Chelsea Durand Photo

Lewis Bay headlines G3 Comely

by Najja Thompson

In search of her third graded stakes victory of the year, Alpha Delta Stables' Lewis Bay will headline a field of seven in Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Comely for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 67th running of the 1 1/8-mile Comely, is carded as the third race on a blockbuster Cigar Mile Day program, highlighted by the 28th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap in addition to the Grade 2 $300,000 Demoiselle and the Grade 2 $300,000 Remsen.

A daughter of Bernardini, Lewis Bay finished her 2-year-old campaign with a win in last year's Grade 2 Demoiselle before starting her 3-year-old season in February at Gulfstream Park, where she ran second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park. In her next start, she won the Grade 2 Gazelle on April 9 at Aqueduct before running third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 6.

Returning off a layoff in July, she returned to run second in the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont before cutting back to seven furlongs in August for the Grade 1 Test where she ran fourth before winning the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm in her most recent start on October 29 at Belmont.

Undefeated in two career starts at the Big A, trainer Chad Brown said he is looking forward to her running off her strong effort last time out.

"She ran very well in her last race," said Brown. "She showed a new dimension going to the lead, but she's always been a pretty versatile horse and she's been consistent all year. We're looking forward to seeing how she can run off last effort on Saturday."

With Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, the pair will leave from post 2.

Brown will also saddle Going for Broke for Waterford Stable. By Blame, she has collected three wins and two seconds from six starts this year. Entering off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Beldame Invitational on October 1 at Belmont over an off track, she last visited the winner's circle, taking an allowance race on July 27 at Saratoga Race Course.

Set to leave from post 4, Javier Castellano will be in the irons.

Trainer Todd Pletcher enters the Comely with a formidable pair of his own, with Unbridled Mo for Red Oak Stable and King of Prussia Stable's Mo d'Amour.

A daughter of Uncle Mo, Unbridled Mo has wheeled off four consecutive victories since breaking her maiden on May 29 at Monmouth Park. Following an optional-claiming win at Monmouth on July 3, she took the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks by a neck before capturing the Remington Oaks on September 25 at Remington Park.

"She seems to be getting better and better," said Pletcher. "She's appreciated two turns and has stepped up in class each time. She handled the ship to Remington and ran well there. We've been training up to this race since the Remington Oaks and she's done everything we've asked her to do."

With Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard, the pair will leave from post 6.

Also a daughter of Uncle Mo, Mo d'Amour has made her last three starts against graded stakes competition. Earlier this year, she ran third to stablemate Unbridled Mo in the Grade 3 Monmouth Park Oaks before running fourth facing Songbird in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 24.

"She's a filly that's always trained exceptionally well," added Pletcher. I feel that she's got a bigger and better performance than we've seen from her in the past somewhere in there. She's training well coming into the race."

Drawing post 7, Mo D'Amour will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

Rounding out the field is Coffee Pot Stable's Flora Dora for trainer Marialice Coffey who most recently ran second to Lewis Bay in the Turnback the Alarm; Verve's Tale for trainer Barclay Tagg and owner Charles Fipke who will face winner's for the first time after breaking her maiden at Keeneland on October 16; and Big Mara, for Kingsport Farm and trainer Assaf Ronen.