Fourth of July fireworks hit Saratoga earlier than usual with the inaugural July 4 Racing Festival at the Spa, which hosts the $750,000 Grade 1 Belmont Invitational and $400,000 Grade 2 Suburban among Friday headliners. Alumni of this year’s Kentucky Derby and French Derby are among the field of 8 that will battle over a mile and one-eighth on turf in the former.

Let’s meet the contenders for the Belmont Derby Invitational (Race 9):

#1-TANK: Florida-bred and based colt enters on a 3-race winning streak from Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs. The Carlos David trainee tries graded-stakes company for the first time and makes his first start outside his home state. Partners back with Luis Saez, who rode him to victory in the Sophomore Turf at Tampa.

#2-EARLY ADOPTER: Chad Brown trainee seeks a stakes breakthrough after a disappointing fifth in Churchill Downs’ Audubon left him with an 0-for-4 record at the upper levels. Steps up in class to try graded company the first time while Joe Ortiz, who rode him to victory in a Keeneland allowance in April returns to pilot. Ortiz exits a massive closing week at Churchill Downs, where he ran away with the leading rider title. Ortiz won this race in 2023 (Far Bridge) and 2017 (Oscar Performance), while Brown seeks his first such trophy.

#3-LUTHER: British-bred son of Frankel hails from the Newmarket yard of Charlie Fellowes and makes his third straight start on the road after testing the French classics. Finished fourth in Longchamp’s French Two Thousand Guineas before a disappointing 15th last out in the French Derby at Chantilly. Regular rider Kieran Shoemark, recently sacked from his post as the stable jockey for John and Thady Gosden, makes the trip stateside.

#4-NEW CENTURY (pictured): British ex-pat has settled into the Brendan Walsh barn now after a rallying third in the Grade 1 American Turf at Churchill Downs. Last year’s Grade 1 Summer winner and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf fourth-place finisher is no stranger to North American racing. Twice a winner in the UK for trainer Andrew Balding, he’s trained over the past month at Turfway Park on the synthetic surface. Regular rider and British champion jockey Oisin Murphy was scheduled to return to the saddle, but his status is uncertain following a single-car crash last week in which he was charged with drinking and driving. Irad Ortiz Jr. rode New Century at Churchill Downs and does not have a mount booked for the Belmont Derby Invitational.

#5-TEST SCORE: Keeneland’s Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes winner came up just short of Grade 1 glory when runner-up last out in the American Turf at Churchill Downs. The son of 2010 Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky’s two victories both have come at Keeneland, while trainer Graham Motion seeks to improve on the colt’s 5: 0-3-1 record elsewhere. Test Score was second and fifth at Saratoga in two starts last year and will have regular rider Manny Franco in the irons. Motion seeks back-to-back wins in this race after last year’s score by Trikari.

#6-FINAL GAMBIT: Deep-closing Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher gets back to the turf for the first time since a debut third last November at Churchill Downs. He flourished over the winter at Turfway Park on the Tapeta with eye-catching rallies to win a maiden and the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby. Trainer Brad Cox kept him on dirt for the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes last out, but he spun his wheels when last of four to East Avenue et al. Flavien Prat took over for Luan Machado in his most recent start and retains the mount for Brad Cox.

#7-WORLD BEATER: Riley Mott trainee has found his groove with back-to-back wins after starting his career 0-for-4. Both victories came over the Churchill Downs lawn at Saturday’s 1-1/8 miles distance, including a 6-1 score in the listed Audubon Stakes. Jaime Torres rides this Oscar Performance colt who will be making his first bid in a graded stakes. His sire took down the 2017 Belmont Derby Invitational in wire-to-wire style.

#8-FLYING MOHAWK: Off since running 18th of 19 in the Kentucky Derby, a failed dirt experiment gives way to a more fitting trip over the turf. Son of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Karakontie has two grass victories on the docket, a Churchill maiden and a Fair Grounds allowance, for trainer Whit Beckman. Frankie Dettori was his original pilot in his two initial starts and returns to the saddle. The pair finished sixth in Flying Mohawk’s debut at Saratoga last summer.