Lindy Farms' Irish-bred Queen of Hawaii is primed for a rebound effort in search of her first American stakes score in the Sept. 27, $200,000 Winter Memories Stakes (G3T), a 1-mile Widener turf test for sophomore fillies, at Belmont Park.
Trained by Philip Antonacci, the Kingman bay defeated elders in her stateside and barn debut in July at Saratoga Race Course, winning by a neck over next-out victor Play With Fire in a 1-mile allowance optional claimer from post 1.
Queen of Hawaii was a last-out, 1 3/4-length fifth to Naomis in the 1-mile Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) Aug. 29 at Saratoga. There, she again exited the rail post under Jose Ortiz and traveled just over 4 lengths back in seventh through three-quarters in 1:13.22, angling out in the lane to miss the superfecta by a head, with Naomis completing the course in 1:35.72.
"It was one of those days where Jose got off her and said, 'Nothing flowed our way at all,'" said Antonacci, who won this event last year with Ready for Candy. "Sometimes the rail works out like it did the time before and sometimes you get jammed up in the flow of the race. In the Lake Placid, they didn't go that fast, but she still ran to the wire and ran a credible race. I think it was a sneaky good performance for her, and I think the winner looks like a really top filly, so the form should hold up really well."
Queen of Hawaii previously made four starts for trainer Joseph O'Brien, including a third-out score in the 2025 Flame Of Tara Stakes (G3) at the Curragh ahead of a seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) in October at Del Mar.
Ricardo Santana Jr. rides.
Others with capable stakes credentials include Live Oak Plantation's Ultimate Love, trained by Mike Trombetta, and Woodslane Racing's comebacker Sister Troienne, trained by Brian Lynch.
Other contenders include Shelzawa and Crossover Capital, both from the barn of trainer Chad Brown.
Belmont Park, Sunday, September 27, 2026, Race 8Entries: Winter Memories S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Kokomotion (KY) Edgard J. Zayas 120 D. Whitworth Beckman - 2 Crossover Capital (FR) Manuel Franco 120 Chad C. Brown - 3 Peppermint Twist (KY) Jose Lezcano 120 George Weaver - 4 Victory Hall (NY) Rajiv Maragh 120 Thomas Morley - 5 Flowerhead (IRE) Antonio Fresu 120 Charlie Clover - 6 Queen of Hawaii (IRE) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 124 Philip Antonacci - 7 Ultimate Love (FL) Javier Castellano 120 Michael J. Trombetta - 8 Lovely Grey (KY) Dylan Davis 120 Kelsey Danner - 9 Sister Troienne (KY) Junior Alvarado 122 Brian A. Lynch - 10 Alone Time (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 120 Cherie DeVaux - 11 Shelzawa (FR) Flavien Prat 120 Chad C. Brown -
Twenty Six Black Imposing in Belmont Turf Sprint
The Winter Memories goes as the eighth race right after the $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T), where Roger Cimbora Jr.'s popular New York homebred Twenty Six Black ranks among top prospects in the 6-furlong grass dash.
Trained by Horacio De Paz, the 6-year-old War Dancer gelding has banked $815,310 through a 8-5-2 record in 21 starts. His ledger includes a trio of stakes wins and two graded placings. De Paz calls him a "cool horse and a barn favorite."
Last out, Twenty Six Black finished a 1 1/2-length fourth in the Troy Stakes (G2T) Aug. 9 at Saratoga. That race was won by the pacesetting John the Beer Man by a head over the pressing Waralo, who was disqualified and placed third behind Doncho following an inquiry. Waralo is back for another try in Sunday's race.
Manny Franco, leading rider at the Belmont fall meet, retains the mount on Twenty Six Black from post 2.
Trainer Ned Allard sends out a strong pair in Alogon and Card Trick from his Delaware Park base. Charles T. Matses' Alogon notably competes in this event for the fourth consecutive year
Spirited Sol and Jean Valjean are other contenders.
Belmont Park, Sunday, September 27, 2026, Race 7Entries: Belmont Turf Sprint S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Waralo (NY) Jose Lezcano 124 Chris J. Englehart - 2 Twenty Six Black (NY) Manuel Franco 124 Horacio De Paz - 3 Let My People Go (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 124 Michael J. Maker - 4 Card Trick (KY) Dylan Davis 124 Edward T. Allard - 5 Jean Valjean (PA) Jomar Torres 124 Elizabeth M. Merryman - 6 Alogon (KY) Forest Boyce 126 Edward T. Allard - 7 Egyptian Mau (SAF) Antonio Fresu 121 Neil D. Drysdale - 8 Spirited Sol (FL) Martina Rojas 124 Kevin Rice -
