Belmont: Sue’s Fortune headlines compact G3 Victory Ride

NYRA RELEASE —-

ELMONT, N.Y. – Fortune Farm’s homebred Sue’s Fortune will look to add a second graded win to her credentials in Friday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt sprint for sophomore fillies at Belmont Park.

Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, Sue’s Fortune impressed on debut with an 8 1/2-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden event at Belmont. The Jump Start bay followed up with a half-length score in the Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga, before completing her campaign with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Frizette, a one-turn mile at Belmont.

Sue’s Fortune returned to sprinting to launch her sophomore campaign, capturing a restricted optional-claiming event by two lengths in front-running fashion. Last out, Sue’s Fortune raced from last of four in the six-furlong Jersey Girl at Belmont and nearly reeled in the free-wheeling mutuel favorite Break Even, an undefeated Grade 2 winner trained by Brad Cox.

Axelle Angeliaume, assistant to Englehart, said jockey Junior Alvarado has the option to lead or stalk if necessary in Friday’s test from outermost post 5.

“It was just the plan for her last time as the Brad Cox filly was pretty fast and got to the lead very easily. She could go to the lead, if she needs to, but she doesn’t have to,” said Angeliaume.

Sue’s Fortune enjoyed an easy maintenance breeze on Saturday covering four furlongs in 51.11 seconds on the Belmont main track.

“She breezed in company with another filly and the work went very well,” said Angeliaume.

Providing steep opposition is undefeated Royal Charlotte, a Cairo Prince gray trained by Chad Brown for owners First Row Partners.

A four-length winner at first asking in March at Gulfstream Park, Royal Charlotte followed up with a narrow neck score over Bingwa and continued the streak last out with a 2 1/2-length win in the six-furlong Hystericalady at Monmouth Park.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard for the maiden win, has the call from the inside post.

Maiden winner Brill, a bay daughter of Medaglia d’Oro conditioned by Don Chatlos, Jr., for owner OXO Equine, was third in the Grade 1 Chandelier as a juvenile. In April, Brill was a prominent third in the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park and enters the Victory Ride from a fourth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico.

Jose Ortiz will pilot Brill for the first time out of post 4.

Arindel’s multiple graded-stakes placed Cookie Dough boasts a record of 2-1-4 from nine starts including a victory in the FTBOA Florida Sire My Dear Girl Stakes in September.

Competing exclusively in graded stakes as a sophomore, Cookie Dough finished second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale and third in both the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico. Last out, after being transferred from conditioner Stanley Gold to Kiaran McLaughlin, the dark bay daughter of Brethren was off-the-board in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont.

Rajiv Maragh will guide Cookie Dough from post 2.

Completing the field is Peruvian Appeal, who owns a record of 3-2-1 from nine starts for Steve Landers Racing. A bay daughter of Successful Appeal, she arrives at the Victory Ride on a two-race win streak. Joel Rosario will ride from post 3.

The Victory Ride is slated as Race 8 on Friday’s nine-race card. First post is 1:30 p.m.