Velazquez 36 is a two-time Eclipse Award winner as the nations leading jockey. He started his career in Puerto Rico after attending jockey school there; his first win was aboard Rodas in 1990 at El Commandante. In March of that year he moved to New York where he has been among the top 10 jockeys every year since 1991.

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The cancellation affected two important scheduled graded stakes races which were advancements to October’s Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita. The Pilgrim Grade III, for juvenile colts and the Miss Grillo Grade III, for juvenile fillies 1 1/16 miles on turf for $150,000 are now scheduled for Wednesday.

These two races are part of the "win and you’re in" races. However; as the races were carded for turf, if for some reason the races moved to dirt, they would not longer qualify.

NYRA's director of racing/racing secretary P.J. Campo reported two inches of rainfall Thursday night and early Friday morning. More rain was forecast for Friday and Saturday, though, no rain fell during the four-hours which Friday's Belmont races would have been run.

Campo said he felt comfortable carding one race each on Belmont's two turf courses Sunday, but was leery of doing more than that. The Grade 2 Kelso will be run on the Widener Turf, and a New York-bred maiden will go on the inner turf as the nightcap.

"We just don't think we can get the Kelso and the two baby races in," Campo said. "It's hard to get at least three in with that much rain.

"A lot of guys are counting on these baby races, especially for the Breeders' Cup, being 'win and you're in' … We thought moving it to Wednesday would probably be the smart thing to do. Everybody's been notified, everyone's pretty happy with the decision."

Trainer, Todd Pletcher, of likely Pilgrim favorite Bittel Road, has expressed his desire to run his horse on the Belmont track, he is keeping his options open such as next Saturday’s Summer Stakes at Woodbine or Sunday’s Woodford Reserve Bourbon at Keeneland.

"We're not committed to staying on firm ground," Pletcher said. "Obviously, when you know a horse handles something you don't want to change anything, but it just depends on what the conditions are like here. If it's a bog, it might sway us to go elsewhere."

Curlin, has so far won his last five starts and amassed $9,796,800 in wins. owner Jess Jackson spoke about the upcoming race.

"Cigar left an indelible memory and was always a great competitor,” said Jackson in the NTRA conference call Tuesday. “To win the Jockey Gold Cup this Saturday is not about the money. Curlin has proven himself as a champion and established himself as one of the best racehorses in the last century."

He continued, "We are taking this one race at a time. He’s fit and ready and we will consider all options, including the Breeders’ Cup.”

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The Ruffian Handicap, a Gr. 1 event with a purse of $300,000 for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, will be run on Saturday. Test Stakes and Prioress Stakes champion Indian Blessing has been nominated, and the Bob Baffert-trained filly will be putting her two-race unbeaten streak on the line. She is expected to be challenged by Tough Tiz's Sis, who is also trained by Baffert, and Godolphin Stable's Little Belle, who has finished no worse than third in the seven races of her 2008 campaign.

Also to be run on Saturday is the Gr. 1 $250,000 Garden City Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf. Pure Clan, winner of both the American Oaks and the Regret Stakes earlier this year, is expected to run; she has a stellar record of four wins in four starts on turf this year. Other notable nominees include Appalachian Stakes winner Alwajeeha, Irish-based Shaker and the speedy Raw Silk.

The $100,000-added Schenectady Handicap will be featured on Sunday, Sept. 7. This race is for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, and looks to be a rematch of the Union Avenue Stakes that was held in August. One-two finishers By the Light, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., and Just Zip It, trained by William H. Turner Jr., are slated to face off once again. Also nominated are Precise Lady, Salt Water Reign and Under Serviced.

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With Curlin's long-term goal being the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) at Longchamp Oct. 5, it was imperative he run his next race on the grass. The Horse of the Year recently had a successful work at Churchill Downs and after some licensing issues regarding the colt's minority partners, it was unclear as to whether Curlin would reach any of the potential races (Arlington Handicap or Man o' War).

"We’ve been OK’d to race in New York and we’re planning on flying him to Belmont on Thursday," Asmussen said. “I have no particulars; that was handled by Stonestreet."

If Curlin looks good at the Man o' War, prepping for the Arc will be the next step.

“I think the Arc is one of the greatest races in the world and we’re hoping to prove that Curlin is one of the greatest horses in the world,” Asmussen said. “If we can establish a grade I form on him this Saturday in the Man o' War, we’ll make arrangements from there to get him to Chantilly and start our preparations with him to be comfortable going right-handed. That will start Saturday, and if all goes well we’ll still have a lot to do.”

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"He's never been beat with us with four different riders – grass, dirt, mile and a half," Dutrow said Monday at Aqueduct. "So, I'm looking for him to run big in the Suburban."

Rising Moon won the Wagon Limit Stakes at Belmont on May 18, 2007; however he broke his foot in that race. This was the reason he did not run again until last month.

"He's very good right now," Dutrow said. "He's turning into being a nice horse. He used to be mean as a snake; he'd want to hurt you. Now he's got that in him, but he's so much more manageable and so nicer to be around.”

Other horses to look at in this race are A.P. Arrow, Angliana, Harlington, and Solar Flare. The Mother Goose Stakes features Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell. On Monday Proud Spell worked five furlongs in 59.80 at Fair Hill.

According to Barclay Tagg’s assistant Robin Smullen, it looks like Hamsa may be joining the Mother Goose Stakes as well. Smullen said Hamsa had a five furlong workout clocking 59.93 seconds last Sunday at the Belmont training track which looked solid.

"I thought she worked very well," Smullen said. "Barclay got the last quarter in 23-and-change."

The confirmed runners for the Mother Goose are Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell and Music Note. Pious Ashley is also listed as a possible runner.

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