Meet the Contenders: 2024 Belmont Stakes
Mystik Dan holds off Sierra Leone (outside) and Forever Young (middle) in a thrilling 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs (Photo by Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com)
June 4th, 2024
Meet the horses running in the 2024 Belmont S. (G1) at Saratoga. For each horse, we're listing a pro, a con, and a rating of potential. The star rating of 1 to 5 represents opportunity to perform well. Be sure to follow these contenders by adding them to your stable alerts.
Seize the Grey wins the 2024 Preakness S. at Pimlico (Photo by Horsephotos.com)
#1 Seize the Grey ***
Pro: Pulled off surprise in Preakness (G1) and chances perhaps enhanced if track wet again.
Con: Record is less stellar when he has a lot of ground to make up.
#5 Seize the Grey storms through to win the Pat Day Mile @ChurchillDowns at odds of 9/1!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) May 4, 2024
Jockey: Jaime Torres
Trainer: D Wayne Lukas
Owner: @MyRacehorse
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/JJ6sjAL6Zj
Resilience winning the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct (Photo by Coglianese Photos)
#2 Resilience ***
Pro: Sixth in Kentucky Derby after making early move; possibly capable of better.
Con: Seemingly a cut below based on Kentucky Derby (G1), Risen Star (G2) placings.
A pace-tracking trip carried Resilience to a 2 1/4-length win in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct, stamping the bay colt as a viable Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.#KyDerby150 #PedigreeProfile ⬇️ https://t.co/EkFzVPpMFg
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 8, 2024
Mystik Dan (right), Forever Young (middle), and Sierra Leone (left) delivered the closest finish in Kentucky Derby history (Photo by Horsephotos.com)
#3 Mystik Dan ****
Pro: Derby hero ran a good race in Preakness behind loose-on-the-lead rival.
Con: Just lasted at Churchill and others likely a bit more comfortable going 10 furlongs.
#3 Mystik Dan takes the 150th Kentucky Derby! #KentuckyDerby150 #KYDerby150
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) May 4, 2024
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/hYbi8AghlB
The Wine Steward is one of the top progeny by Vino Rosso in 2023. (Photo by Coady Photography)
#4 The Wine Steward **
Pro: Consistency a huge plus and rarely gets beaten by much.
Con: Two of his three wins have been against NY-breds and hasn’t yet won beyond six furlongs.
A battle to the end and #6 The Wine Steward stays undefeated in the Funny Cide S. at Saratoga! 🍷
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 27, 2023
Mike Maker trains the 2-year-old colt by @spendthriftfarm stallion Vino Rosso. Manny Franco was up.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/rcEZ9vJyHf
Antiquarian (Photo by Hodges Photography)
#5 Antiquarian **
Pro: Took a step forward in winning Peter Pan (G3) and better sure to come.
Con: Like others, has some class questions to answer.
Antiquarian won the Peter Pan on Saturday at Belmont at the Big A and that earned him the honors of TS Stable Alerts Horse of the Week!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) May 14, 2024
Click the link below to add him to your stable and get notified every time he runs again!#NeverMissAWinner ⤵️ https://t.co/ZwBc1l4UTj pic.twitter.com/Sal3uSi3Z8
Dornoch breaking his maiden at Keeneland (Photo by Keeneland Photos)
#6 Dornoch **
Pro: Pace player was taken out of his game right away in Derby; will take these as far as he can.
Con: Seemingly better suited for shorter races than this.
WHAT A FINISH! 🤩
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) December 2, 2023
#3 Dornoch fights back on the inside to grab 10 #KentuckyDerby points in the G2 Remsen S. at Aqueduct! 🌹
The FULL brother to Mage is trained by @garganracing and ridden by @luissaezpty.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/ScGP08aqCr
Valentine Candy and Protective lead the pack (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
#7 Protective **
Pro: Connections exude confidence in him by taking a shot, despite his maiden status.
Con: Will need several of the more obvious players to have an off day.
VALENTINE CANDY 🇺🇸 hijo de JUSTIFY, de punta a punta en prueba de debutantes dosañeros de 6F en Saratoga.
— Luis E. Caraballo G. (@luis_ernestocg) July 22, 2023
Costó $250.000 en Fasig-Tipton octubre 2022.
Montó Ricardo Santana para Steve Asmussen.
2° PROTECTIVE
3° ANNOINTED
📽️ @TwinSpirespic.twitter.com/o2HCChFDt5
Honor Marie winning the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Photography)
#8 Honor Marie ***
Pro: Endured a rough trip in the Kentucky Derby and benefits from a smaller field here.
Con: No one factor suggests that he will outrun Sierra Leone this time, for one.
#2 Honor Marie comes from off the pace to win the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club S. at 8/1 at for trainer Whit Beckman with Rafael Bejarano in the irons! 🏆
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 25, 2023
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/cWQkYK8JEo
Sierra Leone wins the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland (Photo by Coady Media)
#9 Sierra Leone *****
Pro: Narrowly denied in Kentucky Derby after eventful stretch run; looks the one to beat.
Con: Tendency to not maintain straight course a potential concern in a tight battle.
Next stop: Kentucky Derby for SIERRA LEONE! 🌹
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 6, 2024
SIERRA LEONE takes the G1 Blue Grass S. at Keeneland! 🏆 @tyler_gaff pic.twitter.com/ai6eaHtBNM
Mindframe wins at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)
Mindframe ****
Pro: Dominating winner in both starts, albeit in overnight company.
Con: Concedes crucial stakes experience against most of the best in the crop.
#11 Mindframe demolishes the field in Race 3 @ChurchillDowns as the 2/5 favorite!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) May 4, 2024
Jockey: @iradortiz
Trainer: @PletcherRacing
Owner: @RepoleStable and St. Elias Stable
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/T5jsyKTfsg
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