New York Stakes at Belmont Park

Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 2 New York Stakes comes our way this Saturday, June 30th from Belmont Park in New York. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will race 1 ¼ miles on Belmont’s inner turf track in search of their share of the $200,000 purse.

A strong field of six entries have been named for the New York Stakes including the top four finishers from the recent Sheepshead Stakes, plus one Main Track Only entrant. The New York Stakes is race 9 on Belmont’s Saturday card with a post time of 5:06 PM. Here is a look at the impressive field and the recent results that brought them to this Grade 2 event.

Aruna – had a very productive 2011 with a second in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes last May, a win in the Grade 3 Edward P. Evans All Along Stakes in June, a second in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes in July and a win in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes in October. Last time out Aruna broke a bit of a slump with an impressive win in the Grade 2 New York Stakes on this track in May. Her other two results of 2012 however have been less than spectacular – a fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November and a sixth in her only start this year in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes. Based on Aruna’s last start she has to be the favorite in the New York Stakes.

Hit It Rich – finished second most recently to Aruna in the Sheepshead and has won three of her last five starts – a second in the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes on February 11th being her only other blemish in the last eight months. Her wins include an Allowance at Keeneland, the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap in November and most recently the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream on March 31st.

Principal Role – made her US debut with a decent third in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes at Belmont on May 5th after success in her native England and then followed it up most recently with a third in the Sheepshead to two of the favorites in the New York Stakes. Principle Role won two of her last three races in England and has five wins, one second and five third place finishes in 15 career starts.

New York Stakes betting at Belmont Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Banimpire – will make her North American debut after a decent career in Europe. She has seven wins, a second and three third place finishes in 16 career starts but hasn’t won since August of last year.

Mystical Star – won an Allowance race last time out on April 21st at Keeneland in her first race since July of last year -a seventh in the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks. Mystical Star followed up her Allowance score with a very disappointing eighth last time out in the Sheepshead. She is not all that competitive in graded stakes races – an eighth, a seventh and a fifth in her last three graded stakes tries.

The Underling – is coming off a third place finish last time out in the Heatherten Stakes here on May 2nd – her best finish in over a year. The Underling has just three wins, a second and two third place finishes in 14 career starts.

Acting Happy has been listed as a Main Track Only entry for the race.

Race 9 on Belmont Park’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:06 PM.