Stakes races like the Belmont or the Woodward stand as tributes to those who make significant contributions to horse racing, their names reflective of what those Pillars of the Turf have given the sport.
Six weeks ago, a star-studded field competed in the Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic that was hyped as “the” race for older horses through the first half of 2026.
Fresh off a powerhouse performance which carried her to a 12 3/4-length romp in the Ogden Phipps Stakes Presented by Ford, Nitrogen is set to take on the males for the first time when she lines up for the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
In outlining a six-race championship series for 3-year-olds that will include the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, as well as a new championship race for sophomores, executives from Churchill Downs Inc. and the New York Racing Association expressed hope that the new series built around racing’s glamor division will draw more attention to the sport.
