With staying pedigrees and greater marathon experience, European-trained horses have reigned in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup Stakes (G2T) since 2017. Last year, Godolphin's Siskany was the latest to have success, scoring by two lengths over the American-trained but Irish-bred The Grey Wizard at the race's customary home, Belmont Park.
It is no great surprise, therefore, that the Charlie Appleby-trained gelding is favored to repeat in the $250,000 race June 6, this time at Saratoga Race Course on the first day of a four-day Belmont Stakes Festival moved due to ongoing construction at Belmont.
Drawn on the outside in the turf field of 12, he is pegged at even money on the morning line. Two horses have been entered to race on the main track if rain necessitates a move to dirt—a scenario most track operators seek to avoid with graded stakes.
Rain is forecast beginning June 5 and continuing through Thursday. If the course is damp but not a bog, Siskany would appear capable of handling it. He has won on courses racing from firm to soft over his 24-race career. He is a 10-time winner.
The homebred 6-year-old son of Dubawi wintered in Dubai, where he captured a pair of 1 3/4-mile events with William Buick aboard over good going at Meydan Racecourse. Most recently, he ran fourth in the two-mile Dubai Gold Cup (G2T) March 30 at Meydan.
"He's in good form, and hopefully he can get it done again," Appleby said of repeating in the Belmont Gold Cup.
Regular rider Buick will be aboard Siskany, who will race with cheek pieces off.
The Grey Wizard chased Siskany through the lane in this race last year under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. The Grey Wizard carries 118 pounds Saturday, four fewer than Siskany. Last year, he carried two pounds fewer than Siskany.
SISKANY takes the lead for the win in the Belmont Gold Cup (G2) with William Buick up for Charlie Appleby! #BelmontPark pic.twitter.com/Q29NvI6bhi
— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 9, 2023
After going unplaced in two starts after the Belmont Gold Cup, The Grey Wizard was third in the 1 1/2-mile Louisville Stakes (G3T) in his last start for trainer Graham Motion. Most of The Grey Wizard's experience has come on firm or good turf.
Horses with on-the-board finishes in stakes company on soft or yielding ground include So High, Really Good, and Pioneering Spirit.
The Belmont Gold Cup, Thursday's 10th race, offers a "Golden Ticket" for an automatic berth into the Melbourne Cup (G1) Nov. 5 at Flemington Racecourse in Australia. Flemington announcer Matt Hill has traveled to Saratoga to call the Belmont Gold Cup, and the 18-carat Melbourne Cup trophy will be onsite and available for photo opportunities with fans.
Thursday's card also features three $150,000 stakes: the Jersey Girl Stakes for sophomore fillies at six furlongs, the Tremont Stakes for juveniles sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs, and the Astoria Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs for juvenile fillies.
Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, June 6, 2024, Race 10Entries: Belmont Gold Cup S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Limited Liability (KY) Eric Cancel 118 Claude R. McGaughey III 8/1 2 2So High (GB) Romero Ramsay Maragh 118 Naipaul Chatterpaul 30/1 3 3Really Good (KY) Dylan Davis 118 Michael J. Maker 15/1 4 4Cibolian (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 Archibald J. Kingsley, Jr. 50/1 5 5Starting Over (KY) Manuel Franco 122 Michael J. Maker 9/2 6 6Champagne Juan (KY) Joel Rosario 118 Christophe Clement 15/1 7 7Lucky Curlin (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 118 Michael J. Maker 30/1 8 8Sports Editor (MD) Kendrick Carmouche 118 Edward T. Allard 50/1 9 9Six Minus (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Todd A. Pletcher 15/1 10 10Pioneering Spirit (KY) Jose Lezcano 118 Linda Rice 10/1 11 11The Grey Wizard (IRE) John R. Velazquez 118 H. Graham Motion 8/1 12 12Siskany (GB) William Buick 122 Charles Appleby 1/1 13 13Costa Terra (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Linda Rice 5/2 14 14Dai Vernon (KY) Rider TBA 118 William I. Mott 9/5
