SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – And it's only Belmont Stakes eve.Highlighted by a fantastic renewal of the GI DraftKings Acorn S. featuring four out of the top five finishers from the GI Kentucky Oaks, a stacked 14-race program awaits on day three of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Friday.Three Chimneys Farm and Douglas Scharbauer's 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Always a Runner (Gun Runner) made it a perfect three-for-three with a powerful, come-from-behind victory beneath the lights on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs. The $1.05-million Keeneland September yearling is the much-deserved, 4-5 morning-line favorite in the Acorn.Recent Kentucky Oaks winners to double up in the Acorn include: Bird Town (Cape Town) (2003), Abel Tasman (Quality Road) (2017), Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) (2018), 'Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) (2023) and 'Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) (2024).“This is going to be a much different race in a short field, so we'll have to see how it all works out,” trainer Chad Brown said. “There's really good horses in the race, just not many.”Five to be exact.After leading in the stretch, GII Santa Anita Oaks heroine Meaning (Gun Runner) was 1 1/4 lengths back in second in the Kentucky Oaks, one length ahead of GII Fantasy S. winner Counting Stars (Honor A. P.) in third.“They weren't far apart last time, so anything is possible,” Counting Stars's trainer Mark Casse, responsible for last year's Acorn winner La Cara (Street Sense), said.Counting Stars | Sarah Andrew'Rising Star' and GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Prom Queen (Quality Road) also returns for round two. She rallied from way-too-far back to finish fifth, beaten 4 3/4 lengths, in the Kentucky Oaks and continued on powerfully after the wire. The rail-drawn West homebred figures to get a much more aggressive ride beneath Flavien Prat, who takes over the controls from Javier Castellano.“The effort was there, and we won't be as far back on Friday because there's not as many in there to be behind,” trainer Brad Cox said.Friday's card also features the 'Win and You're In' GI Ogden Phipps S., the GI New York S., the GII Bed o' Roses S. and the GII Wonder Again S.Last year's champion 3-year-old filly and GI Alabama S. winner Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the Ogden Phipps. She was a disappointing second as the 4-5 favorite in the GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn last time Apr. 11.Her five Ogden Phipps rivals include: GII Mother Goose S. winner and GI Fasig-Tipton La Troienne S. runner-up Fully Subscribed (Tiz the Law) and GII Baird Doubledogdare S. winner Alpine Princess (Classic Empire).Kathynmarissa (American Pharoah) and Gezora (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}), one-two for Brown in the GIII Modesty S. at Churchill Downs May 1, face off again in the New York. The Peter Brant-owned 2025 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Gezora has since been transferred to Hall of Famer Bill Mott.Gezora | Sarah AndrewThe ultra-talented 'Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke), winner of the 2024 GI Test S. at the Spa, is back to defend her title in the Bed o' Roses. “I'd like her to be a champion,” Brown said. “I want to see her win the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.”Lion Lake (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a game third in the GII Edgewood S., is drawn widest of all in post eight in the Wonder Again. She is the 8-5 morning-line favorite.First post is 11:45 a.m. ET, with gates opening to the public at 10 a.m. ET.America's Day at the Races presents daily coverage of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on the networks of FOX Sports.The post Kentucky Oaks Rematch in Acorn, One of Five Graded Stakes at the Spa Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.