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.

For the sixth time in the 11-year history of the event, trainer Chad Brown won the $200,000 Wonder Again (G2) at Aqueduct on Monday. But has been the case on occasion in graded stakes through the first half of season, it was with a filly different from the one many expected to prevail.

One day after hosting an exciting renewal of the Belmont S. (G1), Belmont Park put on a quality Sunday card highlighted by a quartet of stakes.

Belmont Park has doubled its Sunday stakes offerings to a grand total of four, with the Wonder Again (G2) and Jersey Girl rescheduled to join the Tremont S. and Astoria S.

Update: With Belmont Park canceling Thursday due to dangerous air quality, the two scheduled stakes were moved to Sunday.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival got off to a chalky start on Thursday, as Klaravich Stables’ odds-on Consumer Spending outclassed her rivals in the Wonder Again (G2).

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival opened Thursday with a trio of black-type events. While Con Lima rolled at 8.30-1 in the Wonder Again S. (G3), Change of Control went off at a much shorter 1.45-1 in the Intercontinental S. (G3), and Happy Soul aired as a prohibitive odds-on favorite in the Astoria S.

Wonder Again S., Intercontinental S. and Astoria S. highlight Thursday racing at Belmont Park for Belmont Stakes week!