Belmont: Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, Flowers Bowl Stakes Previews

By Christian Abdo —-

Beauty Reigns seeks first stakes win in G2 Gallant Bloom

ELMONT, N.Y. – Tranquility Lake Farms’ Beauty Reigns has hit the board in four stakes, and seeks the elusive victory at the level in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old Into Mischief filly enters from a closing third in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Ballerina on August 29 at Saratoga Race Course. There, the gray rallied from 8th-of-9 to finish 6 3/4 lengths back of the victorious Ways and Means and 1 1/4 lengths back of Kilwin for second.

Beauty Reigns also finished third to Kilwin over that same course and distance in the Grade 1 Test presented by Ticketmaster last August.

“She’s Grade 1-placed twice, but she’s not a stakes winner yet,” Mott said.

Beauty Reigns [post 6, Junior Alvarado] has finished in the top three in 10-of-14 career starts via a 4-3-3 record, including three allowance-level dirt sprint scores with off-the-pace tactics. Prior to the Ballerina, she defeated returning rivals Senza Parole and Munnings Express in a seven-furlong optional claimer in July at the Spa.

“She’s a hard-knocking filly,” Mott said. “My job is to try to get a stakes win from her. Whether it is a Grade 2 or 3 or whatever it is, that’s my job.”

Out of the unraced Tapit mare Ilsa, Beauty Reigns’ second dam is 2009 Broodmare of the Year Sweet Life, who produced multiple Grade 1-winners Sweet Catomine and Life Is Sweet.

Team Spoor’s Munnings Express [post 1, Manny Franco] tries graded company off a successful stakes debut last out in the seven-furlong New York-bred Johnstone on August 5 at Saratoga, pouncing to a 1 3/4-length score over multiple stakes-winner Landed and Grade 1-winner Usha. Trained by Linda Rice, the 4-year-old Munnings bay has never missed the board in 12 career starts through a 6-3-3 record with $423,870 in earnings.

Munnings Express was previously third behind returning rivals Beauty Reigns and Senza Parole in the aforementioned optional claimer at the Spa. She has fared well in open company before, winning two optional claimers this spring at Aqueduct Racetrack, among four wins this year.

Bred by Fergus Galvin, Marc Detampel, Jayne Johnson and Adrian Wallace, Munnings Express, a $325,000 purchase from the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is out of the multiple stakes-winning Freud mare Freudie Anne – a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner Frostie Anne.

Don Alberto Stable’s Kentucky homebred Senza Parole [post 2, Flavien Prat] exited her second to Beauty Reigns to win a six-furlong optional claimer over muddy and sealed footing on September 2 at the Spa. Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the 4-year-old Gun Runner chestnut defeated the Rice-trained multiple stakes-winner With the Angels by 2 1/4 lengths.

Senza Parole, 10-4-3-1 overall with $340,650 in earnings, returns to the stakes level in her third start since a third in the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses presented by Boldyn Networks in June at Saratoga. She has contested two other stakes, including a fifth in this event last year to returning rival R Disaster.

Averill Racing and Anthony Mattera’s Grade 1-winner R Disaster [post 5, Jose Ortiz] seeks a title defense after a sixth in the Grade 1 Ballerina. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 5-year-old Awesome Slew bay traveled off-the-pace early after previously wiring the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

In her Ballerina defeat, R Disaster finished off the board for the first time in her 17th career start. She has banked over $1.3 million via a 17-9-6-1 record, including her 3 1/2-length score in last year’s Gallant Bloom. Her career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure from the Derby City Distaff represents the field-high.

Joseph, Jr. also sends out C Two Racing Stable, Shining Stables, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch and BAG Racing Stables’ Paradise City [post 4, Dylan Davis]. The 4-year-old McKinzie bay was fifth last out in the Ballerina following her first career stakes win in the Saylorville in July at Prairie Meadows. Paradise City is 15-4-3-1 overall with $397,367 in earnings.

Rounding out the field is Pick View, Two Eight Racing, Ribble Farms, Quinn’s Ride and Legion Racing’s Queen Jubilee [post 3, Edgard Zayas], who makes her stakes debut in her ninth career start. Trained by Whit Beckman, the 4-year-old Authentic dark bay graduated seventh-out in January at Fair Grounds Race Course and returned in August to win an allowance by 8 1/2 lengths at Colonial Downs.

Both of those wins were at six furlongs, and all of Queen Jubilee’s other starts were at one mile or beyond. Her last effort returned a career-best 84 Beyer.

“She’s a big, huge filly, so we always kind of thought two turns for her,” Beckman said. “Now obviously, her best races have come around one turn. She’s probably going to sell in November, so we are going to take a shot for some black type. Her last race was very impressive. I think she’ll fit.”

Beckman said it is difficult to assess how ambitious of a try this race is.

“That’s hard to gauge,” Beckman said. “She was running at Colonial and this is a much different group of fillies.”

The Gallant Bloom is slated as Race 4 on Saturday’s 11-race card, which includes the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic [Race 10], the Grade 2 Flower Bowl [Race 11] – a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf – and the Grade 3 Vosburgh [Race 9] – a “Win and You’re” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races presents daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Sunlit Uplands looks to go one better in G2 Flower Bowl

By Keith McCalmont —

ELMONT, N.Y. – Sunlit Uplands, who missed by a neck last out in her stateside debut at Saratoga Race Course, will hope to get her picture taken in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl, a 1 1/4-mile inner turf route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont Park. The Flower Bowl offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in October at Keeneland.

Co-owned by her former trainer Rae Guest with Rachel Flynn, the 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Sands of Mali has been conditioned throughout her current campaign by Stuart Williams.

Last out, in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Ballston Spa presented by STIHL, Sunlit Uplands saved ground in third position under Hall of Famer John Velazquez as And One More Time, with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano up, led through a half-mile in 47.05 seconds. Sunlit Uplands was asked for her best through the turn and took dead aim at the pacesetter, who drifted out several paths late in the lane to prevail by a diminishing margin in a final time of 1:40.80. A stewards’ inquiry into the stretch run and a claim of foul by Velazquez resulted in no change to the order of finish.

Sunlit Uplands has remained in New York since and breezed back three times locally, including a pair of moves over Tapeta and a five-eighths work September 19 over turf in 1:01.88.

“We’ve been very happy with her since the Ballston Spa,” Williams said. “She came out of the race in great form, and we shipped her down to Belmont and picked out the Flower Bowl for her to run in as her next race. We’re very pleased with how she’s been training at Belmont and we’re very much looking forward to seeing her run.

“She’s adapted very well to being trained on the track,” added Williams. “Rae Guest is out there supervising the work form for us and we’re very happy with everything and it’s going very well.”

Sunlit Uplands entered the Ballston Spa from a three-length score in the right-handed Group 3 Stuten Meile over yielding footing on July 5 at Hamburg where she bested Listed stakes-winner Fortuna Diamond by three lengths.

The well-traveled Sunlit Uplands, out of the Dansili mare Illico, has tested her talents at 10 separate tracks while compiling an 12-4-4-0 record, including wins at Chelmsford [on synthetic], Haydock and Sandown Park in the U.K.

James Doyle, who will also pilot Pride of Arras in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on Saturday, ships in to ride Sunlit Uplands from post 2 as the veteran rider makes his New York debut.

Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will have two chances in Kathynmarissa [post 4, Jose Ortiz] and Cathedral [post 11, Flavien Prat] to land a record-extending ninth Flower Bowl score. His past winners include Stacelita [2011], Stephanie’s Kitten [2014-15], Lady Eli [2016], Fourstar Crook [2018], Sistercharlie [2019], Virginia Joy [2022] and Idea Generation [2024].

Michael J. Caruso and Michael Dubb’s Kathynmarissa, a 5-year-old American Pharoah mare, broke through at the top flight last out with a rallying half-length score over stablemates Segesta and Portfolio Duration on July 18 in the Spa’s nine-furlong Dunkin’ Diana contested over yielding footing.

Kathynmarissa made her first 10 starts for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. before being transferred to Brown last year. She has won 3-of-4 starts since the switch, including a last-to-first score over returning rival Gezora in the Grade 3 Modesty on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Kathynmarissa, a $200,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Chilean Group 1-winning Milt’s Overture mare La Dalila. She has banked in excess of $1.9 million through a 14-6-2-3 ledger.

AMO Racing’s Cathedral, a 4-year-old Too Darn Hot bay, was initially trained by Ralph Beckett and makes her first start for Brown after a seven-race stint with Kevin Philippart De Foy that included 1 3/4-length fourths in the Group 1 Matron last September at Leopardstown and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar.

Last out, Cathedral landed an even fourth in the Diana, 4 1/2-lenghts in arrears of Kathynmarissa.

Cathedral, out of the Frankel mare War And Peace, has earned $313,573 through a 12-1-3-1 record.

Martin Hughes and Partners’ Esna won the Listed Childwickbury Stud Fillies Trial in May at Newbury ahead of an off-the-board effort in the Group 1 Prix de Diane in June at Chantilly.

The 3-year-old daughter of Starman is trained by Brian Meehan, whose four stateside wins from 31 attempts have all come at Grade 1 level, including scores at Belmont Park with Buy the Sport in the 2003 Gazelle Handicap and Red Rocks in the 2008 Man o’ War. His top-flight ledger also boasts wins in the Breeders’ Cup Turf with Red Rocks in 2006 and with Dangerous Midge in 2010.

Meehan will now saddle his first runner at Belmont Park since 2013 [Red Rocker, 12th, G3 Hill Prince] with Esna, who enters from back-to-back runner-up efforts traveling one-mile on the straight in Group 3-company, including at 40-1 in the Valiant in July at Ascot and a one-length miss to the Charlie Appleby-trained Hassaleh last out in the Prix de Lieurey on August 15 at Deauville.

“I think the idea of coming to Belmont was to really bring her up a level,” Meehan said. “When we were looking at races, the Flower Bowl seemed the most sensible option. Obviously, I have no fear about taking a horse to the U.S. to race. It’s been a lucky place for me in the past and Belmont Park, in particular. I have had two Grade 1 winners there – the Man o’ War and the Gazelle – and mainly on top of support of some American-based owners like Andrew Rosen, who has been a huge supporter to me over the years, and Paul Reddam, who owned Red Rocks.

“I guess also the fact that it’s the opening meeting at Belmont, as well, has a certain attraction from a personal level,” Meehan added. “Sensibly, it was the right race for the filly, and I think the track will suit her really well. I’m very excited to bring her and looking forward to running her.”

Esna arrived at Belmont Park on Friday morning.

“She arrived safely at Belmont Park and traveled really well,” Meehan said. “I was really pleased with the way she handled it. The flying groom said she was very settled throughout the journey.”

Jamie Spencer, a Champion jockey in Ireland and the U.K., will pilot Esna from post 8. Spencer boasts five stakes wins at Belmont Park, including a victory in the 2011 edition of the Turf Classic with Cape Blanco for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Spencer’s other stakes wins came with Cape Blanco in the 2011 Grade 1 Man o’ War and Deauville in the 2016 Grade 1 Belmont Derby along with victories in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational in 2019 with Spanish Mission and in 2021 aboard Yibir.

EGL-One Racing’s Storm Miami [post 5, John Velazquez] is a potential pace threat, arriving from four consecutive solid efforts in graded company for trainer Amelia Green. The talented mare is cross-entered in Saturday’s $100,000 All Along at Laurel Park with the conditioner saying Sunday a decision will be made later this week.

The 5-year-old daughter of Blue Point missed by three-quarters of a length when second to No Show Sammy Jo in the 11-furlong Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay in May at Belmont at the Big A and followed with a neck third to Dona Clota in the 11-furlong Grade 3 Robert Dick Memorial in June at Delaware Park but was disqualified and placed fourth for interference.

Storm Miami showed the way once more in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Glens Falls on August 2 at the Spa with an arguably career-best performance to land a 1 3/4-length second to the late running Survie, who exited that event to beat the boys in the Grade 1 Christophe Clement Turf.

Last out, the hard-trying bay was nailed in the final jumps by returning rival Evershed in the 11-furlong Grade 3 Waya on August 28 at Saratoga.

Storm Miami has trained consistently at Belmont, including a bullet half-mile over Tapeta in 48.58 September 11 and a half-mile in 50.66 over the Widener turf Saturday in company with Ivy Girl.

“She’s been very consistent; she likes her routine and she’s good to train. She likes it here at Belmont,” Green said. “Even when she ran at Saratoga, she trained at Belmont and shipped up there to run.”

The Irish-bred Storm Miami, out of the Listed stakes-placed Sea The Stars mare Cosmic Love, was a $155,000 purchase at the 2026 Keeneland January Horses of Racing Age Sale. She has banked $414,976 through a 26-2-7-3 record.

George Messina and Michael Lee’s Fionn [post 1, Manny Franco] has banked in excess of $2 million through a 12-7-1-1 record topped by a nose victory over subsequent Champion 3 Year-Old Filly Nitrogen in last year’s nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational at Saratoga.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the 4-year-old Twirling Candy dark bay was last seen finishing fifth as the mutuel favorite in a one-mile optional-claimer on August 13 at the Spa, while racing from a nearly seven-month layoff under Tyler Gaffalione.

Fionn’s record includes Grade 3 scores last year in the Regret at Churchill downs, the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs and the Jockey Club Oaks at Belmont at the Big A.

Bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms, Fionn was a $75,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Gaelic Gold, a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Sea Foam and stakes-placed Straw Into Gold.

A robust field includes a pair for five-time Flower Bowl-winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in Gezora [post 10, Junior Alvarado], who seeks her first win since taking the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar and dual Grade 1-placed Opulent Restraint [post 6, Javier Castellano]; the aforementioned Evershed [post 7, Dylan Davis], who made the grade last out in the Grade 3 Waya with a ground-saving stalking trip for trainer Arnaud Delacour; dual Grade 3-placed Silvology [post 9, Antonio Fresu] for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey; and two-time winner Favorite Memory [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

The Flower Bowl is slated at the final race on Saturday’s 11-race card which also offers the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic [Race 10], the Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom [Race 4] and the Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh [Race 9], a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern



America’s Day at the Races presents daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Contact: Keith McCalmont