Weekend Stakes Action: Belmont Kicks Off Fall Meet

The first post-Labor Day racing weekend of the year features zero Grade 1 races but instead an assortment of juvenile races and Grade 2/Grade 3 affairs. Over in Europe, the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes is scheduled to run at Leopardstown with Nathaniel (IRE), St. Nicholas Abbey (IRE) and Snow Fairy (IRE). The Group 1 Matron Stakes is also on the Leopardstown card. The international racing picks up at Longchamp on Sunday and Tuesday with four Group races, including three for juveniles (G3-Prix la Rochette, G3-Prix d'Arenberg, G3-Prix d'Aumale).

It's Super Derby day at Louisiana Downs where some of the second tier Triple Crown horses like Hero of Order and Blueskiesandrainbows, will go nine furlongs on the main track. The card also features a couple of juvenile turf races (Sunday Silence and Happy Ticket); keep an eye on Brown Almighty in the Sunday Silence (race 9; post time 4:20pm Eastern).

Belmont Park opens for its 2012 Fall Meet with a single graded stakes race on the card, the G2-Bowling Green at a mile and a quarter on the inner turf course. The field drew a disappointing five entries plus one Main Track Only, Redeemed. Overall, Saturday's Belmont card features some full fields, with the exception of the back-to-back stakes races early in the card which only drew ten total entries between them. I guess the stakes horses are waiting for the bigger events in the coming weeks.

Out at Presque Isle Downs, the ungraded Presque Isle Mile was won by Eternal Rule in gate to wire fashion by a length over Alma d'Oro. Tonight at the track, Groupie Doll leads a full field of 12 in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (post time 7:30pm Eastern).

I'll be in and out of the house all day today, so I'll be checking up on the racing action when I get a chance. I figure this is one of the last "quiet" weekends before things really start to get intense for the fall racing calendar.

Below are the running results for this weekend's stakes action.