Belmont at the Big A Notes

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Belmont at the Big A Notes

G2 Wood Memorial-winner Resilience under consideration for the G1 Belmont Stakes
Brown works star-studded set over Oklahoma turf Friday
Far Bridge works for G1 Manhattan
Aspen Grove works for G1 New York; Vive Veuve could point to G3 Lake George

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino-winner Resilience is possible to make his next start in the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

Owned by Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman, the Into Mischief colt made the grade with a 2 1/4-length score over Society Man in the nine-furlong Wood Memorial to earn his way into the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Mott said he will make a final decision after Resilience works this weekend at Saratoga.

“We’ve got some discussions to have with the owners but we’re giving it strong consideration,” Mott said. “We’re going to work on the weekend and once he breezes we’ll know what we’re going to do.”

Resilience exited post 18-of-20 in the Derby and pounced from 5 1/4 lengths off the pace to be a half-length off the lead at the three-quarters call, but faded in the stretch and was defeated 7 3/4 lengths by the victorious Mystik Dan.

Mott said he was pleased with the way Resilience worked back a half-mile Monday over the Oklahoma training track in 50.45 seconds.

“We’re considering running, so he’s doing good. He’s doing real well,” Mott said.

Bred in Kentucky by Pam Wygod and the late Marty Wygod, Resilience is out of the winning Smart Strike mare Meadowsweet, who is a half-sister to the Grade 1 and multiple graded stakes-winning Storm Cat turfers Courageous Cat and After Market – all three are out of the multiple Grade 1-winning Rahy mare Tranquility Lake. Jalil, a Group 2-winner on dirt, is also by Storm Cat and out of Tranquility Lake.

Mott watched George Krikorian’s multiple Grade 1-winner War Like Goddess work a half-mile in 50.65 Friday over the Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for the Grade 1, $750,000 New York, a 1 3/16-mile turf test for older fillies and mares on June 7 here.

“I was happy with her work this morning,” Mott said.

Mott also said he was pleased with Krikorian’s Kentucky homebred Just F Y I, the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, who went a bullet five-eighths in 1:01.20 over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for the Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn, a nine-furlong route for sophomore fillies on June 7 Day Two of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

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Brown works star-studded set over Oklahoma turf Friday

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown sent out a set of some of racing’s most recognizable turf females to work Friday over Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma turf training track. The quartet was led by Grade 1-winners Whitebeam, Gina Romantica and McKulick, the latter of which breezed in company with Grade 2-placed Coppice.

Shortly after 10:00 a.m., the tetrad stepped onto the turf course with Whitebeam taking off first to cover five eighths in 1:00 and 3/5 seconds, according to NYRA clockers. Gina Romantica followed soon after in 1:00 and 1/5, while McKulick, with Coppice to her inside, followed with a breeze at the same distance in 1:01 and 4/5.

“Whitebeam went great, super,” said Brown. “Then Gina Romantica went solo and I was very happy with her. It was a nice team with McKulick and Coppice, and they did just was I was looking for them to do. They’ve all been training excellent.”

All four of Brown’s trainees are pointing to Grade 1 events on Day Two [June 7] of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Brown is slated to have five contenders in the one-mile Grade 1, $500,000 Just a Game with Whitebeam, Coppice, Gina Romantica, Chili Flag and Beaute Cachee expected to enter. In the Grade 1, $750,000 New York presented by Rivers Casino at 1 3/16 miles, Brown is expected to enter McKulick and Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay-winner Royalty Interest, who has been training at Belmont Park.

Whitebeam, who won the Grade 1 Diana last summer at the Spa, returned from a five-month respite last out to finish second by a neck to Neecie Marie in the Grade 3 Beaugay on May 11 at Belmont at the Big A. Similarly, Coppice is coming off a narrow defeat when a neck back of stablemate Chili Flag in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on May 4 in her American debut.

Multiple graded stakes-winner McKulick, who won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational as a sophomore, seeks to add to a win this year in the Grade 3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream Park, while dual Grade 1-winner Gina Romantica looks to rebound from a distant seventh in her seasonal debut in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley in April at Keeneland.

Brown’s other two Just a Game contenders also worked in company Friday over the Oklahoma dirt training track as graded stakes-winners Chili Flag and Beaute Cachee covered a half-mile in 50.23 seconds over the fast footing.

“Those two horses went great,” said Brown. “I’m very happy. They’ve been doing very well breezing on the dirt, so I just wanted to keep them happy with what they’re doing for the maintenance work. They seem happy each week doing that, and I’m pleased with how they’ve been exiting their works.”

Chili Flag was last seen edging Coppice in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile to notch her second career graded conquest on the back of her first in the Grade 3 Honey Fox in March at Gulfstream. Beaute Cachee has also enjoyed a breakthrough campaign this year after taking the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley for her first graded score in April at Keeneland.

“They’ve both really taken a step forward this year,” said Brown.

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Far Bridge works for G1 Manhattan

Turf works for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicked off Friday and trainer Christophe Clement sent out Grade 1-winner Far Bridge and last-out allowance winner Champagne Juan to breeze five furlongs in company over the Oklahoma turf training track at Saratoga Race Course.

LSU Stables’ Far Bridge, who won last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Derby in June at Belmont Park for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, maintained a head in front to the outside of his workmate to cover the five-eighths in 1:00.25. R.T Racing Stable’s Champagne Juan was close behind on the inside, covering the ground in 1:00.65.

“It was a good work. Both were helping each other,” said Miguel Clement, the assistant and son of Christophe. “On the bridle, doing it the right way. This is the type of work you like to see ahead of a big race.”

Clement said Far Bridge is checking the right boxes before a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan, a 1 3/16-mile test for older horses on June 8 Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga Race Course.

The 4-year-old English Channel bay finished fifth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 4 at Churchill Downs after breaking a beat slowly and being brushed by a rival at the start. It marked his second start back for Clement after winning a 1 1/16-mile turf optional claimer on March 31 at Gulfstream Park. Far Bridge made his first two starts for Clement before moving to the Pletcher barn last year.

“He is doing very well. He was a bit unlucky at Churchill,” said Clement. “He’s trained forwardly since then and it is time to go again.”

Champagne Juan is entered in the Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup on Thursday June 6 Opening Day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. The race now offers the winner an automatic berth into the Group 1, AUD$8.4 million Lexus Melbourne Cup on November 5, 2024, at Flemington Racecourse in Victoria, Australia.

Champagne Juan graduated going 1 3/16 miles over the all-weather-track in January at Gulfstream ahead of a third there versus optional claiming company going 12-furlongs over the turf in February. He returned to that distance to capture an allowance on April 25 at Keeneland.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco’s New York-bred Silver Skillet completed her third work at Saratoga since a fourth in an open-company Aqueduct allowance in April when breezing five furlongs in 1:02.55 Thursday over the Oklahoma dirt training track.

The 4-year-old Liam’s Map gray is probable for the state-bred, $125,000 Mount Vernon, a one-mile turf test for older fillies and mares on Sunday June 9, New York Showcase Day at the Spa.

“She is a go ahead for the stakes on the Sunday. She is doing remarkably well, she has had three great works since her last race, and we do expect to see a much better performance,” said Clement. “I still think she can run against open company.”

Silver Skillet won her two starts at Saratoga last summer, both versus fellow New York breds, taking a one-mile allowance and the 1 1/16-mile Suzie O’Cain. She capped her sophomore campaign with a fourth in the Grade 3 Pebbles in November at Aqueduct after a pair of seconds in the open-company Listed Winter Memories and off-the-turf state-bred Ticonderoga, both at the Big A.

“She just missed winning a graded stakes last year in the fall. Her comeback race, you just have to forgive it with too much going against her: the pace, she was at the back, was keen,” Clement explained. “If you look at the sectional times, she actually finished the fastest, just maybe had too much to do.

“She is training at a different level at the moment. She is training very well,” Clement added.

Cheyenne Stable and John O’Meara’s Roses for Debra breezed a half-mile Friday in 49.55 seconds over the Oklahoma dirt training track. The 5-year-old Liam’s Map gray won her seasonal debut in the 5 1/2 furlong Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway on April 13.

Last year, Roses for Debra’s campaign that featured wins in the Grade 3 Caress and Listed Smart N Fancy at Saratoga came to a close with an off-the-board effort versus males in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. She is pointing to a start against the boys in the Grade 1, $500,000 Jaipur presented by Resolute Racing on Saturday, June 8. The 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

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Aspen Grove works for G1 New York; Vive Veuve could point to G3 Lake George

Glen Hill Farm and Mrs. John Magnier’s Grade 1-winner Aspen Grove breezed Friday in preparation for next Friday’s Grade 1, $750,000 New York presented by Rivers Casino, a 1 3/16-mile turf test for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

With exercise rider Amanda Oster aboard, the 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Hall of Famer Justify worked a half-mile solo in 48 and 2/5ths over the Oklahoma training turf.

“She came home in 11 and 4,” Sisterson said. “She could have went a lot quicker if we wanted her to, but we don’t really want to work them too fast. Down on the rail is probably slower, but that’s what we wanted to do. On the gallop out, she probably could have went around there twice again. Her ears were pricked at the wire which is the sign of a happy filly.

“She looks like a faster filly this year to last year,” added Sisterson. “She’s really matured and is bigger and stronger. We’re over the moon with that work.”

Aspen Grove launched her career in her native Ireland with trainer James Stack, taking the 2022 Group 3 Irish EBF as a juvenile over good going at The Curragh and landing third in the Group 3 Cornelscourt on soft ground last May at Leopardstown.

She shipped to New York last summer and captured the 10-furlong Group 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational over firm going at Belmont Park and followed with a fifth-place effort in the Spa’s Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational.

Aspen Grove has hit the board in both starts this campaign while contesting nine-furlong graded events on turf, finishing a close second in the Grade 2 Hillsborough over firm ground in March at Tampa Bay Downs and third beaten one length by Fast as Flight in the Grade 3 Modesty over yielding going in May at Churchill Downs after closing from last-of-11.

Sisterson said Aspen Grove will be ready to roll regardless of the footing next Friday.

“Throw whatever weather at her, she’ll handle anything,” Sisterson said.

Sterling Stables’ Vive Veuve notched a pair of turf wins at Gulfstream this winter, graduating in February traveling one-mile and following with a three-quarter length score in the 7 1/2-furlong Sanibel Island in March.

Last out, Vive Veuve stretched out to nine furlongs under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in the Grade 2 Wonder Again at Belmont at the Big A, rallying wide through the final turn to reach second position but could not sustain her bid and finished third one length back of the victorious Segesta.

“We were worried about the nine furlongs going into it. Maybe she had to go a bit wide on the far turn, but Javier really rode a perfect race,” Sisterson said. “If someone said she’d have run that race going into it, we would have took that.”

Sisterson said he will now consider a turnback to one-mile for Viev Veuve in either the Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George on July 20 here with the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap on the same day as another option.

“She’s home here now in Saratoga, so one of the two,” Sisterson said.

Vive Veuve, a $30,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, has banked $145,262 through a 7-2-0-2 record.