For the first time in its 156 year history, the Belmont Stakes was held at Saratoga Race Course this year. This was exciting news for Saratogians, most of whom wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to see a Triple Crown race in their hometown. This is the first in a series of blog posts where I will share my photos from the Racing Festival, which took place on June 6-9, and related events. In this post, I will share photos from the races themselves. If you’re an email subscriber, I recommend clicking the title of the post above to view it in your web browser, since there are so many photos.
Three-year-old filly Audacious breaks her maiden on Thursday, June 6 under John Velázquez for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Bass Stable, LLC.
Audacious gets a pet after her win.
Talented three-year-old filly Ways and Means wins an allowance race under Flavien Prat in the rain. The Chad Brown trainee broke her maiden last summer at the Spa in a race named after my friend Lexi. This has been her only other win, but she is multiple grade I placed.
Javier Castellano rode Do Gooder to a fourth place finish in the race. I’m a sucker for rain photos.
Ways and Means gets cooled off after her win.
The beautiful filly heads off to the test barn as the rain continues to come down.
Aoraki (outside) and Whatintheliteral battle down the stretch in the Astoria Stakes for two-year-old fillies, with the latter eventually prevailing.
Whatintheliteral is led to the winner’s circle by her connections, which include last year’s Belmont Stakes-winning trainer Jena Antonucci (right) and jockey Javier Castellano.
A black and white photo of Javier Castellano in the winner’s circle.
A full field heads past the stand for the first time in the Grade II Belmont Gold Cup, the feature race on Thursday. The eventual winner The Grey Wizard, ridden by John Velázquez, trails.
It’s a gray trifecta, with The Grey Wizard (in back) getting up in time for the win.
The Grey Wizard’s win earns him a spot in Australia’s prestigious Melbourne Cup in November.
The Australia-bound gelding heads off to the test barn.
Four-year-old filly Munnys Gold wins an allowance race under Irad Ortiz on Friday, June 7. The Todd Pletcher trainee is multiple graded stakes placed.
Three-year-old colt Jefferson Street wins an allowance race under Junior Alvarado for trainer Bill Mott and owner/breeder Godolphin. Ominous skies loomed over the track during the race. By the time Jefferson Street had reached the winner’s circle, it had started to pour.
Jefferson Street heads to the test barn in the pouring rain.
Future is Now wins the Grade II Intercontinental Stakes under Paco Lopez for trainer Michael Trombetta and owner/breeder R. Larry Johnson.
Future is Now heads to the test barn.
Chili Flag (#6) wins the Grade I Just a Game Stakes under Irad Ortiz for trainer Chad Brown and owners Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Michael E. Kisser.
Multiple Grade I winner Gina Romantica, piloted by Tyler Gaffalione, finished fifth.
Chili Flag is led to the winner’s circle.
Neecie Marie warms up under Joel Rosario before the Grade I New York Stakes. The Robert Reid trainee ultimately finished second.
Didia wins the Grade I New York Stakes under José Ortiz for trainer Ignacio Correas and owners Resolute Racing and Merriebelle Stables.
Didia is led to the winner’s circle.
The six-year-old mare gets a bath after her win.
Didia heads off to the test barn.
2023 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Just F Y I, ridden by Junior Alvarado, heads out onto the track ahead of the Grade I Acorn Stakes, the feature race on Friday. She would ultimately finish sixth.
Javier Castellano, riding Power Squeeze, waves to the fans in the stands.
Tyler Gaffalione rode Where’s My Ring to a seventh-place finish.
José Ortiz rode Regulatory Risk to a fifth-place finish.
The field breaks from the gate in the Acorn Stakes.
The field heads to the first turn, with eventual winner Thorpedo Anna centered in the frame.
Thorpedo Anna wins the Grade I Acorn Stakes in commanding fashion under Brian Hernandez, following her equally impressive win in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks back in May.
Thorpedo Anna is led to the winner’s circle.
The talented filly heads to the test barn.
Baby Yoda runs away with the Grade II True North Stakes, the first graded stake of Belmont day.
Baby Yoda heads to the test barn.
The field heads past a sea of fans holding up their cell phones in the Grade II Suburban Stakes.
The field for the Grade I Ogden Phipps Stakes walks out on the track.
In a grueling stretch battle, Randomized (#1) prevails over reigning Champion Older Dirt Female Idiomatic.
Italian-English jockey Frankie Dettori, who will be a part of the jockey colony at Saratoga this summer, rode Imagination to a seventh-place finish in the Grade I Woody Stephens Stakes.
Book’em Danno wins the Grade I Woody Stephens Stakes under Irad Ortiz for trainer Derek Ryan and owner Atlantic Six Racing.
William Buick rode 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner to a fifth-place finish in the Grade I Jaipur Stakes.
Cogburn wins the Grade I Jaipur Stakes under Irad Ortiz and sets a track record for 5 and a half furlongs on the turf.
National Treasure wins the Grade I Met Mile under Flavien Prat for trainer Bob Baffert and owners SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio finished fifth in the Met Mile.
Measured Time wins the Grade I Manhattan Stakes under William Buick for trainer Charlie Appleby and owner/breeder Godolphin.
Measured Time is led to the winner’s circle. In this photo you can see the massive crowd that gathered on the track apron on Saturday.
Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan is ponied out on the track prior to the Belmont Stakes
Flavien Prat rode Sierra Leone to a third-place finish in the Belmont. This was the first time the jockey had ridden him.
The field heads toward the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes.
The field breaks from the gate in the Belmont Stakes.
A sea of fans hold up their cell phones as the field passes by for the first time.
The field heads down the stretch, with Mindframe and Dornoch taking the lead.
Mindframe and Dornoch battle down the stretch.
Dornoch, piloted by Luis Saez, prevails to win his first Grade I, and the first Grade I for his trainer Danny Gargan.
I like to experiment with my different frames so I can come away with a variety of different photos. I tried converting this one to black and white and putting it on a black background.
Dornoch is led to the winner’s circle after his historic long shot victory.
With lots of media attention, Dornoch heads to the test barn.
Exercise rider Priscilla Schaefer, holding the flower blanket, and groom Elio Alvarez are all smiles.
The field crosses the wire for the first time in the Commentator Stakes on Sunday, June 9. Donegal Surges, who had the early lead, would go on to finish second. I had the pleasure of giving introducing some of his owners to Commentator, the race’s namesake, at Old Friends at Cabin Creek that morning.
Drake’s Passage wins the Commentator Stakes under Manny Franco.
Rainingatthebeach wins a maiden claiming race under Flavien Prat. For this shot, I panned at a wider angle for something different.
Venti Valentine wins the Critical Eye Stakes under Irad Ortiz.
Venti Valentine heads into the winner’s circle.
Venti Valentine heads to the test barn.
Silver Skillet wins the Mount Vernon Stakes under Joel Rosario.
Silver Skillet is led to the winner’s circle.
I also took some video footage during the festival. Below is a compilation I made from the footage I shot. Email subscribers, click here to watch the video.
To see more of my equine photography, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and X. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
Very nice!