Tag: Met Mile

Flightline soared to a six-length victory in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, remaining undefeated and cementing his reputation as the best horse in North America. Image: Susie Raisher)

Slow Start? So What for Undefeated Flightline in His Met Mile Cruise

This time, courtesy of a slow break, Flightline managed “only” a six-length victory in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. But his reputation as a superhorse is alive and quite well. The latest convert? Jockey Junior Alvarado, who rode 2.75/1 second choice Speaker’s Corner to third in the Met Mile, one […]

Flightline clocked yet another bullet workout last Sunday at Santa Anita Park. He returns as the 3/5 morning line favorite for Saturday's Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. (Image: Zoe Metz Photography)

Flightline Plus Speaker’s Corner Equals a Memorable Met Mile

When Flavien Prat hopped off Flightline last December, after he had just dismantled the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes by 11 1/2 lengths, the veteran jockey had what could be described as a religious experience. As any jockey can tell you when they’ve ridden a superhorse, the words sometimes don’t come […]

The New York Racing Association offers several two-day wagers over its Friday and Belmont Stakes Day Saturday cards. (Image: NYRA Photo)

NYRA Betting Horseplayers Will Like These Two-Day Wagers

With a two-day Pick 6 as its centerpiece, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) unveiled a smorgasbord of special wagers for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival that begins Thursday. NYRA rolled out six two-day wagers that encompass the Festival’s biggest races. There are 17 stakes races over the three days, […]

Jockey Luis Saez revels in Essential Quality's 2021 Belmont Stakes victory. That Triple Crown finale is one of eight Grade 1s on Belmont Park's June 11 card. (Image: NYRA Photo)

Come for the Belmont Stakes, Stay for Seven Other Grade 1s in One Day

The biggest one-day collection of Grade 1 races outside of the Breeders’ Cup comes June 11 at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Belmont Park. The New York track will play host to eight Grade 1s that day, headlined by the third leg of the Triple Crown – the 154th […]

Superstar sprinter Flightline will race next Feb. 5 in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita. (Image: Ernie Belmonte)

Next race for Super Sprinter Flightline: The February 5 San Carlos Stakes

The question on when standout sprinter Flightline would run again got answered on Sunday when trainer John Sadler said he’d run in the Feb. 5 Grade 2 San Carlos at Santa Anita. The seven-furlong San Carlos fits Sadler’s early-season itinerary. It also allows the son of Tapit to stay home, […]

Tiz the Law's 2020 Belmont Stakes victory came in front of empty stands at Belmont Park. NYRA has the go-ahead to sell tickets at 20% capacity to the Belmont Stakes and the rest of its Spring Meet. (Image: AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Cuomo Green-Lights Fans at NYRA Racetracks Starting April 23

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo caught the New York Racing Association by surprise on Wednesday when he announced fans could return to the state’s racetracks as early as April 23. That’s one day after Belmont Park’s Spring Meet opens. According to Cuomo’s edict, attendance at the three NYRA tracks, Belmont […]

The 153rd Belmont Stakes moves back to 1 1/2 miles and its early June starting date. It headlines a massive day of racing at Belmont Park June 5. (Image: Chelsea Durand/NYRA/Coglianese Photos)

Belmont Stakes Headlines NYRA’s Belmont Park Stakes Schedule

With the Belmont Stakes headlining eight Grade 1 races that day, Belmont Park will play host to one of the biggest days in American racing on Saturday, June 5. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced Belmont Park’s Spring/Summer Meet stakes schedule, which features 11 Grade 1 races among 59 […]

Vekoma won the Met Mile as the 5/2 second-favorite. He is one of the top older horses in the country, with a stud career at Spendthrift Farm awaiting him after this year. (Image: Eclipse Sportswire)

Spendthrift Farm Adds Sizzling Vekoma to Already Deep Stud Stable

Spendthrift Farm acquired the breeding rights to its third Met Mile winner in the last four years when it secured stud privileges to multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma. Spendthrift, the famous Kentucky breeding farm owned by billionaire B. Wayne Hughes, the founder and chairman of Public Storage, adds perhaps the […]

One of the most underrated horses in the country, Vekoma splashed home to win the Carter Handicap by 7 1/4 lengths last month. The competition increases dramatically in Saturday's Met Mile at Belmont Park. (Image: NYRA)

Meet the Many Contenders in the Met Mile

The beauty for horseplayers and horse racing fans alike in Saturday’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Stakes, popularly known as the Met Mile, is the variety of runners meeting in the Belmont Park starting gate for a one-turn mile. Sprinters? They’re there with Vekoma, Hog Creek Hustle and Network Effect. Routers? How […]

Given his advantages, pedigree and training, betting on Tacitus makes sense on paper. But the Tapit progeny is without a win in 15 months. (Image: Seth Wenig/AP)

Tacitus Brings Everything to the Track — Except Winning Tickets

You can say many things about Tacitus, your 9/5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s Grade 2 $200,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. You can call him a disappointment — $2.7 million in earnings aside. You can say the 4-year-old Tapit progeny should own more than three victories in 11 career […]

Because the horse bears the name of his late friend Brad McKinzie, Bob Baffert takes special pride when McKinzie wins races like last year's Whitney. He will be one to watch in Saturday's Met Mile at Belmont Park. (Image: NYRA Photo)

McKinzie, Baffert Carry a Special Bond Into Every Race

To Bob Baffert, Saturday’s Grade 1 Met Mile at Belmont Park is more than one of the top older-horse races on Belmont Park’s summer calendar. To the Hall of Fame trainer, watching McKinzie seek history in one of the most historic races on the East Coast means more than another […]