ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Malcolm Pierce’s last trip to Belmont Park was so productive that he has decided to come back, and he hopes to double his pleasure when he runs horses in a pair of graded stakes here this weekend. Pierce, based most of the year at Woodbine, will be saddling Up With the Birds in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes, and Overheard in Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Athenia Stakes. Last October, Up With the Birds gave Pierce his first Grade 1 stakes victory when he won the Jamaica over this course. That victory capped a sensational 3-year-old campaign for Up With the Birds, who had a record of 4-2-0 from six starts. This year, Up With the Birds has just one win from four starts, that victory coming two starts back in the Grade 2 Nijinksy Stakes at Woodbine on July 19. Before that, Up With the Birds ran sixth in an allowance race at Keeneland and sixth in the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico. Most recently, Up With the Birds finished fourth in the Grade 1 Arlington Million. “We were a little behind the eight ball getting going in New Orleans this winter,” Pierce said. “He definitely needed that race at Keeneland. His race at Pimlico wasn’t that bad a race. He ran a strong race in the Nijinsky.” Pierce said Up With the Birds had travel difficulties shipping from Canada to Chicago for the Arlington Million, and he was beaten five lengths by the winner, Hardest Core, that day. Pierce has liked what he’s seen from Up With the Birds in his training leading up to this race. “I’m expecting a big effort out of him on Saturday,” Pierce said. Pierce said Up With the Birds will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, who was aboard for last year’s Jamaica victory. Up With the Birds drew post 7 in a field that includes Plainview, Winning Cause, Za Approval, Speaking of Which, Legendary, Tricky Hat, and Mshawish. Easter Gift was entered for the main track. Overheard, a 4-year-old daughter of Macho Uno, won the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes in July and, most recently, finished second in the Grade 3 Violet at Monmouth Park. “She gives 100 percent every time,” Pierce said. “She’s on the small side so we space her races out. Timing is the reason we’re coming there for that race.” Entries for the Athenia were to be taken Thursday. Those expected to run include Annecdote, Cushion, Julie’s Love, and Tokyo Time.