Belmont Stakes Racing Festival contenders settling in at Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track

• Belmont Stakes Racing Festival contenders settling in at Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track
• Talk to Me Jimmy has local experience for G3 Peter Pan
• Gratefully works for G2 Intercontinental
• Just Philtored a top contender off the layoff in $150K Take the A Train

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A strong group of some of racing’s top performers have made their way to Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma training track in advance of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival slated for June 3-7 at the iconic upstate New York racetrack.

Highlighted by the 158th edition of the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 6, the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will include 10 Grade 1 races among 18 graded stakes across five days of world class competition. For more information and to buy tickets, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont-stakes/.

Leading the group is Grade 1 Arkansas Derby-winner and recent Grade 1 Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade, who arrived in Saratoga on Wednesday for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The son of Into Mischief returned to the track on Thursday, and again on Friday morning for some light exercise in his first on-track appearances since finishing a neck second to Golden Tempo in the “Run for the Roses” last Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Renegade is in Saratoga to prepare for an intended start in the 10-furlong Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 6.

“He got back to the track yesterday and seems to be in good form,” Pletcher said. “He seemed to bounce out of it [the Derby] well and shipped nicely. He’s probably enjoying the cooler weather. He’ll have a couple breezes between now and the Belmont, and I haven’t really firmed up anything. We’ll monitor him this week and see how he does.”

Campaigned by Robert Low, Lawana Low and Repole Stable, Renegade was an emphatic four-length winner of the Arkansas Derby on March 28 at Oaklawn Park, an effort that earned him morning-line favoritism in the Kentucky Derby.

Renegade emerged from the inside post in the field of 18 as the second choice and endured a troubled start when bumped by squeezing rivals and pushed down further to the rail under Irad Ortiz, Jr. He tracked in 15th position at the three-quarters call and steadily made up ground while weaving through rivals and swinging wide into the lane and enduring more bumping. He took dead aim at the embattled pair of Danon Bourbon and Ocelli and reeled in those foes in the final sixteenth, but Golden Tempo was right on his flank after his bid from last and got his neck down over Renegade in the shadow of the wire.

Pletcher said he was proud of Renegade’s effort after the trouble he endured.

“He was super game, and it was just unfortunate he got bounced around a bit,” Pletcher said. “He still finished great.”

Renegade would likely face a rematch with the Cherie DeVaux-trained Golden Tempo in the Belmont, and potentially Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Chief Wallabee, who is also in Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

“We always love the Belmont, and we’re excited for him, and just hoping everything goes smoothly,” said Pletcher, who has won the Belmont Stakes four times with the filly Rags to Riches [2007], Palace Malice [2013], Tapwrit [2017] and Mo Donegal [2022]. 

In the older male division, Pletcher has Centennial Farms’ Grade 1-winner Antiquarian to look forward to in top events later this summer following a dominant 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Westchester on Sunday at Belmont at the Big A.

A 5-year-old son of the Centennial Farms-campaigned Preservationist, Antiquarian made his seasonal bow off a six-month respite in the one-turn mile Westchester. He stalked the pace in third-of-4 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and pounced to the lead with ease, drawing off in the lane to score comfortably in a final time of 1:35.42. He earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.

“I’m very happy with his comeback,” said Pletcher, who added the chestnut is in good order after the effort. “It puts him in position for a lot of options.”

Pletcher said those options include the 10-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban presented by Subourbon Life on July 4 at the Spa – a race he finished second in by a head last year – or the Grade 1, $1 million Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap, run from Saratoga’s Wilson Chute, on June 6 Belmont Stakes Day. The Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 27 at Churchill Downs is also among the options for Antiquarian, who is stabled at Belmont Park.

“We’ll just play it by ear,” Pletcher concluded.

Also under consideration for the Met Mile and Stephen Foster is Disruptor, who finished second to the Japan-based T O Elvis in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on the Derby undercard. The 4-year-old Gun Runner chestnut earned a 101 Beyer for the rallying 3 1/4-length second.

Aside from Belmont Stakes hopefuls, Saratoga is currently hosting a number of other popular horses, including this year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winner Always a Runner for five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown. The daughter of Gun Runner arrived in Saratoga on Tuesday and has since visited the training track for light exercise.

Brown’s lofty Saratoga contingent is led by a number of Grade 1-winners, including Zulu Kingdom, Segesta, Salamis and Spirit of St Louis, the latter of which worked a solo half-mile in 50.08 seconds on Friday in his first move since finishing second in a state-bred optional claimer on April 24 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

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Talk to Me Jimmy has local experience for G3 Peter Pan

SEI Thoroughbreds, Michael Imperio and trainer Rudy Rodriguez’s New York-bred Talk to Me Jimmy has made all four starts at the site of Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan, a nine-furlong route for sophomores, at Belmont at the Big A.

The Peter Pan is the traditional New York prep for the 10-furlong Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets slated for Saturday, June 6 at Saratoga Race Course. The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will waive entry and starting fees to the Belmont Stakes for the first three finishers of the Peter Pan.

The Modernist bay wired the Listed Withers by 11 lengths over course and distance on February 6. He exited to finish off-the-board when pressing the pace last out in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4 – a race that saw Grade 1-winner Napoleon Solo and Talk to Me Jimmy blitz three-quarters in 1:12.04.

“That pace was very hot, especially with 1:12,” said Rodriguez. “That pace at a mile and an eighth is pretty hard. We regrouped a little bit and took it from there.”

Rodriguez said Talk to Me Jimmy is doing well as he looks to rebound.

“He looks like he is coming up to this race in good shape. He hasn’t missed anything since we ran in the Wood Memorial,” Rodriguez said. “That outcome, we were expecting a little bit more out of him, but he seems like he’s doing well, so we are going to keep shooting for the moon, and hopefully we land in the stars.”

Manny Franco, aboard Talk to Me Jimmy’s first two starts including a pacesetting second-out graduation going a one-turn mile versus fellow state-breds in November, has the call from post 5, tabbed at odds of 9-5. It was previously reported by Daily Racing Form that Bull by the Horns [post 4] is expected to scratch for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

“We will leave the trip up to Manny,” Rodriguez said. “We got an outside post, so we should be able to break good, get ourselves in a good position, maybe he’ll be a little wide into the first turn, but if he goes without fighting, I think we’ll be OK.”

The Peter Pan is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 11-race card which also features the Grade 3, $175,000 John A. Nerud in Race 6, the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian in Race 7, and the $150,000 Take the A Train in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.   

In Race 2 on Saturday’s undercard, SEI Thoroughbreds and Rodriguez send out Exhibition Only in a 1 1/16-mile turf optional claimer. After three consecutive turf starts to cap his juvenile campaign, the Complexity bay returned on dirt as a sophomore in February here and dominated a one-turn mile maiden optional claimer by 7 3/4-lengths over next-out winner Gulfy, who is entered in the Peter Pan for Rodriguez’s brother Gustavo.

Exhibition Only exited his win for a fourth in the one-turn mile Grade 3 Gotham about three weeks later here, ahead of a last-out distant finish in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Lexington on April 11 at Keeneland.

“This spot, our goal was to bring him back to the grass. At Keeneland, we were trying to take a chance, and it didn’t work, so I think this is a good spot for him,” Rodriguez said. “He ran good on the grass last year, but they gave him a good figure for his win on dirt [83 Beyer Speed Figure]. Then he got a very wide trip in the Gotham, but never stopped running, so we gave him another chance on dirt in the Lexington. Now, we regroup and take it from here.”

 

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Gratefully works for G2 Intercontinental

Adelphi Racing Club, Shelly Hume and Russell Hume’s undefeated Gratefully worked a half-mile in 49.12 seconds Tuesday over the Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for a start in the Grade 2, $250,000 Intercontinental, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares on June 4 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Rob Falcone, Jr., the 4-year-old Laoban dark bay was making her first work back since being scratched from the Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway on April 12 at Keeneland with a foot bruise.

“She’s doing good. She was 85 percent sound the next day after the scratch and two days after the race she was 100 percent sound,” Falcone, Jr. said. “She worked real good. She came out of it perfect so we’re back on track now. She has a very good mindset. In the mornings, she’s on her toes. She likes training and does everything right, like a good horse does.”

The $155,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, out of the dual graded stakes-winning More than Ready mare Selflessly, is perfect through five starts, beginning with a six-length romp in an off-the-turf maiden claiming sprint over sloppy and sealed footing in August at the Spa while in the care of Ray Handal.

She subsequently moved to Falcone, Jr.’s barn and completed her sophomore season with a pair of wins at Belmont at the Big A, besting optional-claimers in an off-the-turf starter sprint contested on muddy and sealed footing in September and following one month later with a nose score in a six-furlong optional-claimer on firm turf.

Gratefully shipped to the West Coast to kick off her current campaign with a pair of six-furlong turf sprints at Santa Anita Park, stalking and pouncing to a 3 3/4-length score under Umberto Rispoli in an optional-claimer on January 8 before a determined frontrunning head score under Florent Geroux in the restricted Wishing Well on February 21. The two efforts in California were awarded matching career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figures.

Falcone, Jr. said Gratefully’s tactical speed will be beneficial as she takes on graded company for the first time.

“When we had Umberto working her in California, we thought she would actually be better having a target,” Falcone, Jr. said. “We had that chance once with her and it was arguably one of her best races. She sat off of them and when she kicked, she kicked and won big on the grass which you don’t see very often. She did it with ease.

“But, when she rockets out of there from the gate you can’t really do anything about it,” he continued. “Last time, with Flo, she was the favorite and rocketed out of there. You don’t want to take anything away from them. It’s cool to have a versatile filly that seems like she can do anything.”

Falcone, Jr. said Gratefully is enjoying her time at the Spa.

“She’s won up here and is training great up here. She knew where she was when she got off the van. It took her not even a day to acclimate,” he said.

Falcone, Jr. will send out a promising sophomore New York-bred in King Farro in Race 3 here on Sunday – a one-turn mile maiden on the main track for state-breds 3-years-old and up.

The King for a Day bay debuted in October here, finishing a 2 1/4-length third in a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred maiden in which eventual stakes-placed Wamo crossed the wire first, a head in front of $750,000 2-year-old in training purchase Pantherian. Wamo was disqualified and placed second for herding his rival but did graduate next out.

“I liked him a lot that day. The main thing is I thought he’d want to go longer. He’s a big, good-looking, solid horse. He’ll gallop all day,” Falcone, Jr. said.

King Farro was gelded in November and turned out in advance of his sophomore campaign. He has worked consistently over the Belmont Park dirt training track for his return, including a bullet half-mile breeze from the gate in 47 seconds flat on April 25.

“He breezed from the gate so the times can be a bit quicker, but he went in 47, out five-eighths in 59 and change and kept galloping out in 1:12 and change, and 1:26 flat,” Falcone, Jr. said. “He didn’t get tired. He just keeps that speed all the way through his work and on the Belmont training track – even from the gate – to keep going and galloping out at that clip is pretty good. I’m excited to see how he runs.”

Falcone, Jr. said King Farro, whose third dam is 2004 Grade 1 Frizette-winner Balletto, benefitted from the time off.

“I liked him a lot last year and this year I love him. He grew up, filled out and he looks incredible. I’m excited to see him run,” Falcone, Jr. said.

Falcone, Jr. noted that Flying P Stable’s fan favorite graded stakes-winner Baby Yoda has been enjoying a little down time at David Cannizzo’s Mountain View Farm in Gansevoort, just outside of Saratoga.

The 8-year-old Prospective gelding was last seen finishing second in an optional-claiming sprint on January 23 at the Big A from which he was provided a ride back to the barn area in the equine ambulance. Falcone, Jr. noted after the race that Baby Yoda was immediately examined and cooled out well.

Baby Yoda has banked in excess of $1 million through a 35-11-5-4 ledger, including five wins at Saratoga topped by a six-length romp in the 2024 Grade 2 True North and a 2021 allowance score that earned a lofty 114 Beyer. He has won at least one race at Saratoga in four of his five years of racing.

“I just saw him yesterday after training. He’s doing phenomenal. We gave him a little rest to get ready for the Saratoga meet,” Falcone, Jr. said. “He’s doing great. We just gave him a little freshen up.”

 

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Just Philtored a top contender off the layoff in $150K Take the A Train

Red White and Blue Racing and Elliot Campbell’s Just Philtored will launch her sophomore campaign in Saturday’s $150,000 Take the A Train, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for sophomore fillies, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Michael Trombetta, the Great Notion bay returns to turf after three dirt starts at Laurel Park following a fifth in the Grade 3 Matron over Saturday’s course and distance in October. Just Philtored was most recently second in the seven-furlong Gin Talking in December there.

“We gave her a bit of a break over the winter months to freshen her, and she’s done really well,” Trombetta said. “I think a little bit of time did her some good. She should be fresh and ready to go, I hope.”

During her 4-for-7 juvenile campaign, Just Philtored won the Keswick on dirt and Dolley Madison on turf, both restricted events in August at Colonial Downs. She also captured the state-bred Maryland Juvenile Filly on dirt in December at Laurel, once again returning within the month for her aforementioned effort in the Gin Talking.

“I’ve seen her do well on both surfaces. For a while, I thought she was maybe a little better on turf, but then she ran some really good races on dirt,” said Trombetta. “She’s one of the few horses that I have that looks like can run on either surface.”

Mychel Sanchez rides from post 7, tabbed at morning-line odds of 5-1.

“He’s been working her. He’s worked her the last three or four times, and he’s been very happy with her breezes,” Trombetta said. “She’s a pretty versatile type of horse. He’ll have options. If they’re running fast, he can be patient. If not, he can push things along.”

Trombetta also updated on Live Oak Plantation’s Florida homebred Ultimate Love, who was scratched due to rainy conditions from the Listed $150,000 Memories of Silver, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, on April 22 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“We were just apprehensive to ship there not knowing whether the race would stay on the turf or not, and we knew if it did, it would be rather soft,” Trombetta said. “We decided that we are going to wait until Preakness Weekend.”

Trombetta confirmed Ultimate Love is targeting the $125,000 Hilltop for sophomore fillies on May 15 at Laurel Park.