Belmont Park moves into its first full weekend after reopening with a competitive turf sprint on Saturday, September 19. The $175,000 Floral Park brings together 12 fillies and mares over six furlongs on the Widener turf course.
The race is scheduled as Race 9 on a 10 race card, with first post at 12:05 p.m. Eastern. It also becomes the first turf stakes at the rebuilt Belmont Park, giving the race added significance beyond a strong field.
Highway Harmony returns to six furlongs
Highway Harmony arrives after an excellent summer. She won the John Hettinger at Aqueduct on June 28 by two and one half lengths and completed six furlongs in 1:06.44, a track record. She then finished second to Shoot It True at Saratoga over five and one half furlongs.
Trainer Amelia Green now stretches Highway Harmony back to six furlongs. Edgard Zayas retains the mount from post 11. Her 98 Beyer Speed Figure in the John Hettinger is the best figure in this field according to NYRA.
Tabiti returns for Brad Cox
Juddmonte homebred Tabiti returns from an 11 month layoff for Brad Cox. The Kingman filly has already shown high level sprint ability in Britain, including a Group 3 victory at Salisbury and a dead heat Group 3 success at Goodwood.
Tabiti drew post 9 with Samuel Marin. Her return to sprinting adds an international element to a field that already has several proven American turf sprinters.
Capturing continues to improve
Capturing enters for Todd Pletcher after winning a Saratoga optional claimer by a nose on July 10. That performance produced a career best 87 Beyer Speed Figure. Her recent form suggests that shorter turf races have become her strongest assignment.
Other notable runners include graded winners Movin’ On Up and Love Cervere, along with Delightful Flame, Leslie’s Humor, Sweet Brown Sugar, Obstreperous, Lovely Emma, Flamingo Way and Quiet Confidence.
Why the Floral Park matters
The Floral Park provides an early look at how the Widener turf course plays during the new Belmont era. It also gives established turf sprinters and improving runners a useful late season test before autumn stakes programs develop further.
For more on the venue and its new racing surfaces, visit the OTB Bet Belmont Park guide. The September 18 opening card is led by the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Source
Field information, race conditions and trainer comments were verified through the New York Racing Association on September 14, 2026.
