Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Notes 5.27.18

by NYRA Press Office

• Monomoy Girl works for G1 Acorn before Churchill's first race
• American Gal could stretch out in distance for G1 Ogden Phipps
• Ward beefing up New York contingent, 'here to stay'
• Triple Crown hopeful Justify gets easy day
• Rice holds strong hand in New York Showcase Day stakes

Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Monomoy Girl, in an important training move for the Grade 1, $700,000 Acorn on Belmont Stakes Day, June 9, worked five-eighths of a mile in 59 2/5 seconds in company with 5-year-old stablemate Dazzling Gem, galloping out six furlongs in a powerful 1:12 4/5 a half-hour before Churchill Downs' first race Sunday.

"Very solid, what we were looking for," trainer Brad Cox said immediately afterward. 

"She did it the right way," he added. "She never disappoints us in the morning, and she has yet to disappoint us in the afternoon. I'm real pleased with her."

Monomoy Girl is 6-for-7 with only a narrow defeat in last fall's Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill. Her victory in Keeneland's Ashland a month before the Kentucky Oaks gave Cox his first Grade 1 victory.

Cox initially was going to have his standout 3-year-old filly work at 7:40 a.m., immediately after the time allotted Belmont Stakes horses at Churchill, then considered waiting until 9 a.m. after the second renovation break. Preferring not to have a major work over a track that was very wet following an early morning thunderstorm, Cox approached track management about allowing the Oaks winner to work before the races. So, instead of a sloppy, sealed track, Monomoy Girl went over a fast, freshly-harrowed surface.

"Thirteen days out, I wanted a good breeze in her," he said. "We could have gone this morning if it had been more of a maintenance work. But I was kind of looking to do something today, so we were looking for a better track. ... I was glad we waited, and I appreciate Churchill giving us the opportunity to do this. It means a lot."

Cox said Monomoy Girl will have an easier work next Sunday. "Definitely not as much," he said. "We'll probably just break off at the half-mile pole, go a half and out five-eighths."

Monomoy Girl was a bit frisky after arriving in front of the grandstand on what became a sunny, humid afternoon, but became all business once jockey Florent Geroux turned her around. On the outside and just a bit off of the graded stakes-placed Dazzling Gem, Monomoy Girl was timed by clocker John Nichols going eighth-mile splits in 13 seconds, 25, 36 3/5 and 48 2/5, with her last quarter-mile going in 22 4/5 seconds and her final eighth in 11 seconds flat to reach five-eighths in 59 2/5 while pulling away from Dazzling Gem in the final sixteenth-mile.

Nichols also timed her galloping out seven-eighths of a mile in 1:26 2/5 before being pulled up.

"The horse she breezed with is pretty nice," Geroux said. "She did everything really well and worked easily. She got by Dazzling Gem with no problem and galloped out very well."

Cox said Monomoy Girl worked with Dazzling Gem the prior week. 

"It was a positive move last week, and it seemed to be this week as well," he said. "I wanted him to break off and not really be a target but kind of go together. She sat off him just a little bit going up the backside. But turning for home, they were head and head. You need a decent horse to work with a good filly like this, for her to get something out of it."

Monomoy Girl is owned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, the Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables.

Abel Tasman last year became only the third filly to win the Kentucky Oaks and the Acorn during the past 30 years, the others being Bird Town in 2003 and Open Mind in 1989.

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American Gal could stretch out in distance for G1 Ogden Phipps

Kaleem Shah's multiple graded-stakes winner American Gal is slated to run at Belmont Park during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and will either go in the Grade 1, $750,000 Ogden Phipps or the Grade 3, $250,000 Bed o' Roses Invitational, trainer Simon Callaghan said by phone from California on Sunday morning.

American Gal has posted three graded stakes in her last four starts, including a two-length score in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on May 5 at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old Concord Point filly has since breezed twice at Santa Anita, going five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Thursday.

Callaghan said a planned breeze next week will help determine if American Gal stays at a more comfortable distance of seven furlongs and goes in the Bed o' Roses on Friday, June 8, or will stretch out to the Ogden Phipps distance of 1 1/16 miles on Belmont Stakes Day, June 9.

"I think it's within her comfort zone," Callaghan said about the Ogden Phipps, which is a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Longines Distaff on November 3 at Churchill. "She's a filly who is obviously very fast and also very relaxed. I think it's definitely within her range. We're not totally committed to it yet, but we'll see."

As a 3-year-old, American Gal won her first start at Belmont Park, going gate-to-wire in win the 6 ½-furlong Grade 3 Victory Ride on Big Sandy and followed that effort with a four-length win over Faypien in the Grade 1 Test over seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course.

The Kentucky homebred received a freshening after the win at the Spa and returned to run fourth in the Grade 1 Madison on April 7 before her Humana win.

"I pretty much know the fillies who will be running against her, so it's something I'll chat about with the owner," Callaghan said. "We have another breeze to go and we'll see after that."

In eight career starts, American Gal has posted five wins with each victory coming on a different track - Del Mar, Santa Anita, Belmont, Saratoga and Churchill Downs - while posting a runner-up effort at Los Alamitos. Callaghan said her shipping ability, along with her previous victory over Belmont's main track, gives him confidence to send her anywhere.

"It's nice in regards to winning at different tracks. She's shown she's a versatile filly," Callaghan said. "She ships very well. She has a firm disposition and constitution. She handles everything well, and the fact that she's won over that surface before is a benefit."

Callaghan also said Moonshine Memories, who was second in the Angels Flight on May 12 at Santa Anita, is targeting the Grade 1 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies on Belmont Stakes Day. The daughter of Malibu Moon won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante and Grade 1 Chandelier as a juvenile before capping her 2-year-old campaign with a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 4.

Tijori, a 2-year-old Will Take Charge filly who won her debut on May 11 at Santa Anita, is slated to make her first stakes appearance in the $150,000 Astoria on Opening Day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on June 7. The Astoria, at 5 ½ furlongs on the main track, is one of three stakes on that day's card.

Callaghan said his contingent is expected to arrive in New York on Tuesday, June 5.

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Ward beefing up New York contingent, 'here to stay'

Kentucky-based trainer Wesley Ward has gotten off to a strong start this spring at Belmont, sending out nine winners from 24 starts - for a 37.5 percent win rate - through the first 19 days of the spring/summer meet, which Ward says is only the beginning of his barn's new emphasis on the New York racing program.

Long known for his talented gang of 2-year-olds and success at far-flung tracks around the world, most notably becoming the first American trainer to win a race at Royal Ascot, Ward has approximately 20 horses currently stabled at Belmont to supplement his main string at Keeneland.

"This year, I'm trying to focus in on Belmont," said Ward. "My main base is at Keeneland, where I try to run all of my horses in the spring and the fall. When you're stabled at Keeneland, you can run anywhere you want, so after the end of the meet, I'm kind of wide open. In previous years, I've kind of looked for the right places around Keeneland, or New York, or Maryland, or wherever. Kind of place the horse accordingly and utilize all the tracks around the country."

The 50-year-old native of Selah, Washington has deep roots in New York racing, where his grandfather, Jim Dailey, long worked as an outrider and where the 16-year-old Ward made his riding debut in 1984. In short time, the apprentice earned leading jockey titles at Belmont and New Jersey's Meadowlands and was ultimately awarded the Eclipse as Outstanding Apprentice in 1984.

"I've always had my fondness for New York, going back to when I won the Eclipse Award and was the leading rider there as a jockey in the fall of '84," he said. "I'd always wanted to come back, but I really wanted to make a significant impact when I had a stable of horses behind me to keep to where I could have a good showing and continue it. Now that they've given me a beautiful barn there at Belmont, I want to stay. Keeneland will be where the bulk of my horses will be trained and the main string will be in and out of Keeneland. I'm trying to be a mainstay in New York. Now that I'm there, I don't plan on leaving.

"Even in the winter, I want to try to maintain a year-round base," he added. "In ways, it's an easier change in the wintertime, because it's cold in Keeneland and it's cold in New York, so it's easy to transfer. If you're training down at Gulfstream and trying to get up in the wintertime, the horses don't seem to settle as well. I had a little bit of success this winter doing it, not with many starters, but it seems to be something you can do and I'm going to keep doing it."

Among Ward's Belmont winners this spring is debut winner Mae Never No, who beat her well regarded stablemate Abyssinian by 1 ¼ lengths in a May 3 maiden special weight with Hall of Famer Gary Stevens aboard. Ward said the 2-year-old No Nay Never filly is likely to take on males in the $150,000 Tremont at 5 ½ furlongs on Friday, June 8, the second day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. 

"Gary will come back to ride her," said Ward. "He was impressed so much with her that he flew out to work her last week. She worked very, very well, so I think she'll be my Tremont starter."

In addition to Mae Never No, Ward could be represented during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival by a pair of runners in the $150,000 Astoria for 2-year-old fillies on Thursday, June 9 in Wonder Stone and Athens Queen, debut winners at Keeneland on April 18 and 19, respectively. Ward may also saddle Delectation, fourth in the Grade 3 Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on May 4, in the Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on the turf, also on June 9.

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Triple Crown hopeful Justify gets easy day

With an early-morning thunderstorm leaving a very wet track, Triple Crown hopeful Justify was sent out Sunday for an easy gallop a little more than once around Churchill Downs' mile track under exercise rider Humberto Gomez in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 9.

Accompanied by assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes on his pony, Justify generally jogs around the first turn to start off his daily training before turning around and galloping. In the mud, Barnes had Gomez ditch the backtracking to go straight into the gallop.

"Track conditions," said Barnes, who is overseeing Justify's training on the road while trainer Bob Baffert is in California. "We galloped probably a mile and an eighth, a mile and three-sixteenths at the most, only because of track conditions."

Barnes said that Restoring Hope, who is listed as possible for Belmont Stakes, had a similarly easy gallop. 

"It's just what we do in the mud. We do less in the mud," he said.

Restoring Hope finished 12th in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile on Derby Day after finishing third in Aqueduct's Grade 2 Wood Memorial.

Baffert is expected in Louisville Monday, with Restoring Hope likely to work in the next couple of days.

Joining Justify in the special 7:30-7:40 a.m. slot that Churchill Downs provides to Belmont Stakes horses were Preakness runner-up Bravazo and third-place finisher Tenfold.

Bravazo jogged two miles instead of his usual gallop because of the track, said Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Scott Blasi, assistant to another Hall of Fame trainer in Steve Asmussen, said Tenfold had the same sort of 1 1/2-mile gallop under Angel Garcia that he'd have had on a fast track.

Free Drop Billy galloped shortly after the special time slot. Trainer Dale Romans said he postponed a scheduled workout for last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity winner until Monday because of the off track. A final decision on running the Kentucky Derby 16th-place finisher in the Belmont Stakes hinges in part on how he works.

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Rice holds strong hand in New York Showcase Day stakes

Trainer Linda Rice holds a strong hand in New York Showcase Day stakes with five entries on Monday's holiday Memorial Day card, led by multiple stakes-winning half-sisters Midnight Disguise and Holiday Disguise.

Three-year-old Midnight Disguise, winner of the Busanda and the Busher this winter at Aqueduct, was rerouted to the seven-furlong $125,000 Bouwerie after a foot bruise forced the Midnight Lute filly to skip a planned start in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.

"She ended up lame in the stall about two days before the race," said Rice. "We had to pull a shoe on her, but with a couple days of tubbing and whatnot, it went away pretty quickly. So, it changed our course if only briefly. We're hoping to get a good race into her and move forward to the [Grade 2] Mother Goose. It's a bit shorter than we ideally would like, but it's a prep, so we're hoping she gets a good trip and performs well."

Maddie May winner Split Time will join Midnight Disguise in the Bouwerie as she looks for her fourth win in a row this year, following her half-length score at Aqueduct in her stakes debut against New York-breds on March 24.

"I think this is a very competitive running of the Bouwerie, it's the toughest one I've been in I believe," Rice said. "But, Split Time has done very little wrong and we're excited about giving her a chance here."

Meanwhile, last year's Bouwerie heroine Holiday Disguise will try to pick up her second straight New York Showcase stakes as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the $200,000 Critical Eye for fillies and mares at a mile. It's the first start for the 4-year-old daughter of Harlan's Holiday following a third-place finish in the 6 ½-furlong Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap on May 12. Earlier this year, Holiday Disguise returned from a eight-month layoff to post wins in the Biogio's Rose and Grade 3 Distaff Handicap at a mile and seven furlongs, respectively.

"I think she's a little better at seven, but we don't want to pass up this opportunity," said Rice. "It's a good purse and we felt like it made sense for us at this point. [In the Vagrancy,] she was down inside and close to the pace and she was a little rank in there. And, she ran her best race to date in the Distaff and maybe she regressed off that effort."

Rice will also send Voodoo Song, winner of four straight races last summer at Saratoga Race Course, in the $125,000 Kingston at a mile on the Widener turf.

By English Channel, the 4-year-old chestnut colt is exiting a nose victory in a May 12 optional claimer, his second start of the year following a troubled fourth-place finish on April 11.

"Obviously, he liked the firm going last summer at Saratoga but he ran pretty well on the good ground in the allowance race last time out," said Rice. "It appears there's plenty of speed in that race, so hopefully things go well for him. I think the first [race] he definitely needed. I was just getting him ready for the spring campaign but I thought it was worth using to bring him forward and then he performed quite well [last time out]."

Rice also has entered Papa Shot in the one-mile $200,000 Commentator. The 6-year-old Distorted Humor gelding is exiting a third-place finish in a March 4 optional-claiming contest.