Belmont Park hosts live racing for the first time in three years on Friday, when a nine-race card is highlighted by the time-honored $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).

Burnham Square, a pleasant surprise who keeps on giving, confirmed his spot in next month's Kentucky Derby (G1) by winning the $1,225,625 Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland on Tuesday.

Despite ending his two-year-old season on a sour note in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), East Avenue is expected to produce a far better effort, perhaps a winning one, in the $500,000 Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds.

Saturday’s “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” at Fair Grounds features eight stakes races, led by the Gun Runner S. for Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls and the Untapable S. for Kentucky Oaks (G1) aspirants.

An hour or so after Good Cheer flew home in the Golden Rod (G2) for fillies, Godolphin made it a sweep of Churchill Downs' leading juvenile stakes when First Resort pulled off a minor upset of the $381,250 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) on Saturday.

Impressive Iroquois (G3) winner Jonathan’s Way sustained his first career loss when seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar, which was also his first two-turn attempt.