Tipsheet: 2026 Flower Bowl Stakes

A high-quality cast of 11 fillies and mares will travel 1 1/4 miles over the Belmont Park inner turf in Saturday’s $500,000 Flower Bowl (G2). 

Flower Bowl Stakes Picks

• #4 Kathynmarissa
• #8 Esna
• #2 Sunlit Uplands
• #10 Gezora

Flower Bowl Stakes Wagers

• $5 trifecta key 4 with 2,8,10
• $.50-cent superfecta box 2,4,8,10

Flower Bowl Stakes Contenders

#1 FIONN: Grade 1 heroine was never a factor in an allowance race at one mile off the long layoff and will show marked improvement the second time back. The Brad Cox trainee galloped out well in that latest venture and will thrive with the added ground today while saving ground on the fence under Manny Franco.  

#2 SUNLIT UPLANDS: Group 3 victress missed by a neck in her stateside bow and will be a major threat with any improvement second time off the break. The bay daughter of Sands of Mali displayed good tactical speed in her first run in the U. S. and will be prominent from the break in this one. James Doyle coming in to ride is a big positive. 

#3 FAVORITE MEMORY: Frankel filly from the always dangerous DeVaux shedrow has not been sharp from a pair of tries since coming to the U. S. and will need a big step forward to challenge this deep field. The four-year-old will be doing her best work late, with Kendrick Carmouche inheriting the ride. 

#4 KATHYNMARISSA: Horse to beat and top selection was very impressive in eclipsing the Diana (G1) at Saratoga in her latest affair and looms large with something resembling that effort. Trained by Chad Brown, the American Pharoah mare has run some big races at the distance in the past and will be formidable late beneath Jose Ortiz. 

#5 STORM MIAMI: Amelia Green mare is the pace of the race and will take this field along for as long as she can at a nice price. The daughter of Blue Point has placed in a quartet of graded runs in succession and could be brave late if she is allowed to dictate things through soft splits early on. John Velazquez has the assignment. 

#6 OPULENT RESTRAINT: First of two from the Mott barn stretches out from a 5 1/2-furlong dash at Saratoga and will ensure a good pace in the affair with the stretch out in distance. The Grade-1 placed stakes victress will be involved from the opening bell with Javier Castellano in the stirrups. 

#7 EVERSHED: Churchill filly was a smart winner of the Waya (G3) most recently for conditioner Arnaud Delacour and rates an exotics chance with her top effort. The four-year-old is not especially consistent, but she is good on her best day and will also handle the distance with relative ease in the tilt. Dylan Davis will pilot the lightly raced bay. 

#8 ESNA: Starman sophomore will face her elders in her U. S. debut for trainer Brian Meehan. The in-form filly has checked in second in a pair of Group 3 races in succession in advance of the heat, and I expect her to be a presence against this cast for a conditioner who is always dangerous when shipping a horse to the states. Jamie Spencer will take the reins aboard the improving lass. 

#9 SILVOLOGY: Blame five-year-old didn’t fire at Saratoga last time and has never run fast enough to defeat a field of this caliber in the past. The Kentucky-bred gray would be a surprise with Antonio Fresu in the irons. 

#10 GEZORA: Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare (G1) starlet has yet to regain her three-year-old form this season but has to be on the ticket, nonetheless. The Bill Mott charge could be coming up to a big effort after posting a bullet five panels on the Saratoga training turf as of late, and her best performance would obviously be good enough to challenge for the win with Junior Alvarado staying in the silks. 

#11 CATHEDRAL: Chad Brown trainee was behind a soft pace on a yielding surface in the Diana last time out and will have a better chance today despite drawing widest of all in the finale. The daughter of the fantastic Too Darn Hot has been running with some superb horses over the past two seasons and will be well placed at the top of the stretch with Flavien Prat signed on for the ride.