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​Randomized goes for graded stakes double in G2 Beldame

by Mary Eddy

Klaravich Stables’ Grade 1-winner Randomized will look to notch her second consecutive graded score in Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame, a nine-furlong main track test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A. 

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, Randomized posted a breakout score in her last start when taking the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales by four lengths on August 19 at Saratoga Race Course. 

The 3-year-old daughter of Nyquist stretched out beyond 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the 10-furlong test and responded to the task with aplomb, leading at every point of call under Joel Rosario to draw clear down the lane and complete the course in 2:03.07. The effort was awarded a career-best and field-high 98 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Bred by Richard and Connie Snyder’s Cove Springs in Versailles, K.Y., Randomized boasts the special distinction of being the first Grade 1 winner for her breeders, who moved their operation to Kentucky from New Mexico nine years ago.

Connie Snyder said Randomized holds a special place in both her and her husband’s hearts as she has brought their operation to a level they had always dreamed of reaching. 

“We are just over the moon about it,” said Snyder, whose broodmare band stands at around 15. “She’s such a beautiful filly and my husband had said since Day One about her that she was always such a forward-moving filly and was willing to do whatever you asked her to do. I wouldn’t say we had an inkling she would be a Grade 1 horse, but I think all breeders always dream and hope.” 

Randomized’s Alabama effort came on the heels of a 1 1/2-length victory in the restricted one-mile Wilton on July 14 at the Spa, a strong rebound from an uncharacteristic sixth-place finish when making her stakes debut in the June 9 Grade 1 Acorn presented by Great Jones Distilling Co. at Belmont Park. In addition to her stakes scores, the bay filly was a winner at second asking in March in her lone start over the Aqueduct main track, coasting home a 5 1/2-length winner in a one-mile maiden tilt. 

A $420,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Randomized is out of the unraced Elusive Quality mare French Passport, who is a half-sister to the Brown-trained multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Smooth Air, graded stakes-winner Overdriven and the nine-time winning mare Super Phoebe, who produced multiple Grade 1-winner Got Stormy and graded stakes-placed Sir Alfred James. The Snyders purchased French Passport for $200,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and have seen a tremendous return. 

“That was a very pleasant surprise,” Snyder said of Klaravich Stables’ purchase of Randomized. “They’ve been such supporters of some of the horses we’ve bred and we just couldn’t be more thankful and appreciative.”

With Randomized among the top of the sophomore female division, Snyder said it would be an achievement of a lifetime if the filly makes an appearance at the Breeders’ Cup in November at Santa Anita Park. 

“Most people dream of going to the Kentucky Derby, but our dream is going to the Breeders’ Cup,” said Snyder. “Not many people get to do what they truly love in life, and we’ve been very blessed with the horses we have and their accomplishments. We will be watching this weekend and praying.” 

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 3. 

Haruya Yoshida’s multiple graded stakes-winner A Mo Reay was last seen finishing a distant sixth in the Grade 3 Locust Grove on September 16 at Churchill Downs. Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the daughter of Uncle Mo was Grade 1-placed as a juvenile when in the care of Hall of Fame conditioner Todd Pletcher, and made a winning debut for Cox in Fair Grounds Race Course’s Pago Hop on New Year’s Eve after selling for $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale. 

This year, A Mo Reay reached her full potential when scoring her first graded victories in the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita Park. Her best finish in three start since came in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis in July at Ellis Park where she crossed the wire third and was elevated to second via disqualification.

Out of the graded stakes-placed Pioneerof the Nile mare Margaret Reay, A Mo Reay was initially purchased for $400,000 by Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse.com at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She has banked field-best earnings of $812,775 through a record of 15-5-2-3. 

Flavien Prat has been tasked with the ride from post 2. 

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Nostalgic [post 4, Junior Alvarado] returned to the winner’s circle last out with a rallying 1 1/2-length victory in an August 19 optional claimer at the Spa that garnered a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro earned her first win since taking Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Gazelle last April from just off the pace under Jose Ortiz, an effort that propelled her to a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks where she finished a distant 10th. 

In addition to her Gazelle score, Nostalgic garnered graded black type when third in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks last summer at the Spa and second beaten a neck in the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap in November at the Big A. She holds a career record of 13-4-2-1 with $463,275 in total purse earnings. 

Completing the field is Holly Crest Farm’s graded stakes-placed New Jersey homebred Riding Pretty [post 1, Jairo Rendon], who enters from a dominant 9 1/2-length romp in an optional claimer for state-breds on September 2 at Monmouth Park for trainer Eddie Owens, Jr. The Jack Milton dark bay was third in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks two starts back and earned two stakes placings against fellow state-breds when third in the Jersey Girl Handicap on July 8 and second defeated a neck in the Smart N Classy Handicap in June. 

A second generation homebred, Riding Pretty is out of the unraced Girolamo mare High Renaissance, a half-sister to Holy Crest Farm homebreds Speaking, a multiple stakes-winner for Owens, Jr.; the stakes-placed juvenile Sea Streak; the winning All Even, dam of dual graded stakes-placed Great Navigator; and Stiffed, a multiple graded stakes-placed mare who produced Grade 2-winner Affirmative Lady. 

The Beldame is slated as Race 3 on Sunday’s nine-race program, which co-features the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity, a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron, and the rescheduled Grade 3, $150,000 Noble Damsel. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. 

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Grade 3 Noble Damsel redrawn for Sunday at Belmont at the Big A

The Noble Damsel, a one-mile inner turf test for 3-year-old fillies and mares, has been redrawn a third time after inclement weather conditions forced its rescheduling to this Sunday at Belmont at the Big A. The redrawn field saw several of its original entrants return, with a handful of newcomers joining the fray. 

Newcomers to the field include graded stakes-winner Sparkle Blue [post 6, Jorge Ruiz] for trainer Graham Motion, who had entered Miss Carol Ann in last week’s field but did not reenter that filly for this weekend. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown again enters a trio of contenders as Fluffy Socks [post 4, Manny Franco] and Gerrymander [post 1, Jose Ortiz] enter once again alongside Salimah [post 2, Flavien Prat], who enters in place of Gina Romantica as she takes on the Grade 1 First Lady on Saturday at Keeneland. 

Additionally, conditioner Michael Stidham has entered stakes-winner Panama Red [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche] for her third stateside outing and first since March. 

Completing the field is the Christophe Clement-trained Malavath [post 5, Joel Rosario], a dual group-winner in France. 

Sunset Louise, previously entered in the main body by trainer Bruce Levine, has now been entered for the main track-only, along with Movie Moxy and Balpool. 

The Noble Damsel is slated as Race 7 on the nine-race program. 

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