A determined rally delivered a victory June 4 in the Prairie Mile Stakes at Prairie Meadows.

Rosemont Stud’s Shamus Award moved to the top of the group 1-winning sire charts for the 2020/21 season after siring his third group 1 winner this term courtesy of the June 5 Queensland Oaks (G1) winner Duais.

According to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, Jose Ortiz will ride St. Elias Stable’s Known Agenda in the June 5 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), replacing his brother Irad Ortiz Jr., who was injured in a riding accident this week.

Judging by the will pays in the Belmont Gold Cup-Belmont Stakes double, Essential Quality will be a heavy favorite in the June 5 final jewel of the Triple Crown with Rock Your World a narrow second choice.

Mainstay, a half sister to 2-year-old champion filly Vequist, dazzled in her racing debut, toying with a field of seven other freshman distaffers to win by 7 3/4 lengths June 4 at Monmouth Park.

Over 1 1/4 miles on a rain-soaked, yielding turf course at Belmont Park, the $750,000 New York Stakes (G2T) took 2:04.68 to complete, but Mean Mary essentially won the race in the first second.

Gran Alegria takes on a challenge June 6 at Tokyo Racecourse that proved too much a year ago even for superstar Almond Eye —winning the Yasuda Kinen (G1) on just three weeks’ rest.

Freshman sire Klimt was represented by his first winner June 4 when Loveherheart soared to victory by 5 1/2 lengths in a $62,598 maiden special weight at Santa Anita Park.

After nearly an hour rain delay, the Juan Arriagada-trained Estilo Talentoso splashes home to take the June 4 Bed o’ Roses Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.

The 2021 Triple Crown started with Essential Quality as the betting favorite and 3-year-old to beat in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) as his trainer, Brad Cox, and owner, Godolphin, sought their first win in a U.S. classic.