All N.Y., All Day at Belmont

Three weeks before California-breds have their day in the spotlight in the Cal Cup, New York-breds will be the main attraction at Belmont Park today.

All 10 races on the card at the Elmont, N.Y., track are restricted to New York-breds and seven of the races are stakes.

The main event is the $250,000 Empire Classic. With his connections having opted to come to California for a certain defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Classic a week from today, Well Fancied is the 124-pound high weight and the one to beat in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Owned by Sanford Goldfarb and Stewart Hoffman and trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., Well Fancied is a winner of nine of 25 lifetime. The other six stakes are the $100,000 Maid of the Mist for 2-year-old fillies, the $100,000 Sleepy Hollow for 2-year-olds, the $125,000 Iroquois for older fillies and mares, the $150,000 Ticonderoga for older fillies and mares on the turf, the $125,000 Hudson for older sprinters and the $150,000 Mohawk for older turf specialists.

Race of the day: Cooperation, who found Grade II company too tough at Del Mar and Keeneland, is dropped into a softer spot in today’s $75,000 Sunny Slope Stakes at Santa Anita. Patrick Valenzuela will ride the 2-year-old Halo’s Image colt for trainer Bob Baffert and owner James McIngvale.

One for the road: Let’s take a shot with first-timer Poppy Seed against a mediocre field in today’s fifth at Keeneland. The 3-year-old Bertrando filly has had sharp workouts and Grant Forster’s barn is winning at a 21% rate this year.

Exotically speaking: A pick three singling Superiority in the fourth, using C.J.’s Honour, Semoran’s Decision and Calabres in the fifth and Poet’s Studio, Mambo Slew, Shake Off, Willow Rush and Vencedora Amiga in the sixth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/43. Money: Previous day/meet total: $13.80/$222.40. Total money bet: $258.