The opening Saturday of the Fall Championship Meeting at Belmont Park featured three Grade 1 stakes events. The highlight of these is the $500,000 Man o'War Stakes (G1) for horses prepping for the Breeders' Cup Turf. Seven older horses went to the gate in this 1 3/8 mile inner turf feature, with Cacique sent off as the 8-5 favorite over 2-1 second choice Showing Up, a 3-year-old facing older competition for the first time.
61-1 longest shot Ramazutti was allowed a clear 1 1/2 length lead first time past the stands through a quarter in 24.10, and then he was joined by Showing Up and 9-1 Cosmonaut on the backstretch through slow fractions of 49.84, 1:15.62, and 1:40.97. Entering the stretch, Ramazutti tired and faded to last, allowing Showing Up a brief taste of the lead. However, Cacique was closing well after racing in fifth early. Coming through a hole along the inside, Cacique ran right by Showing Up inside the 3/16 pole, and drew away to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 2:15.68 over the "good" course. Go Deputy rallied from sixth to just nose out Showing Up for second place money.
