NYRA Press Office

The legacy and importance to the sporting public intrinsically links the three legs of the Triple Crown. With Saturday’s 147th running of the Grade 1 Preakness at famed Pimlico Race Course, a plethora of media attention turned to the connection the middle jewel has with the upcoming Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 11.

NYRA Press Office

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sent a number of his stars to breeze over the dirt training track Friday in preparation for engagements at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, including Mo Donegal for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

NYRA Press Office

​ ​When Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Highland Chief emerged from post 5 in Saturday’s Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont Park, he was the longest shot on the board at odds of 19-1. The long odds didn’t faze Trevor McCarthy, who confidently piloted the Graham Motion-trained son of Gleneagles to a one-length score and earn the first Grade 1 triumph of his career.

NYRA Press Office

​Under cloudy skies and temperatures in the low-to-mid 60s in the Elmont area on Friday morning, Klaravich Stables’ Early Voting put together his final serious preparations for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.5 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

NYRA Press Office

​Trainer Chad Brown may not have returned to New York from Kentucky Derby weekend with a garland of roses, but he did come back to the Empire State with multiple graded stakes victories in both states. And many of last weekend’s stakes heroes could make their next starts during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

NYRA Press Office

​Godolphin homebred Yibir, winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Del Mar, landed in New York early Sunday morning for Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older horses, at Belmont Park.