NEW York Racing Association’s Turf Triple series for three-year-olds came to the final legs at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Aidan O’Brien’s Bolshoi Ballet had won the first leg in the Belmont Derby in July but was only fourth in the second leg in Saratoga and the one-time Derby favourite put in a laboured effort here under Ryan Moore, scrubbed along well before the final bend.

The Godolphin challenger Yibir also looked in trouble coming into the straight. The Dubawi gelding was slowly into stride, soon slightly detached, coaxed along to keep in touch early on.

But very much in the manner of his Great Voltigeur Stakes win, when switched outside turning for home, and Jamie Spencer got down to drive, he surged into contention to take it up over a furlong out and despite drifting left to the rail, he stayed on strongly for a two-and-a-half-length win.

Soldier Rising, a son of Frankel making his second US start for Christophe Clement, took second, with Bolshoi Ballet holding fourth of the seven.

“The purses here are phenomenal and hopefully in time they will become graded races. Charlie and the boss (Sheikh Mohammed) is a big advocate of taking on the best around the world, so if we can do our little part by coming over here, that’s great,” Appleby’s assistant Chris Connett told BloodHorse. “We have a great team and everyone plays their part and thankfully Sheikh Mohammed put it all in place and we just try to make him proud.”

The fillies’ race, the Jockey Club Oaks was won by Shantisara, an Irish-bred daughter of Coulsty who was winning for the second time for Chad Brown since she was purchased from France earlier in the year. She was bred by Oliver Donlon from a mare purchased for just €1,000.

Shedaresthedevil toughs it out

THERE were two other notable performance by fillies over the weekend. At Churchill Downs, on the after-dark card, the 2020 Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil put on a demonstration of her grit and speed as set the early pace and then held off a determined rail bid from Crystal Ball to take the $400,000 Grade 2 Locust Grove Stakes by a neck.

A Breeders’ Cup showdown with Letruska is on the cards. The two multiple Grade 1 winners have met twice this year, with Shedaresthedevil beating Letruska in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes and Letruska turning the tables in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes in their most recent encounter.

“She’s a very classy filly and knows how to fight to get things done. She’s proven how well she’s done here at Churchill and this was a good spot to get her ready for the Breeders’ Cup,” Brad Cox said.

“It’s one-one at the moment, we are very excited about November and maybe we’ll see more of her,” Sheikh Fahad Al Thani said. Four-year-old Sconsin is also among the top dirt fillies and has chased Gamine home a few times. She got a deserved success in the six-furlong Open Mind Stakes at Churchill Downs from another Grade 1 winner in Bell’s The One.