Far and away the class of the field as the 1-20 favorite, Nitrogen sailed through her Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) tune-up in Friday’s Beldame (G2) at Belmont Park.

Second to Horse of the Year Sovereignty in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, Nitrogen lands in a softer spot in Friday’s $250,000 Beldame (G2) at Belmont Park.

Fifty weeks after last visiting the winner’s circle, reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty returned to it after the $1 million Whitney (G1) at Saratoga.

Magnitude forged to the head of the older male class, defeating Sovereignty, Baeza, and White Abarrio in the June 27 Stephen Foster (G1).

Nitrogen rebounded spectacularly while returning to Saratoga for Friday's Ogden Phipps (G1), dominating on the front end en route to a 12 3/4-length victory.

A rematch of the top three finishers from last month's Kentucky Oaks (G1) is on tap at Saratoga on Friday in the $500,000 Acorn (G1).

In winning the Apple Blossom, Claret Beret secured an automatic bid to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland

Majestic Oops finished well behind Nitrogen and Regaled in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) last fall, but outfinished both of those rivals while recording a 9-1 upset in the $400,000 Azeri (G2).

Nitrogen snapped a two-race losing skid last month with an authoritative win in the Bayakoa (G3).

Opening week of the Keeneland fall meet wrapped up on Sunday with a trio of stakes, including two “Win and You’re In” qualifiers to the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup.

Racing fans won't have to wait until the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) to see a clash of the generations among fillies and mares.

A major player in the three-year-old turf division earlier this year, Nitrogen transferred her form to dirt and recorded an important win in Saturday's Alabama (G1) at Saratoga.

The two previous times the three-year-old fillies Good Cheer and La Cara met on the racetrack, one proved victorious while the other was not competitive.

What could prove to be an especially fruitful summer at Saratoga for the three-year-old filly Nitrogen continues on Saturday when the rising star looks to capture her sixth stakes win in a row in the $500,000 Belmont Oaks (G1) over nine furlongs on the turf.

The Wonder Again switch was no problem for 2-5 favorite Nitrogen, who cruised by 17 lengths. In contrast, the Pennine Ridge lost its key players.

A year ago, Spirit of St Louis was sitting good as the dominant figure among the New York-bred turf set. On Saturday, the six-year-old can enhance his credentials to be the leader among all older U.S. turf performers in the $1 million Manhattan (G1) at Saratoga.

Kentucky Oaks Day included a trio of graded stakes for turf distaffers, and two odds-on favorites demonstrated star quality at Churchill Downs.

Upsets were prominent on Tuesday's Blue Grass Day undercard at Keeneland, the biggest being Positano Sunset's 14-1 surprise over the favorite Emery in the $623,338 Madison (G1) for fillies and mares.

A days-long wet weather system forecast to affect central Kentucky this weekend could wreak havoc on Keeneland's signature program of the spring meet on Saturday, in particular the two stakes scheduled for the turf.

While the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) was Saturday’s main event, Festival Day 45 also included four supporting stakes.