NEW YORK (AP) Big Blue Kitten won the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in a course-record time Saturday at Belmont Park.
The 7-year-old ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:23.39, erasing the mark of 2:24.36 set by Fantastic Light in 2001.
Big Blue Kitten was trained by Chad Brown, who sent out three of the seven runners in the field.
The trio all played prominent roles, starting with Shining Copper as the designated pacesetter.
Shining Copper opened a huge early lead, insuring a brisk early pace for his late-running stablemates.
Big Blue Kitten and jockey Joe Bravo settled far back in sixth before launching a four-wide bid on the final turn.
They surged past the pack at the top of the stretch and had enough left to hold off Slumber, the third Brown horse in the race, by three quarters of a length with Twilight Eclipse third.
''I'm proud of both horses,'' Brown said of his 1-2 finishers. ''The race pretty much went the way I expected. Shining Copper has run admirably all summer as the pacemaker for us.''
Big Blue Kitten earned $360,000 for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
The Joe Hirsch and the $400,000 Vosburg were Breeders' Cup Challenge races, insuring the winners' fees-paid spots in the season-ending championships next month at Keeneland.
Big Blue Kitten was already set for the $3 million Turf, having previously won a Challenge race in the United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park in July.
Big Blue Kitten paid $7, $3 and $2.30.
Slumber, running as a separate betting interest, returned $4.80 and $3.40, and Twilight Eclipse paid $3 to show.
-Rock Fall punched his Breeders' Cup ticket with a victory in the Vosburg.
He now has a berth in the $1.5 million Sprint.
The 2-5 favorite, Rock Fall finished a neck better than Salutos Amigos.
The 4-year-old colt trained by Todd Pletcher ran eighth at Gulfstream Park in April of last year. Since that debut, he has reeled off seven straight wins, including a trio of stakes. Javier Castellano was aboard for the six furlongs in 1:08.70.
Rock Fall paid $2.80 to win.
-Wedding Toast rolled to a commanding win in the $400,000 Beldame for fillies and mares.
The 5-year-old trained by Kiaran McLaughlin dictated the pace in her third straight stakes victory at Belmont. She captured the Ruffian here in May and the Ogden Phipps on the Belmont Stakes undercard.
Jose Lezcano was aboard as Wedding Toast, the 3/5 favorite, beat Curalina by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:47.67 for 1 1/8 miles. She paid $3.30 to win.
-La Verdad, the leader among distaff sprinters in New York, chalked up a fifth straight stakes win in the $300,000 Gallant Bloom.
As usual, La Verdad and jockey Jose Ortiz went right to the front and held off Wavell Avenue by a half-length. The 5-year-old trained by Linda Rice covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.16, paying $3.10 to win as the 1-2 favorite.
-Isotherm was the 9-1 upset winner in the $200,000 Pilgrim for 2-year-olds on the turf. He beat Azar by a neck for his second win in three starts. Regular rider Jose Lezcano was aboard for trainer George Weaver as the colt ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.98 over the firm course. He paid $21.20 to win.
