What is being called the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicks off with a nine-race card today at 2:00 ET.  

There are three stakes on the card, including a pair of Grade 3s for females on the turf - the Intercontinental at seven furlongs on the Widener course goes as race 7; the Wonder Again, for 3yo fillies, over nine furlongs on the inner is race 8.  They are supported by the Astoria, for 2yo fillies sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs in race 6.  

The Intercontinental lost two to scratches, including ML favorite Lady Alexandra, and will go with a field fo eight.

It remains a competitive field, and though the defections will change the expected wagering on some of the others, I am still interested in playing La Sardane in this race. 

La Sardane arrived from France after winning a Group 2 race over a mile last summer.  In that Prix de Sandringham she sat a perfect pace-tracking trip for the first six furlongs or so and then powered clear in the stretch to defeat a talented horse in Senga at a big price.  One start prior to that, she went straight to the lead and made all the pace before proving to be no match for that same rival late. 

La Sardane's first stateside start came off the layoff at Keeneland, and to say that she had a no-chance trip would be an understatement.  She was kept wide in no man's land throughout that race before finally trying a run around the second-turn, before ultimately tiring in the stretch. 

Her second start back was a much different, and much better, performance.  Her speed returned at Churchill on May 3rd and she comfortably tracked the pace-setter early, before cruising up to take over and kicking clear.  She has a nice running style for this race with her natural, tactical speed, and she appears to be a horse who will relish this seven-furlong distance.  

In the Wonder Again, Chad Brown's Significant Form makes her second start of the year after crushing a modest field of stakes horses in her 3yo debut with a 91 Beyer.  

She's good and is the horse to beat as she stretches out, but she faces a tough rival in Daddy Is a Legend. 

Daddy Is a Legend has twice come up short while testing division-leader Rushing Fall this year, but she ran strong races both times, and she already owns an impressive win over this nine-furlong distance. 

The other horse I'll use a little is the French-import Armoricaine. This is no easy spot to ship in to but she ran well in every one of her races last year en route to defeating males in a stakes race last October; she had speed in her races over there; and she may benefit from the addition of Lasix for this race after stopping abruptly in her 3yo debut. 

The Astoria goes through Simon Callaghan's Tijori, who was impressive winning her career debut at Santa Anita with a Beyer of 82. She faces a couple of speedy fillies from Wesley Ward's barn, but she may be a bit ahead of her rivals right now.  

Lady Apple is the only maiden in the field but it's early and she ran well to be 2nd in her Keeneland debut.  She will get Lasix for the Astoria as she makes her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen.