By Peter Fornatale

Thursday's Belmont Gold Cup is the longest Graded event in North America and returns for its 12th edition, with the winner earning a coveted "Golden Ticket" — an automatic berth into the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup. 

Historically a magnet for European stayers, with Godolphin's Siskany crossing the Atlantic to take the 2023 renewal for Charlie Appleby, this year's field is notably absent of any transatlantic raiders. What remains is a domestic eight-runner affair headlined by the Medaglia d'Oro gelding Corruption, the 7-5 favourite for Mark Casse, who showed genuine Grade 1 credentials when staying on for third in the Turf Classic at Churchill last month. 

Reigning champion Parchment Party is entered for the main track only after his dominant victory last year came on sloppy sealed dirt when heavy rain forced the marathon off the grass — with firm turf forecast, he is unlikely to face the starter.

Perhaps the most intriguing narrative belongs to Fleetfoot, who won a Flat race at the Fair Hill steeplechase meeting just ten days ago and now attempts an audacious move from the jump circuit to graded company at the Spa. 

#1 FLASHIEST

J: Irad Ortiz Jr. | T: Linda Powell 

A perennial nearly horse who has amassed nine seconds from thirty-nine career starts, the eight-year-old Mizzen Mast gelding ships east from California in strong recent form. Runner-up in the Grade 2 Whittingham at Santa Anita last time, he pressed the pace alongside Mondego and fought gamely in a duel before yielding by half a length. Prior to that he filled the same position in both the Grade 3 San Luis Rey and Grade 3 San Marcos, both at the same venue. 

The pattern is clear — he turns up, he tries, he finds one too good. The significant change here is the jockey upgrade to Irad Ortiz Jr., who replaces the less heralded Ayuso. His stamina credentials are sound — multiple placings at a mile and a half — and the step up to two miles on the inner turf could bring him forward, especially if he can settle early in a spot with a surprising amount of pace on paper. Whether he can convert at age eight against graded company is the question that has dogged him for four years, but he’s not without a chance. 

#2 NAVY SEAL (IRE)

J: Jose Ortiz | T: Wesley Ward

The Dubawi gelding represents an unusual departure for a stable synonymous with precocious juveniles and turf sprinters. Irish-bred by Coolmore, he began his career with Aidan O'Brien and won a maiden at Galway on soft ground before a brief stint in Dubai that included a not-disgraced effort in the Grade 2 UAE Derby on dirt. 

Since relocating Stateside he has found his niche as a turf stayer, winning a mile-and-a-half allowance at Kentucky Downs in September with a powerful wide rally and finishing a creditable third behind the excellent Burnham Square in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland last time. That Elkhorn effort is solid reference — he pressed the pace, chased through the far turn with fast sectionals, still stuck on OK to hold third in the end. The concern is tactical: his natural inclination is to race prominently, which could see him locking horns with several of these in the early stages, though he has shown the ability to stalk before and that’s likely the better plan here. If they duel through honest fractions over two miles, both could set the race up for the closers. At 6-1 he’d be at least a little interesting but it won’t be easy. 

#3 TAWNY PORT

J: Flavien Prat | T: Miguel Clement

He’s the most accomplished horse in the field on lifetime figures, the seven-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile brings earnings of $2.19 million and a body of work that includes a seventh-place finish in the 2022 Kentucky Derby. 

His recent run of form is solid, and I like how well he ran over testing Kentucky Downs course over 12 furlongs – that suggests he may go well at 2 miles. His fourth in the Elkhorn last time — behind Burnham Square, Desvio, and Navy Seal — wasn’t his best effort but he did make a middle move into a fast race shape. I’d prefer to see Prat employ the hold-up tactics that have seen him to his best effect in the past, especially considering all the speed signed on. He has been working steadily at Saratoga and should be set for an improved run. Major win candidate who needs the right set up. 

#4 MIZTERTONIC

J: Javier Castellano | T: Keri Brion

A New York-bred son of Mission Impazible, the seven-year-old gelding arrives from the jump circuit via trainer Keri Brion, who is better known for her steeplechase operation at Fair Hill. His form, while below graded standards, is not without merit — he won at the Saratoga over the inner turf last August when getting up in the final strides of a mile-and-a-sixteenth allowance, and he was a respectable third in open allowance company at Aqueduct last time, closing well to be a close-up third. His figures, however, sit well below the principals — he’s never cracked a 90 on the Beyer scale. He would need considerable improvement to land in the frame here. 

#5 WORTHINGTON

J: Chris Elliott | T: Keri Brion

The second of the Brion-trained pair, this Classic Empire gelding is a potential pace influence, though it’s notable he ran OK when deliberately held up last time. His pace figures on balance mark him as the quickest horse in the early stages, and there is a scenario where he even gets a little loose on the lead if the other jocks allow. 

His Flat form includes a third in the same Far Hills stakes that Fleetfoot won over jumps last October, and a decent third in a turf allowance at Pimlico where he was checked at the eighth pole. The workout tab shows a mix of speed and stamina efforts at Brion’s home base making me think he’ll be ready. He’s probably just a pace factor if they decide to send. 

#6 CONCORD GREEN

J: Manny Franco | T: Shug McGaughey

Four-year-old is the least exposed runner in the field and perhaps the one with the most untapped potential, this War Front gelding (out of an Arch dam) is a Stuart Janney homebred trained by a Hall of Famer. 

He won a mile-and-a-half allowance at Gulfstream in March, making a sustained move from off the pace to lead at the furlong marker and hold on gamely, and was a good second at Keeneland last time when setting the pace over the same trip before being caught late by Chapman's Peak – I like that type of versatility in terms of running style. He’s a little slow on figures for sure but his bloodlines suggest that he could come forward for the added ground. I think he’d be an interesting each-way play if he gets to double-figure odds. 

#7 CORRUPTION

J: John Velazquez | T: Mark Casse 

The deserving favourite on recent form. The five-year-old Medaglia d'Oro gelding enters off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Churchill, where he stayed on willingly from midfield to edge the show position behind Rhetorical and Make Me King. That was a legitimate Grade 1 performance against good opposition, and it followed a front-running effort in the Grade 3 Pan American at Gulfstream where he set the pace and was caught only in the final strides by Far Bridge. That tactical versatility is a genuine asset — he can lead, he can stalk, and he possesses enough late pace to sustain his effort. His record at a mile and three-eighths and a mile and a half is strong, with a dominant wire-to-wire allowance win at the Saratoga inner turf last July the standout.

The question is whether two miles stretches him beyond his comfort zone — his best work has come between eleven and twelve furlongs, and the extra quarter mile on what should be firm ground represents uncharted territory. If he can control the tempo from the front or get a good stalking trip from just off the pace, he is the one to beat. The pace setup might be less than ideal, however. 

#8 FLEETFOOT (IRE)

J: Kendrick Carmouche | T: Barry Foley

The most compelling storyline in the race, even if the figures counsel caution. The Teofilo gelding won the flat race at the Fair Hill steeplechase meeting just ten days ago, drawing clear under Danny Mullins on good ground, and is now asked to make the extraordinary leap from a $25,000 restricted flat contest against jump horses to a Grade 2 at Saratoga. 

His Irish pedigree is impeccable for the trip — by Teofilo out of a Distorted Humor mare, bred by Shadwell — and his Irish Flat career included a solid win in a mile-and-a-half handicap at Gowran Park. He also ran creditably in a Group 3 at Leopardstown last September. However, his one attempt at American graded company — the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland in April — produced a ninth-place finish after fading badly from a stalking position. Carmouche replaces Mullins in the saddle, and while the American-based jockey is a capable operator, the assignment feels optimistic. He’s sharp and he’s the one horse in the race where there’s no question about the distance, but I don’t think he classes up.

#9 PARCHMENT PARTY (MTO)

J: John Velazquez | T: Bill Mott

Entered for the main track only and overwhelmingly unlikely to face the starter given Thursday's forecast of eighty-six degrees and minimal rain. The Constitution horse dominated the 2025 edition by eight and a half lengths when heavy rain forced the race off the turf to a sloppy sealed main track over a mile and three-quarters, and he confirmed that dirt marathon form with wins at Oaklawn and Saratoga this spring. Should it come off the turf, he would be a near-certainty with Velazquez switching from Corruption. But that scenario appears extremely remote.