First two Belmont cards drawn

Weekend Hideaway will make his fifth consecutive appearance in the $100,000 Affirmed Success Stakes on Friday’s opening day of the 54-day Belmont Park spring-summer meet.

Weekend Hideaway won the 2016 Affirmed Success after finishing third in 2014 and seventh in 2015. Last year, Weekend Hideaway finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length.

Weekend Hideaway will break from the rail as the 124-pound highweight under Luis Saez.

The Affirmed Success drew only a field of six. Eye Luv Lulu, beaten a neck in this race last year, gets in with 118 pounds and picks up Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer Linda Rice entered the uncoupled entry of Gypsum Johnny and Loki’s Vengeance. Caledonian, away from the races since a last-place finish in the Grade 3 Bay Shore a year ago, and Pat On the Back complete the field.

There will be 10 races Saturday at Belmont topped by $125,000 Elusive Quality for older horses on turf. A seemingly wide-open field of 10 has been entered, including the 9-year-old New York-bred millionaire Kharafa, second in the Elusive Quality last year, and the 8-year-old multiple stakes-winning gelding Undrafted.

Other contenders include Blind Ambition, Ready for Rye, Commend, Commute, and Conquest Panthera.

First post at Belmont Park will be 1:30 p.m. on a regular basis.