The Awad
$175.00 For Two Year Olds
6 Furlongs – Turf
Belmont Park – November 14, 2026

The Awad has a somewhat varied history. It has been run eleven times. It has been run at both Aqueduct and Belmont. It has been run at a mile and a mile and a sixteenth. It has been run for $80, $100, $120, $130 and $150. This year finds us at Belmont Park at a new six furlong distance and for an all time race high $175.00 purse. The only thing consistent about The Awad is that it has always been for two year olds and it has always been contested on the grass. Ten juveniles are scheduled to show up at Belmont on Saturday to try to add their name to the list of winners of this race. 

1. Enforce (Nakamura Stables, J.J. Castellano)
Winner of one of three lifetime starts. He broke his maiden sprinting on the grass at Woodbine in July. He moved into stakes company after that win with a sixth place finish in the KD Juvenile Sprint losing to the impressive Grass Crown who went on to win the G1 BC Juvenile. Not a bad loss.

2. Nuckelavee (Williams9, A. Fresu)
He has run six times and has never finished worse than third. He has three wins including two straight stakes races with his last race being two weeks ago when he won the G1 BC Juvenile Turf Sprint and gained a 100 SRF speed figure. Obviously the connections feel like he is ready to go again so strike while the iron is hot.

3. Highly Texan (Barcelona Farms, E.J. Zayas)
Homebred gelding won his first two races including a turf sprint N1X at LAD. He then moved into graded company when he finished third in the G3 Algonquin Stakes. He had dropped the bute in that race and is scheduled to add it back and revert to the adds used in his allowance win. Seems to be improving each race according to his speed figures. Gets an extra furlong and his running style to date would seem to indicate that will be to his liking. 

4. Flicker (Mb Stables, F. Prat)
Speedy sort was a near miss second in his first two starts and was then purchased for $33.00 at the June auction and promptly gelded. His first start for his new barn was a win in a statebred MSW at Parx. He then made his turf and stakes debut in the G3 Futurity at Belmont where he was a speed and fade tenth out of twelve. Fast working and gets another try on the green stuff.

5. Lil E (Ajm Stables, D. Davis)
Broke his maiden in his second start which was his turf debut. He was purchased privately for $65.00 after that win and has been seen twitch since, both times on the grass. He was a near miss third in a Parx N1X and then took a shot at the G3 Zuma Beach Stakes at a mile where he finished off the board for the first time finishing fifth. He cuts back to six furlongs and sprinting where he has had success. 

6. Silver Shot (Rock Creek, K. Carmouche)
Rock Creek homebred colt was never worse than first or second in his first five races including two wins on the grass. Following those two wins he stepped up in class for the G3 Futurity where he finished twelfth and last. He barely picked up his hooves in that one but that race was in such contrast to his first five that you have to throw it out and give him another chance here especially as he has continued to show speed in morning works. 

7. Protego Totalum (Acber Farms, M. Franco)
He was a $25.00 purchase as an unraced gelding and broke his maiden in his second start which was also his first race on grass. He became a stakes winner next out in The Skidmore at Saratoga sprinting over soft ground. He then finished eighth when attempting to route in the G2 Pilgrim. Goes back to sprinting and will attempt to add a second stakes win to his resume. 

8. Speedy Egg (Gdp Inc, J. Lezcano)
Speedy Egg has lived up to his name thus far in his career with two wins in two starts. Both of those races have been in five furlong grass sprints so he is sticking with what has been successful but adds another furlong. Has only shown early speed to date so expect him to be quick out of the outside gate looking for position early. Gets his class test today.

9. Namath (Big Jd Racing, S. Marin)
Broke his maiden a month ago in his sixth start which was his fourth run on the grass. He has raced almost exclusively at high level tracks so he hasn’t been ducking anyone and that would indicate that his connections hold him in high regard. Moves right up into stakes level competition at the same distance as his win and is working well. 

10. Inviting Warrior (Lemax Farms, R. Gutierrez)
After three straight off the board finished to begin his career he was gelded and that seemed to do the trick as he was a next out winner in a MSW at Saratoga. He then finished fourth behind Protego Totalum in The Skidmore and he will have to turn the tables on that one if he wants to win here. He was only a length off the winner finishing fourth again in the G3 Futurity five weeks ago. That was a solid effort and shows talent but the outside gate doesn’t do him any favors. 

You have to go with the BC champ right? It is a quick turnaround but he is showing good weight coming out of that and I will make Nuckelavee the pick. Highly Texan has a good post and has done little wrong so place him second followed by a rebounding Silver Shot and the unbeaten Speedy Egg.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded