Belmont at the Big A Notes 05/18

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Belmont at the Big A Notes

G1 Preakness-winner Journalism heading to Saratoga for possible rematch with G1 Kentucky Derby-champ Sovereignty in G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets
Bevy of Grade 1-winners work at Saratoga for Brown
Scottish Lassie works for G1 DK Horse Acorn
Shred the Gnar points to G1 DK Horse Acorn
Friend Ofthe Devil eyes NYSSS Spectacular Bid

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Journalism, a brave winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course, is under consideration for a potential rematch with Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Sovereignty in the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.

The five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be conducted at Saratoga Race Course from Wednesday, June 4 through Sunday, June 8. The festival will include 27 stakes races with purses totaling $11,275,000, the richest purses and highest number of stakes offered since the launch of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014.

Trained by Michael McCarthy for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert V. LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, Journalism landed a 1 1/2-length second as the mutuel favorite two weeks ago to Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Sovereignty in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs.

Early Saturday morning, Sovereignty, whose connections opted to skip the Preakness and train up to the Belmont Stakes, worked an easy half-mile in 49.76 seconds over the Oklahoma training track in front of a handful of onlookers at Saratoga. Later that evening, a robust crowd watching the second leg of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore had their collective hearts in their throats as jockey Umberto Rispoli urged Journalism through the narrowest of openings at the quarter-pole, bumping with Goal Oriented to his outside and a retreating Clever Again to his inside in search of racing room.

Aron Wellman, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, said he was concerned in the moment.

“My heart fell to the bottom of my body watching him try to get through the hole and then the physicality that ensued,” Wellman said. “It was obviously a concern for the horse and Umberto, for starters, and once it was clear that he was going to make his way out of it, it was just the devastation that he had probably lost all chance of winning the race.”

The agile Journalism and equally athletic Rispoli found their balance and set sights on a runaway Gosger, who had opened up by five lengths at the stretch call. Sandman, the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby-winner looked certain to blow by the recovering Journalism, but Rispoli urged his colt for more and the talented bay responded in kind, surging away from Sandman with ease before reeling in Gosger to win by an improbable half-length. Journalism covered the 1 3/16-miles in 1:55.47 and earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

“It went from the devastation of not being able to win the race, with what looked like an impossible task, to hopeful that he was going to somehow make a miracle happen,” Wellman said. “It took a superior, elite horse and jockey to be able to overcome those circumstances and make it happen. For him to overcome those obstacles and actually win – I won’t say cozily, because it was damn hard – but Umberto didn’t even really strike him inside the final 70 – 100 yards.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners will now look to win their second Belmont Stakes after scoring in 2017 with Tapwrit, who was owned in partnership with Bridlewood Farm and Robert V. LaPenta.

Trainer Brendan Walsh said Sunday morning that he was proud of the effort from Gosger, but his Belmont Stakes plans remain undecided.

“We were obviously disappointed to not win, getting so close, but not disappointed in the horse,” Walsh said. “He ran a very good race. I think he is still improving. I don’t know about the Belmont yet. I’m going to give it a few days and talk to the owners to try to come to a decision pretty soon. I’m not sure which way we are going right now. He seems fine. We just shipped him back to Louisville today. We’ll see how it all goes and come to a decision within the next few days.”

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said via text message that Preakness third-place finisher Sandman has shipped to Belmont Park and will likely target the nine-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on July 26 at Saratoga.

Journalism, an $825,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, is to ship to Saratoga early this week with an eye towards evening the score with Sovereignty in the Belmont.

“We have the utmost respect for Sovereignty. He beat us on the square in the Kentucky Derby,” Wellman said. “As much as we would love to square off again with Sovereignty, it doesn’t factor into our ultimate determination of whether Journalism runs in the Belmont or not. We would like to be in position to run in the Belmont, but it will all be contingent on Journalism and what signs he’s showing us and Michael McCarthy. It will totally be deferred to Michael McCarthy on whether or not he feels comfortable coming back on another three-week turnaround.

“It’s never lost upon us that we want to be good ambassadors for the sport,” Wellman added. “We think we gave the people what they wanted yesterday with a memorable Preakness – one for the ages – and if we’re fortunate to be in position to consider the Belmont Stakes in three weeks’ time, we’ll certainly take that challenge. We’ll have a fresh Sovereignty to face and also Baeza, and maybe a few new shooters as well that really speak to the depth and quality of this 3-year-old class.”

The well-bred Journalism, by Curlin and out of the Grade 2-winning Uncle Mo mare Mopotism, won four straight races leading into the Derby, including the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December before heading to Santa Anita and taking the Grade 2 San Felipe in March and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April. His San Felipe effort, in which potential Belmont rival Rodriguez finished third, garnered a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’s so rare. He’s equally as smart as he is physically gifted,” Wellman said. “As we’ve seen time and again during this campaign, he has the heart of a champion and that’s just immeasurable – that will to win under even the most trying of circumstances. He’s truly a special individual. I’m just so thrilled for Michael McCarthy, Umberto and all of the team and our partners that he got a Classic win yesterday. For him to do it in that dramatic fashion, showing the world how special he really is, is truly gratifying.”

While some may have been skeptical of Journalism’s accomplishments against short fields in California heading into the Kentucky Derby, Wellman believes his colt has put those critiques to rest in his last three outings.

“He overcame an immense amount of adversity in the Santa Anita Derby when it was four horses against one,” Wellman said. “He didn’t have the most ideal of trips in a very tough Kentucky Derby and still almost pulled it off. Yesterday, he defied logic in the Preakness. I don’t think there’s any question now to his level of brilliance.”

With the ongoing construction of the new Belmont Park, this year’s Belmont Stakes will once again be contested at 1 1/4 miles rather than the traditional 1 1/2 miles due to the configuration of Saratoga’s main track.

A loaded renewal of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes has the potential to include a number of the division’s brightest stars, with Sovereignty, Journalism and potentially Gosger set to face a possible field shaping up to feature Kentucky Derby-third Baeza [John Shirreffs], Grade 3 Peter Pan-winner Hill Road [Chad Brown], Preakness-fifth Heart of Honor [Jamie Osborne], and Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets-victor Rodriguez [Bob Baffert]. Peter Pan runner-up McAfee [Rick Dutrow, Jr.] is not Triple Crown nominated and would have to be supplemented for a fee of $50,000.

Nominations for the other lucrative stakes races at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival close on May 24.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bobby Flay’s Candied, who captured the Listed Allaire DuPont on Friday at Pimlico, could also return on short rest for the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps presented by Ford, a nine-furlong route for older fillies and mares on June 6 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Candy Ride bay won the 2023 Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland as a juvenile and performed admirably through a 6-1-2-2 record last year in a division dominated by eventual Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. In addition to a win in the Listed Lady’s Secret at Monmouth Park, she picked up Grade 1 placings when second in the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales at Saratoga to go along with third-place efforts in the Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland and Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

“She got a confidence builder on Friday,” Wellman said. “It’s a little quick turnaround [for the Ogden Phipps], but she loves it up there at Saratoga. She ran two dynamite races there last summer and broke her maiden there as a 2-year-old. We’d love to be able to take a little home court advantage, but she’s a high-class individual and we just have to make sure we’re doing right by her before making any decision.”

Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Classic Q could make her next start in the Grade 2, $300,000 Wonder Again, a 1 1/16-mile turf route for sophomore fillies on Belmont Stakes Day.

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the Classic Empire grey made her first four starts at Gulfstream Park, graduating at second asking in January before finishing fourth in both the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride [won by Eclipse co-owned Vixen] and Listed Sanibel Island.

Classic Q stepped up with an impressive effort on April 30 at Churchill Downs to defeat older company in a one-mile allowance while matching a career-best 80 Beyer.

Wellman noted that Casse will have the good problem of trying separate Classic Q, Vixen and D.J. Stable’s multiple graded stakes-winner Nitrogen.

“She [Classic Q] is a progressive filly and is possible for the Wonder Again but might stay in Kentucky for the Regret. We’ll weigh up those two options,” Wellman said. “Mark Casse is pretty deep in that division between Nitrogen and our other filly Vixen. I think he’ll try his best to keep those turf powerhouse fillies separate.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners could be represented by a pair of starters in Corruption and The Ginger Wizard in the two-mile Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup, a turf marathon for older horses on Friday, June 6. The Belmont Gold Cup offers a ‘Golden Ticket’ for an automatic berth into the Group 1, AUD$8.4 million Lexus Melbourne Cup on November 4 at Flemington Racecourse in Victoria, Australia.

Corruption, co-owned with Harry Colburn, finished a close second two starts back in the 12-furlong Grade 3 Pan American when a neck in arrears of multiple Grade 1-winner Far Bridge. The 4-year-old Medaglio d’Oro gelding followed up with a frontrunning 1 1/4-length score in a nine-furlong optional-claimer on May 10 at Churchill Downs.

The Ginger Wizard, co-owned with the Estate of Albert Frassetto, rallied from ninth and 7 3/4-lengths off the pace to capture a 12-furlong optional-claimer on March 29 over the Turfway Park synthetic to secure his first stateside win in his fourth attempt.

Trained by Graham Motion, the 4-year-old Calyx chestnut is a half-brother to last year’s Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup winner The Grey Wizard, who was campaigned by the same connections.

“The Ginger Wizard got rained off a ‘2-other-than’ on Friday [at Belmont at the Big A], so we’re going to set our sights on seeing if we can go back-to-back with half-brothers,” Wellman said. “We’d love for ‘Ginger’ to do it this year and Corruption is a horse that’s on the rise that we think will appreciate the two miles. It’s a fun race that we were fortunate enough to win last year and we’d love to come back with a couple live entrants this year.”

Motion could also saddle Warming, recent fifth-place finisher in the inaugural Take the A Train on May 10 here, in the Grade 3, $175,000 Soaring Softly, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomore fillies on Sunday, June 8 – the final day of the Festival.

The Global Campaign chestnut, a $100,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, graduated last June at Belmont at the Big A and closed from eighth to finish just three-quarter lengths back of the victorious Love Cervere in the Take the A Train.

“She’s a filly we hold in very high regard,” Wellman said. “She broke her maiden at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old and had a very peculiar issue pop up that needed a lot of time and patience to get her over. She came back and had a really troubled trip and got beat less than a length for all of it and galloped out huge. We’re considering an ambitious path with her as well.”

General admission tickets and hospitality offerings for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival are on sale now at BelmontStakes.com/tickets.

For the complete Belmont Stakes Racing Festival stakes schedule, visit BelmontStakes.com/schedule.

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Bevy of Grade 1-winners work at Saratoga for Brown

Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown arrives annually at Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma training track with a strong contingent of racing’s top performers, and this year is no exception. The 46-year-old native of nearby Mechanicville currently has seven Grade 1-winners stabled at Saratoga, with five of them hitting the work tab this weekend.

Leading the charge were last-out topflight winners Raging Sea and Spirit of St Louis, who posted their first works since their respective wins on Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs.

Alpha Delta Stables’ Kentucky homebred Raging Sea was last seen upsetting the Grade 1 La Troienne on May 2 off a six-month respite, besting a field that included reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. The race marked the second time Raging Sea has defeated a Champion, adding to a score in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign last summer at the Spa over Idiomatic, the Champion Older Dirt Female of 2023-24.

Raging Sea posted her first breeze back on Friday, covering a half-mile in 49.25 in company with Alpha Delta Stables’ Grade 3-winner Occult. Raging Sea is being pointed to the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps presented by Ford on June 6 at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga, while plans for Occult are still to be determined.

“Raging Sea is doing fine, and she’s on target for the Ogden Phipps,” Brown said. “She came out of the race well and settled in here fine. She’s had a good history here. For her to win a Grade 1 off the layoff, I was pretty impressed. She’s had a great career so far. Hopefully she continues it.”

Also on Friday, Brown worked a pair of Grade 1 winners for Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables in Ways and Means and Randomized, the former a last-out third in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 3 and the latter a last-out third to Raging Sea in the La Troienne. The two each worked a solo half-mile with Ways and Means covering the distance in 50.23 and Randomized in 51 flat.

Brown said he was pleased with the work from both horses as Randomized targets the Ogden Phipps and Ways and Means points to the Grade 2, $300,000 Bed o’ Roses on June 6 at the Festival.

“Randomized might have needed her run, and in the past, she’s done better with a race under her belt,” Brown said. “Ways and Means is doing fine.”

On Saturday, Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn’s dual Grade 1-winner Spirit of St Louis covered a half-mile solo in 49.25. The New York-bred son of Medaglia d’Oro was a last-out winner of the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic on May 3 at Churchill, his second Grade 1 coup this year after taking the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park.

Spirit of St Louis has posted a superb 16-11-3-0 record that includes an additional six stakes wins in New York with earnings of $1,809,250. The 6-year-old gelding is now pointing to the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 7.

“He did fine [in the work] and came out of his big win in good shape, so he’s headed to the Manhattan,” Brown said. “He’s certainly overachieved, he’s a very solid horse and I respect him a lot. He’s developed into one of the top turf horses in the country, which would have been hard to believe a couple of years ago. He’s doing good.”

Rounding out the group of Grade 1 winners to breeze this weekend was Flanagan Racing’s Chancer McPatrick, who had his second work since a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 8 at Keeneland. The McKinzie bay covered a half-mile solo in 51.50 on Sunday.

Brown said he has no immediate plans for the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga and Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont at the Big A. Plans are also to be determined for multiple Grade 1-winner Carl Spackler, who Brown noted is doing well.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso’s Zulu Kingdom is also stabled at Saratoga and is yet to return to the work tab since a 1 1/4-length win in the Grade 1 American Turf on May 3. It was the third graded score for the Ten Sovereigns ridgling after juvenile wins in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Belmont at the Big A.

Brown said Zulu Kingdom is eyeing a start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Pennine Ridge on June 7.

“He missed a little bit of time with a foot issue, but I think we have it resolved,” Brown said. “He’s back on the track now, so we’ll see if we can still make the Pennine Ridge.”

Brown is hopeful to win his first Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets this year with Amo Racing USA’s Hill Road, a gutsy three-quarter-length winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 10 at Belmont at the Big A. In victory, the son of Quality Road had his entry and starting fees to the Belmont Stakes waived.

Brown said the bay colt is still stabled at Belmont Park, and will be for the foreseeable future.

“He’s happy at Belmont right now, so I’ll let him work next weekend down there,” Brown said. “I’m in no rush to bring him up because he’s doing fine there.”

Along with Hill Road, Brown’s Belmont string also includes Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and last year’s Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Sierra Leone. The Gun Runner bay worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Sunday, his fourth work at Belmont since shipping north from Payson Park Training Center in late April.

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Scottish Lassie works for G1 DK Horse Acorn

Sportsmen Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Photos Finish, Corms Racing Stable and trainer Jorge Abreu’s Grade 1-winner Scottish Lassie worked Sunday over Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma training track in preparation for the Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn on June 6 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

The daughter of McKinzie breezed a solo five furlongs in 1:04 flat shortly after the conclusion of the 8:15 renovation break, her first work since her seasonal bow when third in a May 1 optional claimer at Belmont at the Big A.

“It was good, and more than enough,” Abreu said. “She came out of her race with good attitude and is doing everything good, like her old self.”

Scottish Lassie graduated in style last year with a nine-length trouncing of the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont at the Big A, which awarded her a berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies where she finished an even fourth. In her return last out, she broke awkwardly and had trouble finding her footing before being rushed up into contention to duel head-to-head for the lead. She weakened in the lane and finished three lengths behind the victorious Cassiar.

Abreu added Scottish Lassie will have two more works in preparation for the nine-furlong Acorn.

Bred in Kentucky by Winchester Farm, Scottish Lassie was an $85,000 purchase at the 2024 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She is out of the winning Bodemeister mare Bodebabe, a half-sister to stakes-winner Windmill and stakes-placed Ignitis.

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Shred the Gnar points to G1 DK Horse Acorn

Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing’s Shred the Gnar was back on the work tab with her sights set on the Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn on June 6 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Brian Lynch, the Into Mischief bay is pointed to the nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies following two dominant pacesetting scores, including by seven lengths last out in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs. She breezed a half-mile in 47.60 seconds on Saturday there as she readies for a step up in class.

“She is pointing to the Acorn,” said Lynch. “I just got a maintenance half-mile into her as she is pointed towards the Acorn. She worked by herself. Her last effort was pretty self-explanatory. Everything seems to be going great with her.”

Shred the Gnar previously graduated second-out by 6 1/2 lengths going one-mile in March at Gulfstream Park. That performance earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure, which she improved to a career-best 94 in her last race. On debut, she was a neck second sprinting six furlongs in February at Gulfstream.

Also on the tab Saturday at Churchill Downs for Lynch was Grade 1-placed Highway Robber, a 5-year-old Hard Spun gelding who earned a career-best 100 Beyer for a one-length third to Spirit of St Louis in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.

Highway Robber, owned by Susan and Jim Hill, breezed a half-mile in 50.80 with an eye towards the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 7 Belmont Stakes Day at the Spa.

“He’s tentatively schedule to go into the Manhattan,” said Lynch. “He’s an honest horse. It was just a maintenance work, first work back since his last race, letting him stretch his legs.”

Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing’s Owen Almighty finished a highly respectable fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, but Lynch said the Speightstown bay will likely pass on Belmont Stakes Racing Festival engagements.

“He’s not slated to do anything up there,” said Lynch, adding that the colt is doing well. “We are just giving him a little more time. No plans for him at the moment, just going to let him do his thing.”

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Friend Ofthe Devil eyes NYSSS Spectacular Bid

Blue Devil Racing Stable and Jerold Zaro’s Friend Ofthe Devil is under consideration for the $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a six-furlong turf sprint for eligible state-sired sophomores, on June 21 at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Carlos Martin, the Honest Mischief bay is nominated to Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Paradise Creek, but will wait a little longer after a last-out pacesetting score over course and distance in a state-bred allowance versus elders on April 25 that returned a career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He came out good from the winning effort, that big race as a 3-year-old against older New York-breds with an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. We are keeping all options open, but after talking to Marc Holliday and Jerold Zaro, the principals of the horse, everybody thinks we might give him a little extra time between races and point for the Stallion Stakes on June 21,” said Martin.

Friend Ofthe Devil is 2-for-2 over course and distance, also his only races on turf. Both scores came in impressive gate-to-wire fashion under Christopher Elliott.

“He’s fast. He goes fast and he does it easy,” said Martin. “The six furlongs sounds great. Down the road, I think there is a Stallion Stakes going one mile at Saratoga [Cab Calloway on August 14]. I think he has the right mindset to stretch out versus stallion series-horses. I think he can get up to one mile, but right now, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Friend Ofthe Devil eyes stakes company for the first time in his sixth career start. He has had three distant misfires on the main track, a stark contrast to his form over the local green. His second dam is stakes-winner Sluice, the third dam of reigning Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Sovereignty.

“He’s by Honest Mischief and has the same female family as the Derby-winner Sovereignty. Sovereignty’s second dam, Mushka, was a really good mare who won the Spinster for Bill Mott,” said Martin. “It is a great family, but there’s also a lot of grass in the pedigree. He trains well on the dirt, it is a little disappointing after his first few efforts. His grass race as a 2-year-old was good, and even better as a 3-year-old.”

Bred in the Empire State by Laurel Least, Farview Farm and Robert M. Tugel DVM, Friend Ofthe Devil, out of the Bodemeister mare Fabuleux, was a $145,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale. His third dam is multiple Grade 1-winner Lakeway.