NEW YORK (AP) Texas Red is set for his first race in more than five months in Saturday's $500,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park, one of six stakes races at the track's Stars & Stripes day.
Winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last year, Texas Red injured a foot after finishing second in the San Vicente on Feb. 1. He's had four workouts at Santa Anita in California in preparation for his return.
The 3-year-old is trained by Keith Desormeaux and will be ridden by his brother, Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux. Texas Red is the 9-5 morning-line favorite over Blofeld, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez.
Also entered are Bridget's Big Luvy, Tommy Macho, Hollywood Angel, Speightster and Smart Transition.
Tonalist, winner of the 2014 Belmont Stakes, tops the six-horse field for the 1 1/4-mile, $500,000 Suburban Handicap, and is the 3-5 favorite under Velazquez.
In his last start, Tonalist ran second to Honor Code in the Metropolitan Handicap.
''He's been training very well and we are excited about running him,'' trainer Christophe Clement said.
Pletcher has two starters in the race, Coach Inge and Mylute. The rest of the field is Street Babe, Neck `n Neck and Effinex.
In the Belmont Derby, a race on the turf with a purse of $1.25 million, Bolo is the slight 7-2 favorite over 4-1 Divisidero in a field of nine 3-year-olds. Bolo finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby, and is back on turf after running on dirt for a few races to get ready for the Derby.
Bolo, trained by Carla Gaines, will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
In the $1 million Belmont Oaks on the turf, unbeaten Lady Eli is the 2-1 favorite in a field of 14 3 year-old fillies.
Lady Eli, one of three horses in the field trained by Chad Brown, has won all five of her races, but will be running 1 1/4 miles for the first time.
''There's always some pressure when you have an undefeated horse; you'd like to keep it going,'' said Brown, who won last year's first Belmont Oaks with Minorette. ''She's given us every indication in the morning that she's going to continue to run her `A' race.''
Spanish Queen is the 7-2 second choice.
The winner of the Oaks earns an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
The other stakes races on the card are the Victory Ride and the Belmont Sprint Championship.
