West Point Thoroughbreds will take the opportunity for a big presence at next week’s Belmont Stakes festival at Saratoga with 10 horses lined up. Four of them have Grade 1 assignments: Counting Stars in the $500,000 Acorn, Battle of Normandy and Integration in the $1-million Manhattan, and Vibe in the $1-million Metropolitan Handicap. 

Leading things off will be Honoree and Willpowered in a New York-bred allowance on June 3, followed by Careless Whisper (New York-bred maiden) and possibly Paige Turner (Jersey Girl Stakes) on June 4, possibly Rhyton in a turf sprint on June 5 along with Counting Stars in the Acorn, then Brightline Bullet in an allowance on Belmont Day, June 6, along with Battle of Normandy, Integration and Vibe. Integration finished second by a head in last year’s Manhattan. 

This will be the final Belmont festival at Saratoga, with the new Belmont Park set to be unveiled this fall and scheduled to host the classic and its companion events in 2027.