Linda Rice sends out robust group for lucrative Fall Starter Championships card
Linda Rice, the current leading trainer on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit, will send out a strong group of 16 contenders on Saturday’s Fall Starter Championship card at Belmont Park, which offers combined purses of $1.085 million across 11 races.
“It’s an exciting day for us,” said Rice, who has 163 wins this year at NYRA tracks. “We have quite a few horses that will fit in those races, so hopefully we’ll have many that can get us to the winner’s circle. A lot of people who have these types of horses look forward to the opportunity to showcase their horses without losing them for a claiming price. You don’t get to do that every day, so it’s exciting to run for some nice purses.”
The 11 Fall Starter Championships races, which are open to horses 3-years-old and up that have started for a prescribed claiming price since July 1, 2025, are named after some of the most popular claiming horses to run on the NYRA circuit. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.
Highlighting the program are six events worth $110,000, with a range of distances and surfaces on offer for horses who ran for a claiming price of $55,000 or less in races named for Tiffany’s Taylor, Silver Timber, Be Bullish, Evvie Jets, Voodoo Song and the Cross Border, which is new to the series for 2026.
Rice will send out contenders in 10 of the 11 races on tap for Saturday, including Shoot the Nickel and Secured Landing [Royal Posse]; Mursal and Snide [Battle Bling]; Commuted and Cool Andy [Creme de La Fete]; City Blocks [Glass Ceiling]; Le Gris and Systemic Change [Lone Rock]; Bite and Strike and Global Prosperity [Silver Timber]; Magnanimous Max and Sharp Swinger [Be Bullish]; Save Us Melania [Evvie Jets]; Urgency [Voodoo Song]; and Mutaawid [Cross Border].
Rice is well-represented in the one-mile Be Bullish [Race 9] with a pair of entries, led by Magnanimous Max, whom she claimed for $20,000 out of a win in January and has won 3-of-4 starts since. He enters off a career-best effort in a one-mile first-level allowance on September 19 here when topping a strong field of 10 by 2 3/4 lengths and earning a lifetime best 95 Beyer Speed Figure. The runner-up in that event was Grade 1-placed Chief Wallabee, who is entered in Keeneland’s Grade 3 Perryville on Saturday.
“He ran really well and against a nice horse in Chief Wallabee, and that was a big effort out of him,” Rice said. “I’m sure this will be a strong race as well with plenty of other horses with ability, but we’re excited about running there.”
The Be Bullish also includes Sharp Swinger, last seen finishing sixth in an optional claiming tilt on September 7 at the Spa.
“We want to try him at a mile, and I think this is a good opportunity,” Rice said.
Rice sends out Urgency in the Voodoo Song [Race 10], which is named after her former star pupil that won four races during the 2017 Saratoga meet and went on to capture the Spa’s Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap in 2018.
Urgency was taken for $55,000 out of a head second in August at Saratoga, and won first off the claim there on September 7 in a starter optional claiming tilt. He returns on short rest following a 2 1/2-length fifth to Iron Sight in a 1 5/16-mile optional claimer on October 7 here.
“We’re very pleased with him. We claimed him at Saratoga and I ran him back in about 11 days and he won,” Rice said.
Rice added that it is fun to send out a live contender in a race named for Barry Schwartz’s New York homebred Voodoo Song.
“Most horses don’t even run at Saratoga four times in a summer, much less win four times,” Rice said. “He was very special to us, and then he came back the next year and won the Fourstardave, so those are very fond memories for me and for the Schwartz’s.”
The Fall Starter Championships kicks off with the six-furlong $90,000 Creme de La Fete [Race 1], which features the Rice-trained and owned pair of Commuted [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and Cool Andy [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche].
Commuted, a 5-year-old Gun Runner bay, was much-the-best in a 4 1/2-length optional claiming coup last out on September 4 at the Spa that garnered a 102 Beyer, while Cool Andy returns from a six-month respite dating to a distant last-of-7 finish in a first-level allowance in April at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Rounding out the field are Run Classic [post 2, Edgard Zayas], Breslau [post 3, Dylan Davis], Kunshan Bridge [post 4, Manny Franco] and Conniving [post 5, Katie Davis].
Ann Merryman and Richard Blue, Jr.’s Gift of Gab [post 4, Manny Franco] has landed on-the-board in her last five outings, including two consecutive wins heading into the six-furlong $110,000 Tiffany’s Taylor [Race 2] for fillies and mares over the inner turf. Trained by Suzanne Stettinius, the 7-year-old Fast Anna mare took the Sensible Lady Turf Dash last out on September 12 at Laurel Park, and boasts a 34-10-7-4 lifetime record.
The competitive field is completed by Delightful Flame [post 1, Katie Davis], My First Dinah [post 2, Reylu Gutierrez], River Seine [post 3, Antonio Fresu], Lil’ Regard [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and So Sophia [post 6, Dalila Rivera].
Parx Racing shipper Missouri River [post 3, Luis Ocasio] looks to bring his win streak to three in the 10-furlong $90,000 Lone Rock [Race 3] for owner Anna Delcane and trainer Michael Pino. The 5-year-old Arrogate gray has made his last six starts at Parx, including a three-length win in an optional claimer going the Lone Rock distance on August 24, and a last-out neck score when cut back to one-mile and 70 yards on September 19.
The field is completed by Frizzante [post 1, Pedro Pena], Systemic Change [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Sharp Spark [post 4, Silvestre Gonzalez], Le Gris [post 5, Manny Franco] and Ambition [post 6, Antonio Fresu].
Jupiter Stable’s Seat At the Table [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] will look to go from claim to fame for trainer Gustavo Rodriguez in the $110,000 Evvie Jets [Race 4], a 1 1/16-mile Widener turf route for fillies and mares.
The 5-year-old The Factor mare was haltered for $55,000 last out from a winning effort in a 1 3/16-mile turf route on September 4 at the Spa. Seat At the Table has won three of her last four outings, dating to a 7 1/2-furlong claiming score in April at Gulfstream Park.
Also entered are Notable Exchange [post 1, Manny Franco], Save Us Melania [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Greyjoy [post 3, Javier Castellano], Bow Draw [post 4, Samuel Marin], Lady Firefoot [post 5, Edgard Zayas], Baby Sassicaia [post 7, Heman Harkie], and Planet Clare [post 8, Antonio Fresu].
Shape Note [post 7, Manny Franco], who has won three of his last five outings, looms large in the $110,000 Silver Timber [Race 5], a six-furlong inner turf sprint.
Trained by Mike Maker for Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher, the 5-year-old Mendelssohn gelding has won 7-of-12 starts since being haltered for $25,000 last July at Ellis Park. Shape Note arrives from a prominent three-quarter length score in a 5 1/2-furlong turf handicap on August 22 at Colonial Downs.
A robust field includes John Jay [post 1, Luis Rivera, Jr.], Calvin’s Ride [post 2, Samuel Marin], Billionaires Row [post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Bite and Strike [post 4, Jose Lezcano], Mission Improbable [post 5, Edgard Zayas], Vacation Dance [post 6, Antonio Fresu] and Global Prosperity [post 8, Javier Castellano].
Jay Lieberman, Marjorie Krohn, Guy Orangio and Lisa Peacock’s Will Not Be Swayed [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] is a solid contender for trainer Lolita Shivmangal in the 6 1/2-furlong $90,000 Glass Ceiling [Race 6] for fillies and mares. The 4-year-old War of Will filly has hit the board in 3-of-5 starts since being claimed for $30,000 in April, including a win two starts back in a seven-furlong optional claimer in August at the Spa.
Rounding out the field are Meg’s Foxy Grey [post 1, Antonio Fresu], Probable Angle [post 2, Pedro Pena], Looks First [post 3, Silvestre Gonzalez], Proud Foot [post 4, Samuel Marin], Mascara [post 6, Chris Elliott], City Blocks [post 7, Manny Franco] and Edistrudis [post 8, Edgard Zayas].
Carc Brothers [post 1, Manny Franco] is undefeated in four starts as he looks to protect his perfect record in the $110,000 Cross Border [Race 7], a 12-furlong Widener turf marathon.
Trained by Rob Atras for Head of Plains Partners, the 4-year-old New York-bred Slumber gelding graduated in a maiden claimer when available for $30,000 in January at Fair Grounds Race Course. He followed with a trio of wins in New York, including a 2 1/2-length state-bred allowance score last out on August 16 at the Spa.
Opposition will be provided by Mutaawid [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche], Sardis [post 3, Antonio Fresu], Emergence [post 4, Samuel Marin], High Beta [post 5, Dalila Rivera], Write Off Jerry [post 6, Dylan Davis] and Interceptor [post 7, Ricardo Santana, Jr.].
Emily Racing Stable’s Furry Fox [post 8, Kendrick Carmouche] brings solid recent form to the one-mile $80,000 Battle Bling [Race 8] for fillies and mares. Trained by Roshan Samsundar, the daughter of Instagrand has won two of her last thee starts, including a last-out one-length score in a local first-level allowance for New York-breds going 7 1/2 furlongs on September 20. The 4-year-old filly was claimed for $12,500 in April and has three wins overall from 16 efforts.
Completing the field are Brunch with Amy [post 1, Samuel Marin], Bourbon Serengeti [post 2, Ruben Silvera], Snide [post 3, Jose Lezcano], Mursal [post 4, Dylan Davis], Despo’s Dream [post 5, Manny Franco], Lika Rolling Stone [post 6, Chris Elliott], Bam’s Bliss Kiss [post 7, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and Beira [post 9, Antonio Fresu].
Georgia Magic [post 1, Manny Franco] will look to return to winning ways in the one-mile $110,000 Be Bullish [Race 9].
Trained and co-owned by Steven Schauer with Island Wind Racing, the 4-year-old Good Magic gelding was haltered for $55,000 from a nose second to returning rival Kinetic in May at Belmont at the Big A. He finished fourth in his first start for Schauer before putting together a three-race win streak that included two prominent scores at Saratoga. Last out, in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer on October 4 here, Georgia Magic pressed the pace and faded to third as his streak came to an end.
A strong group includes Barb [post 2, Antonio Fresu], Sharp Swinger [post 3, Javier Castellano], Magnanimous Max [post 4, Jose Lezcano], Gulfy [post 5, Edgard Zayas, blinkers OFF], Fateful Lightning [post 6, Kendrick Carmouche], Inexorable [post 7, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], and Kinetic [post 8, Samuel Marin].
Robert and Lawana Low’s Highlands Way [post 1, Manny Franco] headlines the $110,000 Voodoo Song [Race 10], a 1 1/16-mile Widener turf route.
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Not This Time gelding, a half-brother to multiple graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Bell’s the One, was purchased for $1.35 million at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He went unraced as a 2-year-old and finished 11th on debut in December at Gulfstream. Highlands Way graduated comfortably in a 1 1/16-mile maiden claimer in June at Belmont at the Big A and has been protected since with two wins wrapped around a three-quarter length second in a Spa turf allowance.
Also entered are What Say Thee [post 2, Samuel Marin], Paros [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche], Hammerhead [post 4, Antonio Fresu], Urgency [post 5, Jose Lezcano], Blown Cover [post 6, Ruben Silvera], Unit Economics [post 7, Dylan Davis], Ciao Chuck [post 8, Javier Castellano], and Emirates Road [post 9, Ricardo Santana, Jr.].
Michael Dubb’s Tapwrit’s Temper [post 6, Manny Franco] looks to double up on wins off the claim for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. in the seven-furlong $75,000 Royal Posse [Race 11].
The son of Tapwrit was taken for $20,000 out of a fourth-place effort in July at Saratoga, and immediately paid dividends when taking a $35,000 claiming sprint by a neck on September 20 here. The 4-year-old has banked $165,738 through a 29-3-5-3 record.
The field is completed the Sara’s Shaman [post 1, Silvestre Gonzalez], Normandy Coast [post 2, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Concorde Spirit [post 3, Samuel Marin, blinkers OFF], Secured Landing [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche], Princip [post 5, Javier Castellano], Life and Light [post 7, Christian Maragh], Two’s a Crowd [post 8, Rajiv Maragh], Pineapple Man [post 9, Heman Harkie] and Shoot the Nickel [post 10, Jose Lezcano].
General admission at Belmont Park is available for $7 when purchased in advance and provides fans with access to grandstand seats on most days, all areas within the first floor of the grandstand and the backyard. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.
America’s Day at the Races presents daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
