Belmont Park Notes: Happy Like a Fool delights in G3 Matron

By Najja Thompson —-

ELMONT, N.Y. – Making her first start in North America since breaking her maiden last Spring at Keeneland, Happy Like a Fool earned her first graded stakes win in only her third career start besting a field of five in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Matron Sunday at Belmont Park.

Happy Like a Fool broke from post 3 without blinkers for the first time as the 3-5 post-time with Tyler Gaffalione aboard, and stalked comfortably from third position as Valuable Package set fractions of 22.81 seconds for the opening quarter mile with the half in 46.21.

At the quarter-pole, Happy Like a Fool made her winning move, going three wide into the upper stretch. Taking command at the eighth-pole, she extended away to the wire, securing the victory by 2 ¼ lengths.

The Wesley Ward trainee completed the six-furlong distance in a final time of 1:10.98.

“The filly broke real sharp,” said Gaffalione. “Wesley said just place her wherever she wants to be. He said he’d been working her behind horses so it shouldn’t be any problem, wherever she’s comfortable. And he said she’s been working like a monster and she came out here and ran like a monster today. All the credit goes to Wesley and the owners. I was lucky enough to be able to hang on. She absolutely had a quick turn of foot. I wasn’t too worried at the top of the lane, I had a lot of horse and she definitely responded when I asked her.”

Returning $3.20 for a $2 win wager, the Distorted Humor filly boosted her career earnings to $160,197 for owners Merriebelle Stable, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Magnier.

Following her winning debut, Happy Like a Fool finished second at Ascot in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes and followed up with a sixth place finish in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York on August 24 before returning to Ward’s stable at Keeneland.

“She’s got a very nice mind,” said winning trainer Wesley Ward. “We were looking for her to settle early on, and so we took the blinkers off and she did that. We just wanted to see if she could do this and she did. We’ll sit down and talk to the owners from here. What she showed me in the mornings came out here this afternoon and next year’s going to be a very big year for her.”

Following Take Charge Paula in second was Valuable Package, Tarawa and Honey Graeme completing the order of finish.

Belmont Park Notes

Lady Eli breezes for BC F&M Turf; Engage, Rubilinda exit Saturday stakes in good order
Clement assistant trainer Lorieul honored with Godolphin Industry Award
BC-bound War Flag doing ‘really, really well’ since G1 Flower Bowl win
Time and Motion, Hunter O’ Riley aim to finish the year strong
Diversify enjoys ‘easy week’ following G1 JCGC victory
Fields coming together for Saturday’s New York Showcase Day

ELMONT, N.Y. – Sheep Pond Partner’s multiple graded stakes winner Lady Eli turned in a five-furlong breeze over the inner turf Sunday morning at Belmont Park in preparation for her final career start in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on November 4 at Del Mar.

The 5-year-old mare by Divine Park worked in company with Elysea’s World, who finished second in the Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine last time out, completing the move in 1:01.45, the second-fastest of eight at the distance.

“The course was in good shape,” said trainer Chad Brown. “We had a little drizzle but it was fine. I thought Lady Eli again worked outstanding. It’s very exciting to see her work this way.”

A Grade 1 winner at 2, 3, 4, and 5, Lady Eli owns three wins from four starts this year, including victories in the Grade 1 Gamely in May and the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga on July 22. She has been training up to the Breeders’ Cup following her 1 ½-length score in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa on August 26, which was an entry-day decision for Brown.

“I’m so happy about our decision to do that [run in the Ballston Spa],” Brown said. “We were able to win the race, number one, and the time’s done her well. She gets stronger and stronger each week and we would’ve had to contend with soft-ish conditions in the Flower Bowl last week so it’s all working out for her.”

Lady Eli will have two more breezes before the Filly & Mare Turf, a race she finished second in last year and the final planned start of her career. Despite a serious battle with laminitis as a 3-year-old, which led to a 14-month absence from the races, Lady Eli owns 10 wins and three seconds from 13 lifetime starts for earnings just shy of $3 million. She will offered as a broodmare prospect at the Keeneland November Sale following the Breeders’ Cup.

After sweeping both Belmont stakes on Saturday, Brown reported that Woodford Racing’s Engage and Don Alberto Stable’s Rubilinda each emerged no worse for wear following their respective victories in the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity and the $200,000 Pebbles.

“Engage and Rubilinda came out of their races in good shape,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do with them yet.”

Brown said he’ll weigh a stretch-out in distance for Engage and will give consideration to the Grade 2, $200,000 Nashua on Sunday, November 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The juvenile colt by Into Mischief is a two-time winner at six furlongs from three career starts, including his impressive 3 ½-length Futurity victory.

“We have something to think about, whether I want to run back in three weeks or not, basically, and I’m not sure about that,” he said of the Nashua. “We’ll just observe the horse and see how he trains. So far, he’s exited the race OK. I’ll get a gauge of his energy level in the next couple weeks and I’ll talk to Bill Farish about it. There’s always the option of not running him [again in 2017]. The horse has ran three times as a 2-year-old and we can always freshen him, that’s an option I’ll consider.”

With four starts under her belt, including Saturday’s nose victory in the Pebbles, Rubilinda is still getting much-needed racing experience, Brown noted, but the talented Kentucky-bred daughter of Frankel could be pointed toward the Grade 1 Matriarch for fillies and mares 3-and-up on December 4 at Del Mar to close out her sophomore season.

“She’s come out of the race well,” he said. “She’s a little green in the stretch still and it could be a combination of [things], maybe a touch of cut in the ground that I don’t know how much she liked it down the lane [with] switching leads and such. We’ll just see moving forward how she trains. It’s a possibility we may train her up to the Matriarch against olders. [Maybe] give her one more start this season and get her around two turns in a race like that and get her on firm ground hopefully, and plan for next year.”
* * *
Christophe Lorieul, longtime assistant to trainer Christophe Clement, on Friday received the 2017 Godolphin Thoroughbred Industry Employee Award for leadership in racing.

Now in its second year, the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards sponsored by Godolphin in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, The Jockey Club and the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, works to honor the praises of the unsung heroes of the Thoroughbred business.

Nominated alongside Hilary Pridham, asstaint trainer to Michael Stidham and Richard Budge, farm trainer for WinStar Farm, Lorieul traveled to Keeneland on Wednesday with his wife Lena, a longtime exercise rider for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, who was also a finalist herself in the Dedication to Racing category, and their teenaged daughter Elsa. In addition to receiving the award, Lorieul also spent time visiting with former racehorses from the Clement barn at Claiborne and Lanes End Farm in the area, including multiple Graded 1 winner Tonalist.

“It was a great experience,” said Lorieul. “In a way I wish my wife would have won more than me, because she also works hard in addition to taking care of our daughter while I don’t get to spend as much time at home because of the job, but it was a great experience and very rewarding. I thought the competition was tough from 140 nominations but I’m very happy to be recognized for the hard work all of us on the backstretch do.

“We’re very happy and thrilled for him,” said Clement. “Not surprised, he has been working with us for 23 years and both professionally and from a personal point of view he’s as good as anyone can be. We nominated him because we thought he was the perfect candidate and he deserved some recognition.”

Clement also added multiple graded stakes winner Celestine who breezed four furlongs in 50.09 seconds came out of her work in good order with hopes for a possible start in the Grade 3 Athenia on October 28 or the Grade 2 Goldikova at Del Mar on November 4.

Pure Sensation who worked 47 seconds flat going four furlongs on the dirt on Saturday remained on target for a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with another work tentatively scheduled for October 24 while stablemate Disco Partner also remains on target for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and Best Performance for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

* * *
Allen Stable’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl heroine War Flag continues to do well following her head victory over Dacita on October 8, said Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who arrived from Keeneland at the end of training on Sunday morning.

“She’s galloped the last two days and Lena [Lorieul] said she’s come out of her race really, really well,” he said.

The 4-year-old War Front filly, who earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf with the Flower Bowl victory, is slated to breeze once at her Belmont base before heading to Southern California on October 26, McGaughey said.

“She might have a little something [at Del Mar] just to go over the turf there,” he said. “I don’t know much about Del Mar, I’ve never been there. I was talking to Tom Proctor while I was at Keeneland and I’m just trying to feel my way around there a little bit. I watched some [turf races] there this summer, it seems fine.”

Also on Sunday, Stuart S. Janney III’s recent One Dreamer winner My Impression breezed four furlongs on the inner turf in 48.76 seconds in company with allowance winner Gold Shield, a 5-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro. McGaughey said the 4-year-old filly by Sky Mesa will be under consideration for the Grade 3, $200,000 Athenia on October 28, as will fellow Janney homebred On Leave, a one-length winner of the All Along last time out at Laurel Park.

Allen Stable’s Apple Betty also breezed four furlongs on the turf Sunday in 49.04 in preparation for either the Grade 3 Rood & Riddle Dowager at Keeneland on October 22 or the Grade 3, $200,000 Long Island on November 4 at Aqueduct, while Lane’s End Racing’s 2-year-old War Chest, a first-out maiden winner on September 23, covered the same distance in 50.66 ahead of his expected bid in the $100,000 Awad on October 28.

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Multiple graded stakes winner Time and Motion, visited the turf course this morning for trainer Jimmy Toner working five furlongs in 1:01.23. The 4-year-old home bred daughter of Tapit for Phillips Racing Partnership most recently ran fourth in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel on September 23.

With a pair of third-place graded stakes finishes in the Modesty Handicap at Arlington Park on July 8 and the Beaugay on May 13 at Belmont respectively, along with a sixth place running in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland in April, Toner is looking to regroup and finish the year with a strong campaign.

“We’re looking to run her in the [Grade 3, $200,000] Athenia [on October 28],” said Toner. “She had a good work this morning and we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, she runs well enough and we keep her going. If she doesn’t, we’ll have to make some decisions. It’s been a trying year for her but she’s doing well heading into this race.”

Hunter O’ Riley, who has been unraced since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course this past summer, will pick up his fall campaign in the Grade 3, $200,000 Red Smith at Aqueduct Racetrack according to Toner. The 4-year-old Tiz Wonderful colt breezed four furlongs in 50.54 seconds on the turf course this morning.

“We’ve been patient with him,” added Toner. “He had a good summer at Saratoga and we’ll point for the Red Smith. I thought this morning’s work went good for him as well.”

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Ralph M. and Lauren Evans’ New York-bred Diversify has enjoyed a relaxed schedule this week following his one-length victory in the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 7 at Belmont Park, said trainer Rick Violette, Jr. Sunday morning.

Although Diversify earned an all-fees-paid berth into the $6 million Classic on November 4 at Del Mar with his gate-to-wire Jockey Club Gold Cup win, the connections have said they plan to take their time making that decision for their charge, a 4-year-old gelding by Bellamy Road.

“He came out of the race well and he’s been given kind of an easy week,” said Violette. “We intend to breeze him next weekend.”

Last week, citing the longer racing careers for many geldings, Ralph Evans said their focus is on the long-term future for Diversify, who could race through several more seasons if all goes to plan, noting that the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap on December 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack could be an attractive target instead.

Violette said they plan to make the final decision regarding the Breeders’ Cup after Diversify’s breeze at Belmont and before the pre-entry deadline for the Classic on Monday, October 23.

“Essentially, we’re preparing as though he’ll go,” he said. “We’ll see how the field is firming up and see how Diversify is going. Probably after his breeze, we’ll take a look at that.”

* * *
Probable fields for New York Showcase Day on Saturday, October 21:

The $300,000 Empire Classic (NYB) – 3-and-up at 1 1/8 miles
Probable: Becker’s Galaxy (Rudy Rodriguez); Bellamy Way (David Cannizzo); Can You Diggit (Jimmy Jerkens); Governor Malibu (Christophe Clement); Haul Anchor (Kiaran McLaughlin); Pat on the Back (Kenny McPeek); Twisted Tom (Chad Brown Brown)
Possible: Hit It Once More (Gary Sciacca); Testosterstone (Sciacca)

The $250,000 Empire Distaff (NYB) – fillies and mares 3-and-up at 1 1/16 miles
Probable: Bonita Bianca (Rodriguez); Five Star Rampage (Jerkens); Jc’s Shooting Star (David Donk); Jcs American Dream (Linda Rice); Literata (Rodriguez); Pride of Saratoga (Jeremiah Englehart); Verdant Pastures (Charlie Baker)
Possible: No Hayne No Gayne (Steve Asmussen)

The $250,000 Sleepy Hollow (NYB) – 2-year-olds at one mile
Probable: Analyze the Odds (Todd Pletcher); Big Gemmy (Bret Calhoun); Inalienable Rights (Mark Hennig); Mr. Pete (Jimmy Ryerson); Samay (Michael LeCesse); Stoney Bennett (Ollie Figgins, III); We Should Talk (Horacio De Paz)
Possible: Battle Station (Wesley Ward); Evaluator (Michael Dilger)

The $250,000 Maid of the Mist (NYB) – fillies 2-years-old at one mile
Probable: Berning Rose (Dominick Schettino); Cause We Are Loyal (Doug O’Neill); Droselmeyr’s Smile (Baker); Held Accountable (Phil Serpe); I Still Miss You (J. Englehart); Newport Breeze (Peter Eurton); Pure Silver (Pletcher)

The $200,000 Mohawk (NYB) – 3-and-up at 1 1/16 miles, inner turf
Probable: All Is Number (Tom Bush); Cloontia (Jerkens); Fox Rules (Cannizzo); Mark My Style (John Toscano, Jr.); Nevisian Sky (C. Brown); Rapt (Bobby Ribaudo)
Possible: Tapitation (Ralph Nicks)

The $200,000 Ticonderoga (NYB) – F&M 3-and-up at 1 1/16 miles, inner turf
Probable: Ancient Secret (C. Brown); Barrell of Dreams (Baker); Flipcup (Bill Mott); Frosty Margarita (Rodriguez); Louisville First (Jimmy Toner); Tizzelle (H. James Bond)
Possible: Ack Naughty (C. Brown); Feeling Bossy (Jerkens); Fifty Five (C. Brown)

The $150,000 Hudson (NYB) – 3-and-up at 6 ½ furlongs
Probable: Breakin the Fever (Debra Breed); Bust Another (Michael Pino); Candid Desire (Sciacca); Celtic Chaos (McLaughlin); Eye Luv Lulu (Jason Servis); Gold for the King (Baker); Ostrolenka (David Jacobson); Sudden Surprise (Brad Cox); Weekend Hideaway (Serpe)
Possible: Gypsum Johnny (Rice)

The $150,000 Iroquois (NYB) – F/M 3-and-up at 6 ½ furlongs
Probable: Absatootly (Baker); Bee Noteworthy (Bond); Cozzy Spring (Baker); Picco Uno (Jason Servis); Quezon (Ribaudo); Royal Inheritance (Cannizzo); Wonderment (McPeek)

The $100,000 English Channel – Sunday, October 22
Probable: Fact Finding (Pletcher); Let’s Get Loud (C. Brown); Lunaire (Tom Albertrani); No Dozing (Arnaud Delacour); Souper Tapit (Mark Casse)
Possible: Harlan’s Harmony (John Terranova); Secretary At War (Jerkens); Shamcat (Greg DiPrima); Voodoo Song (Rice)