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Broadway Run tries to be smash hit in Sunday's License Fee

by Brian Bohl

Curragh Stables' stakes-winner Broadway Run will look to earn additional black type in competing against a seven-horse field in Sunday's fifth running of the $125,000 License Fee for fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up on the Belmont Park inner turf.

Broadway Run ran second last out in her first career start on the dirt, with Silver Bay edging her out by a neck in the City of Ocala Florida Sire in the seven-furlong stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on December 15. Trainer John Terranova will switch the Prospective filly, who was bred in the Sunshine State by Ocala Stud, back to the grass, where she's gone 2-2-1 in five career turf starts, for her 2019 debut.

"She's a really nice filly who is growing up the right way," Terranova said. "We gave her a little time and some space and freshened her up for the season. I know this will be her first start in a few months, but she's training great.

"She's a grass filly who has a lot of class and quality. [Last out], it was a Floridan stallion stakes race for a nice purse, so we took a shot and she almost got it done. But she's [best] on the grass."

Purchased for $200,000 at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sale, Broadway Run has never finished off the board in six career starts. She will make her 4-year-old bow having won a turf sprint stakes, posting a three-quarters of a length score in the Coronation Cup on July 30 at Saratoga.

Following that effort, which resulted in a personal-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure, Broadway Run returned to Belmont, where she won her debut on May 5. In her first Belmont stakes start, she dueled Tesora, finishing second by a half-length in the Christiecat on September 7.

"All indications are that she's gotten bigger and stronger and has been doing really well and looks like she'll make the move forward this year," Terranova said. "It's been a good few months off and she should be ready to go. She's gotten into the rhythm into her races and everything looks great."

Junior Alvarado will be in the irons from post 5.

Gold Square's Mrs. Ramona G. will look to build off her best stakes performance after running third last out in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf on January 19 at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said he was waiting for the right spot for the Kantharos filly, who trained in the winter at Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach, Florida. After breezing once in Keeneland on April 13, Englehart shipped the 4-year-old to Belmont, where she worked four furlongs in 49.09 on Big Sandy Monday morning.

"She's been training well," Englehart said. "I couldn't find the right spot for her, so I thought the best thing to do was wait for the License Fee."

Mrs. Ramona G. was stretched out to start her 4-year-old campaign, winning at one mile against optional claimers on New Year's Day at Gulfstream Park. She then rallied from ninth to third in the 1 1/16-mile Sunshine Millions.

Purchased for a quarter-million dollars at the same sale as Broadway Run, Mrs. Ramona G. will look to go 3-for-3 in her career at Belmont.

"She's very versatile and loves to compete," Englehart said.

Jockey Manny Franco, who won the Aqueduct spring meet title, will pick up the mount, drawing post 4.

Hickory Plains' Fear No Evil will make her fifth consecutive stakes start, returning to Belmont for the first time since running second for the second straight time to Fire Key in the Floral Park on October 13 at the License Fee's distance.

The Tom Albertrani-trainee had finished in the money for seven straight races before running sixth in the five-furlong Captiva Island on March 9 at Gulfstream. Fear No Evil will return to six furlongs, where she is 1-1-3 in six career starts.

Joe Bravo will ride from post 7.

Rounding out the field is Fire Key, for trainer James Ryerson, from post 6; the German-bred Albertville, making her North American debut for trainer Christophe Clement, from post 3; and a pair of entries for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr. in Goldwood, who drew the rail, and Misericordia, with the English-bred 5-year-old breaking from post 2.