12:04 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (Grade 1)

Come midnight, all eyes will be on the famous Saratoga racetrack for the Belmont Stakes (shown on VirginTwo) and a rematch between the first three home in the Kentucky Derby facing off again in a field of eight.

Sovereignty beat Journalism by a length and a half while Baeza was a neck behind the second at Churchill Downs.

Both Journalism and Sovereignty came from well back down the outside of the field then, with the Godolphin colt finishing the stronger. Baeza had a more troubled passage through the middle of the field on the muddy track and finished very strong. But had the first two done their running by then?

Journalism subsequently boosted the form, winning the Preakness at Pimilco after being knocked off his stride a furlong and a half out, while Sovereignty and Baeza now benefit from a five-week break since the Derby.

Also adding intrigue are the Bob Baffert-trained Rodriguez, a prominent racer who won the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct but missed the Derby, the late running Amo Racing-owned Hill Road, trained in this country last season and winner of the traditional trial for the Belmont in the Peter Pan Stakes, while Jamie Osborne gives Heart Of Honor another shot at a big American prize after he ran on well at the finish of the Preakness Stakes for fifth.

In Kentucky, Journalism moved first and Sovereignty ran him down and the Derby winner, out of mare by the Belmont winner Berardini, should be just as good over this longer distance. With that Preakness run in his legs, Journalism might have to give way to Bazea for the second place.

SELECTION: Sovereignty

Next best: Bazea

Saratoga Saturday

THE Grade 1 Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (8:17pm) promises to be one of the races of the evening and an exciting duel between the former Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio and Fierceness, one of the best three-year-old of last season and second to Sierra Leone in the 2024 Classic.

Fierceness returned to 2025 action with a length and a quarter win in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs although his main rival Locked ran below par. Now a six-year-old, White Abarrio comes off two Gulfstream wins this season the best of which was a dominant win by six and a quarter lengths in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes.

Brad Cox and Florent Geroux combine with the Justify colt Just A Touch, also two from two this season. The Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing & Marc Detampel-owned colt steps back into Grade 1 company for the first time since he was well down the field in last year’s Kentucky Derby.

Doug O’Neill’s Grade 1 winner Raging Torent with Frankie Dettori on board is a morning line 5/1 shot behind the big two and Just A Touch.

Raging Torrent has won five of his last six starts, including victories in 2024 in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar, the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita, and in his only start this year in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai at Meydan.

The son of Maximus Mischief, part owned by Yulong, is expected to be towards the early pace. Fierceness can establish himself top of the older horses.

Sprinting showdown

At 10:28, the seven furlongs Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes sees the sprinting three-year-olds in action and looks an open race with one of the best of last year’s two-year-olds Chancer McPatrick heading the market, despite two below par runs this season. He dropped away to finish last when favourite for the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Bob Baffert and Brad Cox provide the main opposition with Citizen Bull, Patch Adams and Gunmetal. The top two-year-old of 2024, Citizen Bull finished fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and 15th in the Kentucky Derby after setting the pace. Baffert is looking for a reset and the Into Mischief colt goes without blinkers for the first time in his career.

The lightly raced Gunmetal could be the one to step up here.

Curtis chance

Earlier on the card Godolphin’s up and coming turf sprinter Think Big will look to continue his ascent up the ladder as the nation’s top sprinter when he goes for Grade 1 glory in the Jaipur Stakes.

Since switching to the grass, the four-year-old gelding has risen from an average performer to multiple graded stakes winner for owner-breeder Godolphin and trainer Mike Stidham.

Think Big’s last win in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes on Derby Day at Churchill Downs earned him a career-best speed figure.

Jockey Ben Curtis has been aboard for his last five starts and gets a shot a Grade 1 win with the son of Twirling Candy.

The turf performers in the US look a bit below the best and the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (11.09pm) over a mile and a furlong and a half looks an evenly matched contest.

The Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes winner Spirit Of St Louis (Chad Brown) heads the field while Far Bridge is the deserving selection off his two wins this season.

France \ Anne Marie Duff

Now racing for Resolute Bloodstock and Philip Baron Von Ullmann, the five-year-old proved disappointing last time out in April when only ninth behind Japanese-trained winner Tastiera in the 10-furlong QEII Cup at Sha Tin in April.

The consistent eight-year-old Iresine will provide a good test, the gelding coming off a listed win at Lyon Parilly.