Durante outkicked the favorite One Nine Hundred by a neck to win Saturday's $175,000 Grade 3 John A. Nerud Stakes at Belmont at the Big A, his first win in nearly a year. [1] The seven-year-old Kentucky-bred ran the seven furlongs in 1:10.45 under Ricardo Santana Jr. for trainer-owner David Jacobson; Acoustic Ave finished third by a length and a quarter. The field was six. Jacobson credited the addition of blinkers — "He was getting a little lazy in the first part of it in his last couple of races." [1]

The Nerud is a sprint stakes that historically functions as a Met Mile pointer; this year's winner is now expected at the May 30 Grade 3 Aristides at Churchill Downs. [1] The race itself was the day's notable Big A result, with the Peter Pan Stakes drawing the larger pre-race attention as a Belmont Stakes prep. [2]

The Saturday card sits inside the same weekend that Cherie DeVaux's pivot to the June 6 Belmont at Saratoga closes its trainer-governance arc. Belmont entries close Monday at noon. Golden Tempo is expected on the list. The undercard finished its part of the racing weekend yesterday. The headline race finishes its part next month.

-- AMARA OKONKWO, Lagos