Gun Song upsets Randomized in G2 Beldame

Gun Song, under a perfect trip from Hall of Famer John Velazquez, overtook 2-5 mutuel favorite Randomized and powered away to a comfortable score in Friday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame, a nine-furlong route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A.

By winning the Beldame, part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen series for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar, Gun Song receives a credit of $30,000 toward entry fees for the Distaff, with runner-up Randomized and third-place Margie’s Intention receiving credits of $15,000 and $7,500, respectively. 

Trained by Mark Hennig for R. Lee Lewis, the 4-year-old Gun Runner chestnut picked up her first win since capturing the Cathryn Sophia last August at Parx. She was making her first start since a distant fourth in the Grade 2 Shuvee on July 18 at Saratoga Race Course.

“Very satisfying,” said Hennig. “When you kind of put one away in mid-July and say, ‘I’m going to point to one race in September,’ you’re putting some pressure on yourself. I said after that race in July that I’m just going to get her ready for one try, and if she runs well, we’ll talk about whether she deserves a trip to California.”

Dual Grade 1-winner Randomized was sent to the front from the outermost post 4 by jockey Flavien Prat with Velazquez content to save ground aboard Gun Song out of post 3 as Manny Franco hustled up a slow-starting Margie’s Intention to stalk from second through an opening quarter-mile in 23.78 seconds.

Gun Song settled into a smart stalking position down the backstretch as Margie’s Intention pressed to the outside of the pacesetting Randomized through a half-mile in 47.26 and three-quarters in 1:11.19.

“That helped me a little bit, that the other horse went with them,” Velazquez said. “I kept her right behind her heels anyways. So, I was pretty comfortable where I was. When I did get out, she responded very nicely."

Franco was scrubbing on Margie’s Intention throughout the final turn as Velazquez maneuvered Gun Song into the fray between the front duo and prepared to engage in battle with Randomized. Randomized fought back gamely but momentum favored Gun Song, who wrested control in upper stretch en route to a 1 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:49.45 over the fast main track.

It was a neck back to Margie’s Intention in third while Just Music trailed throughout. Majestic Oops scratched in favor of Sunday’s Grade 3 Delaware Handicap.

Hennig said a clean break was one of the keys to success.

“That was a big difference, because if you just look at her trouble lines, it’s like trouble at the gate means trouble for her,” Hennig said. “She broke cleanly and really just had a nice trip from there.

“I’m glad it went well,” Hennig added. “So many things can go wrong in this game. She got a really nice trip today, Johnny rode her well, my help did a great job with her, and everything went well."

Prat said he had no excuses for the Chad Brown-trained Randomized.

“She jumped well. She got herself into the lead. She just couldn't hold on all the way there,” Prat said.

Gun Song enjoyed a tremendous 9-3-4-0 sophomore season that included a win in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico Race Course and close runner-up efforts in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks, Grade 2 Mother Goose and Grade 1 Cotillion – the latter by a neck to eventual Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna.

Hennig said a healthy Gun Song is returning to her best form.

“We finally got her feet right. Ian McKinlay has shod her the last two times and she really responds to him,” Hennig said. “He’s done a great job with her and got her going the right [way]. We had a really good 60 days since her last effort.”

Gun Song, out of the graded stakes-winning Mr. Greeley mare Nicole H was purchased for $400,000 at the 2023 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 16-5-5-2. She returned $11.54 for a $2 win bet.

Hennig said he’ll keep an eye on upcoming bouts in the division before determining if Gun Song will head to the Breeders’ Cup.

“You’ve got some more preps to go and these races have a chance to start falling apart, especially with these older horses as they get closer [to the Breeders’ Cup], so we’ll see how she comes out of it, see how the other races go and evaluate whether that’s the right move,” Hennig said.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Belmont at the Big A with a stacked 12-race card headlined by the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in Race 5. The program also offers the Grade 2, $300,000 Woodward in Race 6, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Vosburgh presented by Army Mule in Race 9, awarding a “Win and You’re In” berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar. Also featured are the Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom in Race 8 and the Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint in Race 4. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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