The final Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course is officially in the books, and the third leg of the Triple Crown will return to its regular home at Belmont Park next year. As always, I am sharing my photos from the festival in a series of blog posts. Once again, I had the privilege of shooting for The Saratoga Special. Click here to view all editions online. First up in my series is the mornings, featuring photos of horses who ran in races during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
Graded stakes placed Ready to Jam finished eighth in the Grade II Intercontinental Stakes in her first start for trainer Brad Cox.
Kentucky Derby runner up Renegade, pictured here with regular exercise rider Nora McCormack onboard, finished third in the Belmont Stakes behind Golden Tempo and Commandment.
Multiple grade 1 winner Segesta, pictured here with regular exercise rider Kriss Bon onboard, finished third in the Grade I Just a Game Stakes behind Classic Q and Mandanaba.
Multiple graded stakes winner Knightsbridge, pictured here with exercise rider Jimmy Quispe onboard, finished second in the Grade I Met Mile behind Nysos.
Knightsbridge walks after a gallop.
Powershift, pictured here with regular exercise rider Annalise Cullen onboard, finished eighth in the Belmont Stakes.
Multiple graded stakes winner Fully Subscribed, pictured here with exercise rider Walter Malásquez onboard, finished second in the Grade I Ogden Phipps Stakes behind Nitrogen.
Multiple graded stakes winner Tiz Dashing finished eighth in the Grade I Manhattan Stakes.
Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner suffered her first career defeat when finishing second to Counting Stars in the Grade I Acorn Stakes.
Multiple graded stakes winner Ways and Means, pictured here with Kriss Bon onboard, edged out Grand Job to repeat in the Grade II Bed o’ Roses Stakes, becoming the first Chad Brown trainee to win five races at Saratoga.
Grand Job, pictured here with Bill Mott assistant Neil Poznansky onboard, finished second to Ways and Means in the Bed o’ Roses.
Multiple graded stakes winner Antiquarian finished fourth in the Met Mile.
Grade 1 winner Salamis finished fourth in the Grade III Poker Stakes.
Chief Wallabee (outside), pictured here with Neil Poznansky onboard, finished fourth in the Belmont Stakes. Gilded Bandit (inside), pictured here with Jimmy Quispe onboard, finished fourth in the Grade I Woody Stephens Stakes.
Chief Wallabee heads back to the barn after a breeze.
Graded stakes winner Emerging Market, pictured here with Walter Malásquez onboard, finished fifth in the Belmont Stakes.
Multiple grade 1 winner Journalism, pictured here with Amelia Green onboard, finished third in the Met Mile.
Understandably, Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was quite the center of attention when he arrived at the Spa Belmont Stakes week. He is pictured being led off the van by Enrique Miranda, assistant trainer to Cherie DeVaux.
Golden Tempo certainly lived up to the hype, has he added the Belmont Stakes to his already impressive resume, making Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer to saddle a dual Classic winner.
Along with the contingent of Belmont week runners from the DeVaux barn was the trainer’s pony Bully.
Englishman, pictured here with Enrique Miranda onboard and trainer Cherie DeVaux on the pony, won the Grade I Woody Stephens Stakes in impressive fashion.
Multiple graded stakes winner Imagination finished fourth in the Grade III True North Stakes.
Englishman takes a gallop around the track.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux keeps an eye on her charges from her pony Bully.
Listenupshance finished third in the True North behind Book’em Danno and Bentornato.
Counting Stars won the Grade I Acorn Stakes as one of three grade 1 winners for trainer Mark Casse during Belmont weekend.
Multiple grade 1 stakes winner Nitrogen, pictured here with exercise rider Electra Boone onboard, nearly equaled the track record when winning the Grade I Ogden Phipps Stakes.
Cherie DeVaux gives Golden Tempo a pet.
Golden Tempo takes a gallop around the track with Enrique Miranda onboard.
Golden Tempo heads into the turn.
The Kentucky Derby winner heads off the track.
The eventual Belmont Stakes winner returns to the barn.
Golden Tempo gets hot walked after his gallop.
The early morning sun provides a beautiful backdrop for Golden Tempo’s morning routine.
Golden Tempo awaits his bath on the wash pad.
Golden Tempo enjoys a scrub down.
To see more of my equine photography be sure to follow me on X, Instagram and Facebook. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
Liked this post? Subscribe by email below to receive future posts!
