Belmont Park Notes 10.09.16

by NYRA Press Office

• Lady Eli in fine fettle after G1 Flower Bowl win; Camelot Kitten, Beach Patrol target G1 Hollywood Derby

• Clement all smiles following Super Saturday success

• 'Todd Squad' in good order, Syndergaard likely for BC Juvenile

• G1 JCGC runner-up Effinex an 'owner's dream,' on to BC Classic

• Violette assistant Melissa Cohen earns Godolphin Award

Trainer Chad Brown said his entire contingent came out of Super Saturday in fine form. Brown won three stakes on the day, highlighted by Lady Eli's return to the winner's circle in taking the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl to clinch a spot in the Breeders' Cup on November 5 at Santa Anita Park.

Brown, who won his fourth Flower Bowl in six years, will now see Lady Eli compete in the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf. The Sheep Pond Partners' 4-year-old won her first start since her year-long layoff as she recovered from laminitis. Lady Eli finished second in her return in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa on August 27 but came back on Saturday with a three-quarter-lengths win, registering a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

"Lady Eli was impressive, it was a wide trip and she was able to overcome it all," Brown said. "I was really happy to see her win again. It takes such a rare horse to overcome what she has and to make it all the way back to the Breeders' Cup. I think she's one of the all-time great turf mares."

Sea Calisi, who made her first start since winning the Grade 1 Beverly D. on August 13 at Arlington, is also expected to join her stablemate at the Breeders' Cup after coming in third in the Flower Bowl. Owned by Martin Schwartz, Sea Calisi has finished off the board just once in 11 career starts.

"She ran good; she might have had a little too much spacing between races," Brown said. "I think she'll get a lot out of this race moving forward to the Breeders' Cup."

Practical Joke came out of his win in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne in good order, Brown said. Practical Joke upset favorite Syndergaard by a nose to improve to 3-for-3 in his career, including his second Grade 1 win after capturing the Hopeful last month at Saratoga Race Course.

Practical Joke earned an automatic berth to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sentient Jet Juvenile on November 5 at Santa Anita. The victory over Big Sandy also represented another Grade 1 victory on the main track for Brown, who said he is excited about the prospects for greater success on dirt.

"We have a lot more dirt prospects in the barn, particularly with our colts now," Brown said. "We've been knocking on the door for some time with 2- and 3-year-olds in this division, so it's nice to finally break through in a race as big as the Champagne."

Favorable Outcome came in third in just his second career start. After breaking his maiden on August 20, Favorable Outcome, who like Practical Joke is owned by William Lawrence and Klaravich Stables, stalked the pacesetters and overtook Big Gray Rocket in the stretch. 

"They both came out of the race good," Brown said. "Practical Joke was very impressive overcoming that start and being able to come up in time and win a close decision. I also thought Favorable Outcome was probably a little too close to that fast of a pace for him. I think he's better making one run, it might have taken away some of his kick being that close, but I thought he ran well to stay on for third."

Brown's runners came in the top three in the Grade 3 Hill Prince on Super Saturday, with Camelot Kitten, Beach Patrol and Annals of Time all finishing in the money. Both Camelot Kitten and Beach Patrol are now targeting the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby on December 3 at Del Mar.

Camelot Kitten, who is 4-1-0 in six graded stakes starts this year, defeated Beach Patrol by a head going 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf. Brown said Annals of Time, who made his graded stakes debut in just his third career race, could gain class relief in his next start. 

"All three ran terrific, they all ran too good to lose, but one of them was able to be the winner and the other two ran great in defeat," Brown said. "For Annals of Time, I may take a more conservative route developing him. I asked a lot of him. He ran well, but I won't be asking him to run a Grade 1 just yet."

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Trainer Christophe Clement was all smiles at his barn on Sunday morning after saddling a pair of stakes winners on yesterday's Super Saturday card at Belmont. Juvenile filly Yellow Agate took the Grade 1 Frizette and earned an all-fees-paid trip to next month's Grade 1 Breeder's Cup 14 Hands Winery Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita, while 5-year-old gelding Pure Sensation following up three races later to win the inaugural running of the Belmont Turf Sprint.

Yellow Agate, a daughter of Gemologist, remained undefeated in her second start following her maiden debut on September 11, Clement said he was planning to enjoy her win for a day or two more before finalizing future plans after speaking with owners China Horse Club.

"Yellow Agate came out of her race in very good order," said Clement. "I'm happy with her this morning. I will speak with the owners and we'll make a decision by the end of the week. Of course, we'll keep the Breeders' Cup under strong consideration."

Patricia Generazio's Pure Sensation, who owns the six-furlong track record on the Widener turf course at Belmont for his performance in the Grade 3 Jaipur on June 11, returned to win the Turf Sprint by a head in his second start over the surface. Clement added that the Zensational gelding is possible to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

"Pure Sensation came back a little stiff from his race but otherwise is in good order," said Clement. "We'll speak with Mr. and Mrs. Generazio and as long as the horse is doing well, I would say that the Breeders' Cup is very much in consideration.

Looking forward, Clement was expecting to enter 9-year-old New York-bred fan favorite Lubash on the October 22 Empire Showcase card, along with 3-year-old Governor Malibu.Juvenile filly Noble Ready,who was runner-up in the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga Race Course, would be under consideration for the $100,000 Chelsey Flower on October 30.

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Todd Pletcher's Super Saturday delegation have returned from their respective assignments at Belmont in good order, the trainer reported Sunday morning.

Alto Racing's Anchor Down, who earned a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure for his two-length victory in the Grade 2 Kelso, will likely target the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on November 26 at Aqueduct Racetrack, though Pletcher added a bid in the Breeders' Cup is not entirely out of the question.

"We're still probably leaning toward the Cigar Mile," Pletcher said, "but we'll leave all the options open now and play it by ear."

Pletcher said that Sumaya U.S. Stable's multiple graded stakes winner Protonico has checked out with no issues after being vanned off following his third-place finish in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

"Javier [Castellano] thought he seemed a little funny when he first pulled up so they took the cautious route and vanned him back, but he's been fine," he said. "We'll see how he is in the next few days but it probably won't alter anything at this point unless something shows up."

Grade 1 Champagne runner-up Syndergaard remains under consideration for the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Sentient Jet Juvenile after losing a hard-fought duel with Practical Joke, coming up a nose short in his graded stakes debut.

"He looked good this morning," said Pletcher. "It was a tough beat. He went pretty fast early but showed a lot of courage. He dug in and fought hard. He was in front right before the wire and right after the wire. It's just one of those tough head bobs. We'll take a few days and discuss it with everyone, but I think he ran well enough to keep the Breeders' Cup in mind."

A noted Dallas Cowboys fan, Pletcher met with Noah Syndergaard, the All-Star pitcher for the New York Mets, and a fellow Texan, who was on hand at Belmont Saturday afternoon to cheer on his four-legged counterpart.

"I don't follow baseball as closely but I catch some of the games," said Pletcher. "He seemed like a really nice guy, a really humble guy. He came by the barn afterwards and kind of enjoyed just hanging out and seeing the horse. He was a good guy."

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Tri-Bone Stable's Effinex exited his runner-up finish in Saturday's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in good shape, according to Dr. Russell Cohen, the horse's breeder and manager of his family's racing stable.

"He came back really great," said Dr. Cohen Sunday morning on the backside at Belmont Park. "He's so good, he could run back today."

Dr. Cohen reiterated that the 5-year-old son of Mineshaft will be pointed toward to the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 5 at Santa Anita Park, adding that travel plans to Southern California are currently being discussed with trainer Jimmy Jerkens and his assistant Kent Sweezey.

"I'd like to be on the first plane out but I've got to speak to Jimmy and Kent, they've got Shaman's Ghost going out too," he said. "I'd rather go sooner than later. The horse doesn't care where he goes or how he goes. Plane, train, taxi, Uber - he doesn't care."

Another decision still left to be made for the Classic, Dr. Cohen noted, is the choice of rider should Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith maintain his commitment on Grade 1 Travers winner Arrogate. Smith has been aboard Effinex for seven of the horse's last eight starts, including victories in the Grade 1 Clark last fall, and the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap and Grade 2 Suburban Handicap earlier this year.

Having picked up $200,000 for his second in the Gold Cup, Effinex has moved closer to becoming the highest-earning New York-bred of all time. With nearly $3.248 million in career earnings from 26 starts, Effinex currently stands just shy of Funny Cide's record of $3.529 million - a mark Dr. Cohen is confident will be reached in a matter of time.

"As long as he comes back healthy and sound, all in one piece, we get to play again," said Dr. Cohen. "He's a game sucker. He's game every time he runs. He's an owner's dream because he's a Saturday afternoon horse - and every Saturday afternoon. They don't make them like that anymore. He's a veterinary-not-required horse."

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Melissa Cohen, assistant to trainer Rick Violette, Jr. for more than 12 years, was awarded the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Award for Leadership in Racing, presented by Godolphin, last Friday in Lexington, Ky. 

Recognized for her role in a managerial position with exceptional leadership qualities in motivating, mentoring and supporting co-workers, Cohen was unknowingly nominated for the award by Violette during the Saratoga meet and was thankful for the honor.

"I started on the track when I was in Canada at Fort Erie and met Rick in Florida and been on from there," Cohen said. "There's so many people out there who deserve it, so for me to be picked from the many people who also could have been chosen is very exciting."

Cohen hopes that the TIEA awards, in its inaugural year in the U.S., will offer dedicated racetrack employees a chance to be recognized for their hard work and experience.

"I hope it becomes bigger and more recognized," added Cohen. "Hopefully, more people will be able to experience the same thing I got to. It's amazing."