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Genre looks to capitalize on class relief in Saturday's Heavenly Prize

by Brian Bohl

Cheyenne Stables' Genre will receive class relief as part of a field of seven fillies and mares 4-year-old and up in Saturday's fourth running of the $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational at 1 1/16 miles on the inner dirt track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Genre finished on the board in her last three starts, all graded stakes. The 5-year-old Bernardini bay mare rallied from seventh in a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie on January 28 at Gulfstream Park to follow up a third-place showing in the Rampart on December 17.

Genre, making her inner track debut, is 5-5-2 in 14 career starts, including a third-place finish in her first Grade 1 start in the Spinster on October 9 at Keeneland. 

The Kentucky bred is 4-4-2 in her last 10 starts and is 1-2-0 in three career starts at the Heavenly Prize distance. Trevor McCarthy, who rode her to victory in the Lady Jacqueline on August 27 with a career-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure, will have the return call from post 6.

Highway Star, the field's only other graded stakes winner besides Genre, should be fresh following a fourth-place finish in the Ladies Handicap on January 13. Trained by Rodrigo Ubillo, the New York-bred 4-year-old will look to build on her win in the Grade 3 Go for Wand on December 3. Angel Arroyo will be in the saddle from post 3.

Multiple-stakes winner Isabelle will look to continue her success on the inner track for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The 6-year-old New York-bred won at 1 1/16 miles in the Bay Ridge on December 11 before coming in second at the distance last out in the Biogio's Rose on February 5 at the Big A.

Owned by William Schettine, Isabelle posted her two best speed figures in her last two starts and is 3-1-0 in six career inner track races. Kendrick Carmouche will ride from post 4.

Chorus Line, who finished second in the Ladies Handicap in her stakes debut, will face a step up in class after finishing fourth in an optional claimer last out on February 16 at Aqueduct. The Edward DeLauro trainee will depart post 2 in tandem with Mario Gutierrez. 

Oasis At Midnight, a 7-year-old with 43 starts on her ledger, will seek her first career stakes win after going 0-2-2 in her last four starts in optional claimers. 

Trained by Joseph Orseno, Oasis At Midnight will leave from the inside with Rajiv Maragh aboard.

Annie Rocks, for owner Michael Dubb and trainer Jason Servis, will make her first stakes start after starting 5-1-2 in 11 career starts. The 4-year-old A.P. Warrior filly will have the services of jockey Manny Franco from the outside post.

Rounding out the field is Familyofroses, who will make her first stakes appearance in six starts for trainer Neal Terracciano. Eric Cancel will be aboard out of post 5.