, eight Preakness, three Belmonts), including two Triple Crowns (American Pharoah, 2015; Justify, 2018).
Perhaps overlooked is Hill Road, who won the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Brown. For those who bet horse racing, he may be worth a wager, especially at double digits.
Brash New York billionaire Mike Repole is in the mix, too, sending out previously all-but-unknown Uncaged (30-1) to run in his first stakes race. Trained by four-time Belmont Stakes winner Todd Pletcher, Uncaged doesn’t seem to have the credentials to be a serious contender. However, he’s won twice, both over muddy tracks, including his career debut at Saratoga.
Last week, when it looked like the field would be six horses, Repole posted on X: “Could be a 6 horse field. 5 vet scratches away from winning the Belmont Stakes!!!!! Should we run Uncaged in the Belmont Stakes???”
Pletcher also sends out Crudo (15-1), co-owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay. This colt won the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard and is making just his fourth start.
Finally, there’s Heart of Honor (30-1), an England-bred who finished sixth in the Preakness after coming over from his home base in Dubai, where he ran second to Admire Daytona, who ran in the Derby and finished last of 19.
The last time the Belmont was run on an ‘off-track,’ 24-1 longshot Ruler On Ice edged Stay Thirsty by three-quarters of a length over a sloppy/sealed track.
A look at the reduced undercard races:
$1 million Metropolitan Handicap (post time 3:17 p.m., race 8)
Fierceness, the 2023 2-year-old champion and winner of the Alysheba Stakes (G2) on May 2, is the even-money favorite in a five-horse field. Top challengers are White Abarrio, the 2023 BC Classic winner and 2-for-2 this year, the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and the Ghostzapper Stakes (G3); Just a Touch (winner of his last two for trainer Brad Cox); and Raging Torrent (Godolphin Mile winner).
The winner earns an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in November as part of the “Win and You’re In’’ series.
$500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (post time 5:28 p.m., race 11)
Chancer McPatrick is the 4-1 favorite Baffert’s Citizen Bull, the 2024 2-year-old champion who finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby after breaking from the rail. Also running is Neoequos, 13th in the Derby, and Madaket Road, second in the Pat Day Mile (G2).
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
