Awad Stakes – Race 8 at Belmont – Post Time 3:12 PM
Top Win Contender(s): Reza, Titan Ready, Riyadh Way
This race is scheduled for turf, but if it isn’t, it will be run on the all-weather track at Belmont. Reza won his first career race on all-weather (which was moved from turf). He was fifth at the first quarter, moved to fourth, was four lengths behind after the half pole, and was a half-length behind at the eighth pole; then he exploded to win by eight lengths. In his only other start, Reza didn’t have the same kick, and the winner led from the start, yet he was only beaten three lengths. His Equibase Speed Figure improved to 85, one of the top figures in this field. In this field, at least three horses will try to get the lead, which helps Reza at the finish. In his last race, Reza had the fastest speed in the eighth of the race, running 38.7 miles per hour (per GPS). Whether this race is run on turf or all-weather, Reza has a big shot.
Titan Ready has early speed, as he did when he won his most recent race and when he finished second in his first two races. However, the race I think he will run today was one race back (August 27), when jockey Manny Franco rode him for the first time, but not in his last race, and he is riding him today. That race was the Skidmore Stakes, similar to the Awad, when he rallied from fourth to finish second, with the winner leading from the start. One race before that, Title Ready was privately purchased even though he was a maiden, and he moved to trainer Brad Cox when he won his first race. In his last two races, Title Ready earned 85 figures and has a big chance to be part of the exacta at least.
Riyadh Way is trained by Tareq Moubarak, who also saddles Reza. Riyadh Way won both his turf races, his two recent, including the Hollywood Beach Stakes where he rallied from seventh and, despite being held up in traffic, surged ahead to win by nearly three lengths. His best figure was 78. He is one of three horses in this field to have won a stakes race; the other two are Arctic Wolf (one of the early pace horses) and Moneta Agenda (who won in a state-bred stakes). If the pace is fast, Riyadh Way could also win.
Handicapper Picks
Win bets: Reza, Titan Ready at odds of 5 to 2 or higher.
Riyadh Way at odds of 7 to 2 or higher.
Doubles:
Race 8: Reza, Titan Ready, Riyadh Way
Race 9: Pink Venom, Brickyard Belle, Yuquot, Fanshell Beach
Stewart Manor Stakes – Race 9 at Belmont – Post Time 3:43 PM
Top Win Contender(s): Pink Venom, Brickyard Belle, Yuquot, Fanshell Beach
Pink Venom has won three straight races in Ireland, all handicaps. All three wins came at six furlongs, the same as this Stewart Manor, and in each race, she won going away. Top European trainer John Murtagh uses Jamie Spencer, who has won once in the U.S. in the past year. Her last three races earned excellent Equibase Speed Figures (94, 91 and 92), making Pink Venom the horse to beat.
Brickyard Belle ran just two weeks ago, finishing 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. In that race, she faced males, but her two other wins were against females, as in this race. She won her other two races, including her first start, when she rallied from fourth, five lengths behind, then winning by four and one-half lengths. She won the Grade 3 Matron Stakes on October 3, at this inner turf course at Belmont, when she rallied from fifth at the eighth pole, three lengths behind, and put an excellent kick. Brickyard Belle should rebound in this race.
Yuquot is also a European import, but her record is 1-1-2 in six races, compared to Pink Venom’s 3-0-2 in six races. However, Yuquot is moving down in class with her last two races in the Group 3 Six Perfections Stakes and in the Group 2 Prix du Calvados. In spite of finishing fifth and third, she earned the best figures of 99 and 101. She is still with her owners, Wertheimer and Frere, and is moving to trainer Joe Sharp, and most importantly, she has red-hot jockey Flavien Prat. Her most recent workout was 47.6 at four furlongs, the best of 32 on the day. Yuquot has a shot to run well.
Fanshell Beach won her career start in April by five lengths, earning a 90 figure. That race earned her a start in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, the premier race of the spring in Europe. Fanshell Beach disputed the lead and led by one furlong out, but she weakened to finish fifth in the 21-horse field. She then came to the states and won the Riverside Rush Stakes on August 1. Her last race was October 4 in the Grade 3 Indian Summer Stakes, where she started eighth and was beaten by just one length, earning a 90 figure. All four of her races were against males. This will be her first start against females.
Handicapper Picks
Win bets: Pink Venom, Brickyard Belle at odds of 5 to 2 or higher.
Yuquot, Fanshell Beach at odds of 4 to 1 or higher.
Exactas:
Box Pink Venom, Brickyard Belle, Yuquot, Fanshell Beach
The Thirty Eight Go Go – Race 9 at Laurel – Post Time 3:51 PM Eastern
Top Win Contender(s): Dazzling Move, Waveless
Other contender: Especially
Dazzling Move has won and finished second in her two most recent races. She hadn’t won in 18 months before that, but she had one win and finished second three times from January through July 2025, including the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes when she earned a career-best 98 Equibase Speed Figure. Then she ran in straight in seven races and did poorly. But she rebounded one back on September 3 when she was second for the first seven furlongs and then pulled away. That race marked a trainer change to John Ortiz, who retired shortly thereafter.
The new trainer, David Carlos, had Dazzling Move rise in class to the Silver Creek Stakes on October 10, where she led from the start and finished second, beaten by less than one length. In that race, she earned a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 102, the best of any horse in the field. In the Silver Creek, she started slow, running sixth in the first few yards, yet she got the lead shortly after. In today’s race, Amalfi Drive is likely to take the lead and is inside Dazzling Move, so Dazzling Move should maintain the same second early position she held in her recent win. She is in form and should run to win a big race.
Waveless and Especially are trained by Brittany Russell, who has won 33% of her races at Laurel this meeting, and she won 22% (of 151) stakes since 2025. Waveless finished second in the Twixt Stakes on October 3, her second race since changing to Russell. Waveless also finished second by a neck one race back in the Maggie L. Walker Stakes in July, and in both her recent races she earned 97 figures. She moved to Pletcher for training, but Mike Repole still owns her. Waveless is a four-year-old and has more to do.
Especially is also a four-year-old, whereas Dazzling Move is a five-year-old. Especially has two wins in five races since Russell took over her. Her first win was in April by nearly eight lengths after an eight-month layoff. Especially had odds of five to one in the Twixt, versus 8 to 5 for her stablemate, and Especially was also hindered by the pace in that race by the lone frontrunner. Her last three races earned 93 figures, so she still has room to improve. Especially also has a shot.
Handicapper Picks
Win bets: Dazzling Move, Waveless at odds of 5 to 2 or higher.
Especially at odds of 7 to 2 or higher
Exactas:
Box Dazzling Move, Waveless, Especially