Empire Showcase Day brings the best New York bred horses in training to Belmont Park on Saturday, October 24. Ten stakes worth $2.1 million fill an 11 race card, headed by the $250,000 Empire Classic and the $250,000 Empire Distaff. First post is 12:05pm ET, and the Empire Classic goes as Race 10 at 5:02pm ET. For Connecticut players, no bigger card runs closer to home this weekend.
This is the first Empire Showcase Day at the rebuilt Belmont Park, which reopened on September 18. Last year’s edition ran at Aqueduct, which closed for good in June. The card has grown too, from nine stakes in 2025 to ten, with the new New York Filly and Mare Turf Sprint Championship. The fields are drawn, and our Empire Showcase Day guide runs through every race with the runners, riders, trainers and our picks. For the rest of the weekend’s action, see our weekend racing preview.
Empire Showcase Day 2026 Race Schedule
Every stakes on the Empire Showcase Day program is restricted to horses foaled in New York State, per NYRA’s stakes schedule. The stakes run back to back from Race 2 through Race 11, roughly every 33 minutes. Race 1 is an optional claimer on the turf at 12:05pm ET.
| Race | Purse | Conditions | Distance / Surface | 2025 Winner (Trainer / Jockey) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Classic | $250,000 | 3YO and up | 1 1/8 miles dirt | Bank Frenzy (Rudy Rodriguez / Manny Franco) |
| Empire Distaff | $250,000 | Fillies and mares 3YO and up | 1 1/8 miles dirt | Valtellina (Ray Handal / Dylan Davis) |
| Hudson | $200,000 | 3YO and up | 6 1/2 furlongs dirt | The Wine Steward (Mike Maker / Ricardo Santana Jr.) |
| Iroquois | $200,000 | Fillies and mares 3YO and up | 6 1/2 furlongs dirt | Sterling Silver (Bill Mott / Junior Alvarado) |
| Mohawk | $200,000 | 3YO and up | 1 1/8 miles turf | Slapintheface (Anthony Dutrow / Manny Franco) |
| Ticonderoga | $200,000 | Fillies and mares 3YO and up | 1 1/8 miles turf | Awesome Czech (Horacio De Paz / Ricardo Santana Jr.) |
| New York Turf Sprint Championship | $200,000 | 3YO and up | 6 furlongs turf | Twenty Six Black (Horacio De Paz / Joel Rosario) |
| New York Filly and Mare Turf Sprint Championship | $200,000 | Fillies and mares 3YO and up | 6 furlongs turf | New for 2026 |
| Sleepy Hollow | $200,000 | 2YO | 1 mile dirt | Bravaro (Saffie Joseph Jr. / Dylan Davis) |
| Maid of the Mist | $200,000 | 2YO fillies | 1 mile dirt | Letmecounttheways (Mike Maker / Joel Rosario) |
Empire Classic 2026: Field and Preview
Empire Classic (Race 10, 5:02pm ET)
Ten older New York breds go 1 1/8 miles on dirt for $250,000. Bank Frenzy defends his title from post 6 with Manny Franco, now listed under trainer Linda Rice. He won this race by a neck last year, holding off Doc Sullivan with Whittington Park third, and earned a second straight title as New York bred Champion Older Dirt Male. His 2026 return came in the Commentator at Saratoga in June, where he finished fourth.
The horse who won that Commentator is in here too. Alan Turing upset the race for Patrick Quick and Junior Alvarado, beating Dr. Kraft, and Alvarado keeps the ride from post 3. Wynstock went off favorite that day for Joe Sharp and finished out of the money. Iron Dome scratched from the Commentator but returns here for Steve Asmussen and Ricardo Santana Jr. from post 7. He won the Albany at Saratoga last summer and ran second in the Oklahoma Derby (G3). Doc Sullivan, second in this race last year and winner of the 2025 John Morrissey, now runs for Amelia Green from post 9.
We side with Alan Turing. He beat Bank Frenzy fair and square at this trip in June, and he keeps the same rider. Bank Frenzy and Iron Dome complete our exacta box.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donegal Surges | Jose Lezcano | Todd Pletcher | TBC |
| 2 | Ez Roll | Jorge Vargas Jr. | Ray Handal | TBC |
| 3 | Alan Turing | Junior Alvarado | Patrick Quick | TBC |
| 4 | Pandagate | Dylan Davis | Miguel Clement | TBC |
| 5 | Leon Blue | Antonio Fresu | Melanie Giddings | TBC |
| 6 | Bank Frenzy | Manny Franco | Linda Rice | TBC |
| 7 | Iron Dome | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steve Asmussen | TBC |
| 8 | Wynstock | Kendrick Carmouche | Joe Sharp | TBC |
| 9 | Doc Sullivan | Samuel Marin | Amelia Green | TBC |
| 10 | Tricky Business | Flavien Prat | George Weaver | TBC |
Empire Distaff 2026: Field and Preview
Empire Distaff (Race 4, 1:44pm ET)
Six fillies and mares go 1 1/8 miles on dirt for $250,000. Valtellina defends for Ray Handal and Dylan Davis from post 3. She won last year by 2 1/4 lengths over Bernietakescharge, but the runner up has turned the tables since. Bernietakescharge won the Critical Eye over this same trip at Saratoga in June for trainer Domenick Schettino, and Kendrick Carmouche rides from post 2.
Boxed Wine, fourth in this race last year, returns for Linda Rice. Todd Pletcher sends Grazie with Flavien Prat, and Steve Asmussen saddles Iron Orchard for Manny Franco. Bernietakescharge gets our vote off her Critical Eye win.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boxed Wine | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Linda Rice | TBC |
| 2 | Bernietakescharge | Kendrick Carmouche | Domenick Schettino | TBC |
| 3 | Valtellina | Dylan Davis | Ray Handal | TBC |
| 4 | Grazie | Flavien Prat | Todd Pletcher | TBC |
| 5 | Iron Orchard | Manny Franco | Steve Asmussen | TBC |
| 6 | Racing Colors | Heman Harkie | Norman Follett | TBC |
Empire Showcase Day Dirt Sprints: Hudson and Iroquois
Hudson Stakes (Race 8, 3:56pm ET)
Nine go 6 1/2 furlongs for $200,000. The Wine Steward defends for Mike Maker, with Kendrick Carmouche riding from post 7. Sculcos Folly won the Mike Lee at Saratoga in June for Richard Dutrow Jr. and picks up Flavien Prat from post 9. Linda Rice runs two stakes winners, Sacrosanct (Manny Franco) and Acoustic Ave (Jose Lezcano). Sacrosanct won the Bongard and the Sleepy Hollow as a juvenile, and Acoustic Ave won four stakes as a two year old in 2022. Sculcos Folly is our pick.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buttah | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Ilkay Kantarmaci | TBC |
| 2 | El Grande O | Antonio Fresu | Ilkay Kantarmaci | TBC |
| 3 | Hit the Post | Christopher Elliott | Melanie Giddings | TBC |
| 4 | Caldo Candy | Samuel Marin | Jorge Abreu | TBC |
| 5 | Factually Correct | Edgard Zayas | Roshan Samsundar | TBC |
| 6 | Acoustic Ave | Jose Lezcano | Linda Rice | TBC |
| 7 | The Wine Steward | Kendrick Carmouche | Mike Maker | TBC |
| 8 | Sacrosanct | Manny Franco | Linda Rice | TBC |
| 9 | Sculcos Folly | Flavien Prat | Richard Dutrow Jr. | TBC |
Iroquois Stakes (Race 3, 1:11pm ET)
Six fillies and mares go 6 1/2 furlongs for $200,000. Venetta won the Bouwerie at Saratoga in June for Danny Gargan, beating the favorite Hot Currency, and Flavien Prat rides from post 5. Munnings Express runs for Linda Rice and Manny Franco. Sunday Girl, fourth in this race last year, returns for David Duggan and Katie Davis. We like Venetta to win.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queens Cat | Nazario Alvarado | Linda Dixon | TBC |
| 2 | Celtic Dawn | Antonio Fresu | Carlos Martin | TBC |
| 3 | Munnings Express | Manny Franco | Linda Rice | TBC |
| 4 | Sunday Girl | Katie Davis | David Duggan | TBC |
| 5 | Venetta | Flavien Prat | Danny Gargan | TBC |
| 6 | Kay Cup | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Jorge Abreu | TBC |
Empire Showcase Day Turf Stakes
Ticonderoga Stakes (Race 11, 5:35pm ET)
Ten fillies and mares go 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf for $200,000, with two also eligibles. Awesome Czech defends for Horacio De Paz and Ricardo Santana Jr. from post 2. The 2025 New York bred Champion Turf Female won this race by a neck last year, but she ran unplaced behind Being Betty in the Mount Vernon at Saratoga in June. Being Betty runs here for Lisa Bartkowski with Antonio Fresu from post 7. Gallant Greta, second in this race last year, runs for Mike Maker with Flavien Prat. Being Betty is our value play in the closer.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spinning Colors | Jose Lezcano | Mark Hennig | TBC |
| 2 | Awesome Czech | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Horacio De Paz | TBC |
| 3 | Sail With the Wind | Junior Alvarado | Jeremiah Englehart | TBC |
| 4 | Midnight Concerto | Manny Franco | Ken McPeek | TBC |
| 5 | Victory Hall | Reylu Gutierrez | Thomas Morley | TBC |
| 6 | Bobby M’s Girl | Edgard Zayas | David Duggan | TBC |
| 7 | Being Betty | Antonio Fresu | Lisa Bartkowski | TBC |
| 8 | Nonna Lynne | Dylan Davis | Chad Brown | TBC |
| 9 | Gallant Greta | Flavien Prat | Mike Maker | TBC |
| 10 | National Archive | Samuel Marin | Miguel Clement | TBC |
| AE | Starship Pegasus | Kendrick Carmouche | Michelle Nevin | TBC |
| AE | Considerate City | Christopher Elliott | James Ferraro | TBC |
Mohawk Stakes (Race 5, 2:17pm ET)
Six go 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf for $200,000. Spirit of St Louis is the class of the race. Chad Brown’s eight time stakes winner won two Grade 1 races in 2025, and Manny Franco rides from post 3. Sounds Like a Plan, third in this race last year, runs for Horacio De Paz. George Briggs and Chummers complete a small field. Spirit of St Louis is the one to beat, though the price will reflect it.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sounds Like a Plan | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Horacio De Paz | TBC |
| 2 | Funny Factor | Kendrick Carmouche | Chris Englehart | TBC |
| 3 | Spirit of St Louis | Manny Franco | Chad Brown | TBC |
| 4 | Annexperience | Junior Alvarado | Jeremiah Englehart | TBC |
| 5 | Chummers | Dylan Davis | Ray Handal | TBC |
| 6 | George Briggs | Flavien Prat | Miguel Clement | TBC |
New York Turf Sprint Championship (Race 9, 4:29pm ET)
Eight go six furlongs on the turf for $200,000 in the second running of this race. Twenty Six Black defends for Horacio De Paz, with Manny Franco riding from post 3. Waralo, second last year, returns for Chris Englehart and Jose Lezcano. Bill Mott sends Bold Journey, a two time graded stakes winner who won the Tom Fool this year, with Junior Alvarado. Mike Maker doubles up with Out On Bail and Dakota Country.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Out On Bail | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Mike Maker | TBC |
| 2 | Waralo | Jose Lezcano | Chris Englehart | TBC |
| 3 | Twenty Six Black | Manny Franco | Horacio De Paz | TBC |
| 4 | Dakota Country | Antonio Fresu | Mike Maker | TBC |
| 5 | Bold Journey | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott | TBC |
| 6 | Bosun | Kendrick Carmouche | Joe Sharp | TBC |
| 7 | Truman’s Commander | Edgard Zayas | Mark Casse | TBC |
| 8 | Senbei | Flavien Prat | Miguel Clement | TBC |
New York Filly and Mare Turf Sprint Championship (Race 6, 2:50pm ET)
Nine fillies and mares contest the first running of this $200,000 turf dash at six furlongs. Wesley Ward sends Shoot It True with Antonio Fresu. Miguel Clement’s Annascaul draws post 9 with Flavien Prat, and Ray Handal runs Fairy Godmother with Dylan Davis.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweet Brown Sugar | Junior Alvarado | Rob Atras | TBC |
| 2 | Silsbee | Kendrick Carmouche | George Weaver | TBC |
| 3 | Shoot It True | Antonio Fresu | Wesley Ward | TBC |
| 4 | Boston’s Phinest | Manny Franco | Bruce Brown | TBC |
| 5 | Highway Harmony | Edgard Zayas | Amelia Green | TBC |
| 6 | Latest Edition | Marvin Fernandez | Enrique Hernandez | TBC |
| 7 | Kaz Farm Girl | Dexter Haddock | Dimitrios Synnefias | TBC |
| 8 | Fairy Godmother | Dylan Davis | Ray Handal | TBC |
| 9 | Annascaul | Flavien Prat | Miguel Clement | TBC |
Empire Showcase Day Two Year Old Stakes
Sleepy Hollow Stakes (Race 7, 3:23pm ET)
Eight juveniles go a one turn mile on dirt for $200,000. Brad Cox sends Hammerin Henry, Chad Brown runs Inalienable with Ricardo Santana Jr., and Linda Rice saddles Scramjet from the rail. Horacio De Paz, who trained two winners on this card last year, sends Professor Plum with Manny Franco. Big Handsome gets Flavien Prat for Jorge Abreu from post 7.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scramjet | Kendrick Carmouche | Linda Rice | TBC |
| 2 | Fullcup | Junior Alvarado | Riley Mott | TBC |
| 3 | Covered Option | Antonio Fresu | Lisa Bartkowski | TBC |
| 4 | Professor Plum | Manny Franco | Horacio De Paz | TBC |
| 5 | Hammerin Henry | Samuel Marin | Brad Cox | TBC |
| 6 | Inalienable | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Chad Brown | TBC |
| 7 | Big Handsome | Flavien Prat | Jorge Abreu | TBC |
| 8 | Midnight Raider | Christopher Elliott | Mitchell Friedman | TBC |
Maid of the Mist Stakes (Race 2, 12:38pm ET)
Five juvenile fillies go a one turn mile on dirt for $200,000. Chad Brown’s Cash Burn draws post 3 with Flavien Prat. Shug McGaughey sends Davidson with Manny Franco from the rail, and De Paz runs B Yutiful Carly. A short field with three major barns makes this the spot to tighten up in multi race bets.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davidson | Manny Franco | Shug McGaughey | TBC |
| 2 | Fantasy Fortune | Edgard Zayas | James Ryerson | TBC |
| 3 | Cash Burn | Flavien Prat | Chad Brown | TBC |
| 4 | Sun Kissed Bliss | Kendrick Carmouche | Joe Sharp | TBC |
| 5 | B Yutiful Carly | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Horacio De Paz | TBC |
Our Empire Showcase Day Picks
Empire Showcase Day Best Bet: Bernietakescharge in the Empire Distaff
She ran second in this race last year, then won the Critical Eye at the same 1 1/8 mile trip in June. In a field of six, she gives us the most solid form on the card.
Empire Showcase Day Value Play: Alan Turing in the Empire Classic
He already beat Bank Frenzy at nine furlongs in June and keeps Junior Alvarado. We play him to win and box him with Bank Frenzy and Iron Dome in the exacta, six combinations.
Also Worth a Look
Sculcos Folly in the Hudson, Venetta in the Iroquois and Being Betty in the Ticonderoga all won New York bred stakes at Saratoga in June and come here in form.
Bet Empire Showcase Day With MyWinners
Empire Showcase Day gives us ten stakes, ten betting puzzles and the first look at New York’s best state breds on the new Belmont Park surfaces. Build your Pick 4s and Pick 5s through the afternoon, and save a strong play for the Empire Classic and Empire Distaff.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
