Belmont Park hosts major Grade 1 horse racing stakes

Belmont Park is hosting a series of high-stakes horse racing events, including several Grade 1 races with significant implications for the Breeders’ Cup and Kentucky Derby qualifying.

In the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1), Minaret Station, trained by William Walden and ridden by José Ortiz, secured a victory over favorites Pride of Arras (IRE) and El Cordobes (IRE). The race, contested over 1.5 miles, saw Minaret Station overcome a stumble to finish with a time of 2:28.18.

The upcoming racing schedule features the Frizette Stakes (G1) and the Champagne Stakes. In the Frizette Stakes, Libby Lloyd, a daughter of Into Mischief trained by Chad Brown, is a top contender for the $500,000 race, which offers a direct bid to the Breeders' Cup and points toward the Kentucky Oaks.

The Champagne Stakes, returning to Belmont Park after four years at Aqueduct, features a field of six juveniles competing for a $500,000 purse and Kentucky Derby qualifying points. U. S. S. Valor is noted as a top pick for this one-mile dirt race.