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G1 Maker’s Mark Mile winner Chez Pierre on target for G3 Poker

by NYRA Press Office

• G1 Maker’s Mark Mile winner Chez Pierre on target for G3 Poker
• Amazing Grace breezes in preparation for G1 New York or G2 Belmont Gold Cup
• New York-bred Mid Day Image bound for G1 Jaipur
• Probables for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

Lael Stables’ talented Grade 1-winner Chez Pierre is on schedule for a start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Poker, a one-mile Widener turf test for older horses, on Belmont Stakes Day June 10 as part of the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Chez Pierre was last seen scoring a dominant victory in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile on April 14 at Keeneland by 3 1/2 lengths over multiple Group/Grade 1-winner Modern Games. 

The son of Mehmas pounced from two lengths off the pace under Flavien Prat and took charge at the stretch call, widening his margin down the lane to complete the course in a final time of 1:33.46. The effort was awarded a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Modern Games exited that race to win the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge at Newbury while third-place finisher Up to the Mark won the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in his next outing. 

Chez Pierre has worked four times since the Maker’s Mark Mile, most recently covering five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.60 on Saturday over the Fair Hill all-weather surface. Delacour said the 5-year-old gelding will have one more work tomorrow at the Elkton, Maryland training center. 

“He’ll breeze tomorrow probably a half-mile for maintenance. It was a good work last time and I’m happy with him,” Delacour said. “He’s always a pretty good breeze horse, it’s just a matter of how much we want to do. We wanted that kind of move, and he did it and came back in great shape.”

Chez Pierre boasts a 6-for-7 lifetime record after beginning his career in France with conditioner Francis-Henri Graffard. He won his first three outings there before moving stateside in the summer of his 3-year-old season. 

Delacour said he selected Chez Pierre from the 2020 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale where he was purchased for $114,164 by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, the owners of Lael Stables. 

“Roy and Gretchen Jackson were nice enough to let me spot him at the sale in France,” said Delacour. “A friend of mine bought him on their behalf and we started him in France with Francis-Henri Graffard. He did very well there and he won three races with him. Then, he had a little setback and we found that was the right time to send him to America.”

Chez Pierre won his first American outing by a neck in an optional claimer last March at Tampa Bay Downs before posting a 5 1/2-length victory in the one-mile Henry S. Clark six weeks later at Laurel Park. His lone loss came in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Tampa Bay when racing off a 10-month layoff this February. 

Out of the Italian-bred Orpen mare Hortensia, Chez Pierre is a half-brother to the listed stakes-winner Zelda. Hortensia is a half-sister to the graded stakes-winning mare Uraib, as well as Red Vale, the dam of 2009 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Vale of York. 

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Amazing Grace breezes in preparation for G1 New York or G2 Belmont Gold Cup

Trainer Christophe Clement watched a number of his upcoming stakes contenders breeze over the Belmont inner turf Friday led by Moyglare Stud Farm's dual Group 2-winner Amazing Grace, who is under consideration for a pair of races next Friday during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in either the 10-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 New York for older fillies and mares or against the boys in the 2-mile Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup for 4-year-olds and up.

The 5-year-old Protectionist mare inadvertently worked in company, covering a half-mile in 52.12 seconds to the outside of allowance-winning sophomore filly Allamericanbeauty [51.66], who is trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey and targeting the Grade 2, $200,000 Wonder Again on Thursday, Opening Day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

"It was a good work. We were not supposed to work together, but they hooked up and she finished well and very willingly," Clement said. "We'll see how she comes out of it. She's possible for the New York or for the Belmont Gold Cup."

The German-bred Amazing Grace made her first 15 career starts in Europe, taking the 10-furlong Group 2 Diana Trial at Hoppegarten in May 2021 and the 12-furlong Group 2 T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis in September at Baden-Baden. She completed her European campaign with a third-place finish against the boys in the Group 1 Preis von Europa at Cologne when three lengths back of the victorious Rebel's Romance, who was in the midst of a five-race win streak that culminated with a victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland.

The chestnut has made two starts for Clement, capturing the 12-furlong Grade 3 Orchid in April at Gulfstream ahead of an even fourth last out in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay over good going.

"I know she stays. I just need to look at the opposition," Clement said.

Blue Devil Racing Stable's graded-stakes placed Messidor worked a half-mile in 50.66 in company to the outside of allowance winner Contemporary Art [51.12]. 

A five-time winner from 19 starts, the 5-year-old Vadamos mare, who was last seen finishing fourth in the six-furlong License Fee here on May 7 in her seasonal debut, is pointing to next Friday's Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental, a six-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares. Clement said he had no firm plan yet for Contemporary Art, a 4-year-old Dubawi filly that finished fifth last out in the Grade 3 Beaugay on May 7 here.

Clement's final team of turf workers saw multiple stakes-placed Inflation Nation breeze in company to the outside of filly By All Means, with both horses clocked in a final time of 53.11.

Louis Lazzinnaro and Michael Dubb's Inflation Nation, a Speightstown chestnut, is targeting the Grade 3, $250,000 Manila, a one-mile test for sophomores on July 7. He has hit the board in 5-of-6 starts, including a pair of runner-up efforts this year in the one-mile Woodhaven in his seasonal debut in April at the Big A and the seven-furlong Paradise Creek last out on May 20 here.

"He's a very honest kind of horse," Clement said. "Even though he's never won a stakes as such, he tries very hard and he's a fun horse to train."

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Haras d'Etreham's By All Means, a sophomore daughter of Kodiac, was purchased in December at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale. She specialized in one-mile races overseas, winning the Prix de Bagatelle in July at Chantilly for her former conditioner Mario Baratti en route to a runner-up effort in the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey in August at Deauville. 

By All Means, who Clement said is training very well, made her North American debut in May at Gulfstream Park, overcoming a slow start to finish third in the 1 1/16-mile Monroe. She is under consideration for the one-mile $150,000 Perfect Sting for older fillies and mares on July 2 at Belmont.

Clement also worked graded-stakes winner Big Invasion on Thursday over Big Sandy with the 4-year-old Declaration of War bay covering a half-mile in 49.35 in preparation for the Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur for 3-year-olds and upward going six furlongs on the turf on June 10 at Belmont Park. The Jaipur offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Santa Anita.

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New York-bred Mid Day Image bound for G1 Jaipur

After scoring his third consecutive trip to the winner’s circle against open company in Thursday eighth race here, the New York-bred Mid Day Imagewill likely turn back off only nine day’s rest for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur for 3-year-olds and upward going six furlongs on turf at Belmont Park. 

The Jaipur offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Santa Anita.

Trained and co-owned by David Jacobson in partnership with Winning Move Stable and Sanford Robbins, Mid Day Image earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the six-furlong optional-claimer over firm turf. He took command from the five path in upper stretch to draw away a 2 1/4 length winner under Irad Ortiz, Jr. 

A 7-year-old son of Midshipman, Mid Day Image entered off both his 2023 debut as well as his debut for Jacobson when defeating allowance optional claiming company sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs on April 13 at Laurel Park. He previously captured the 2021 Claiming Crown Emerald going 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park when in the care of conditioner Luis Carvajal, Jr. 

“His form speaks for itself. He’s doing very well right now,” Jacobson said. “He’s got a lot of talent that’s for sure. He’s had it before and hopefully he can keep it going.”

Jacobson acquired Mid Day Image for $40,000 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale and said his initial plan was to try to get him to go a distance. 

“I love a speed horse that goes a distance but that plan went out the window when we cut him back to five and half [furlongs] at Laurel, three-quarters yesterday and now, three-quarters in the Jaipur,” Jacobson said. “For now, he’s a sprinter but hopefully we can get him up to Saratoga and maybe he’ll stretch out.”

Mid Day Image boasts $399,150 in earnings through a record of 31-13-3-3. Bred in the Empire State by Patricia Generazio, he is out of the dual stakes-placed Disco Rico mare Image of Noon. 

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Probables for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

The Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets headlines the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival that features a total of 16 stakes events from Thursday, June 8 through Saturday, June 10. For additional information on the 2023 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and details on hospitality offerings, ticket packages and pricing, visit BelmontStakes.com.

Thursday, June 8 – Entries taken on Saturday, June 3

$150K Jersey Girl

Probable: Aunt Becca (Cherie DeVaux), Chocolate Gelato (Todd Pletcher), Coolcalm Collected (Timothy Hills), Wildhawk (Tom Albertrani)

Possible: Hot Little Thing (Brian Lynch), Sweet Harmony (John Terranova)

G2 Wonder Again

Probable: Allamericanbeauty (Shug McGaughey), Be Your Best (Horacio DePaz), Spansive (Pletcher), Thirty Thou Kelvin (Terranova)

Possible: Hang the Moon (Michael Stidham), Juniper’s Moon (Anthony Dutrow)

Friday, June 9 – Entries taken on Sunday, June 4

G2 Belmont Gold Cup

Probable: British Royalty (Barb Minshall), Channel Maker (Bill Mott), Cross Border (Mike Maker), High Definition (Joseph O’Brien), L’Imperator (Archibald Kingsley, Jr.), Merry Maker (Kingsley Jr.), Siskany (Charlie Appleby), The Grey Wizard (Graham Motion)

Possible: Amazing Grace (Christophe Clement), Strong Tide (Michael Lauer)

G1 Just a Game

Probable: In Italian (Chad Brown), Speak of the Devil (Brown), Spendarella (Graham Motion), Wakanaka (Mott)

Possible: New Year’s Eve (Brendan Walsh), Rhea Moon (Brad Cox)

G1 New York

Probable: Didia (Ignacio Correas, IV), Flirting Bridge (Walsh), Marketsegmentation (Brown), McKulick (Brown), War Like Goddess (Mott), With The Moonlight (Appleby)

Possible: Amazing Grace (Christophe Clement), Sopran Basilea (Motion)

G1 Acorn presented by Great Jones Distilling Co.

Probable: Accede (Brown), Dorth Vader (George Weaver), Frosty O’Toole (Pletcher), Goodgirl Badhabits (Brittany Russell), Occult (Brown), Pretty Mischievous (Walsh), Randomized (Brown)

Possible: Shidabhuti (Brown)

G3 Intercontinental

Probable: Amy C (Phil D’Amato), Bubble Rock (Brad Cox), Clitheroe (Motion), Messidor (Clement), Poppy Flower (Mott)

Possible: Goin’ Good (Cox), Sarah Harper (Ron Moquett)

Saturday, June 10 – Entries taken on Tuesday, June 6

G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

Probable: Angel of Empire (Cox – Flavien Prat), Arcangelo (Jena Antonucci – Javier Castellano), Forte (Pletcher – Irad Ortiz, Jr.), Hit Show (Cox – Manny Franco), Il Miracolo (Antonio Sano – Marcos Meneses), National Treasure (Bob Baffert – John Velazquez), Raise Cain (Ben Colebrook – Junior Alvarado), Red Route One  (Asmussen – Joel Rosario), Tapit Shoes (Cox – Jose Ortiz), Tapit Trice (Pletcher – Luis Saez)

G3 Poker

Probable: Anaconda (Joe Sharp), Annapolis (Pletcher), Chez Pierre (Arnaud Delacour), Dreams of Tomorrow (McGaughey), Filo Di Arianna (Mark Casse)

Possible: Emaraaty (Brown)

G1 Ogden Phipps – BC WAYI

Probable: Clairiere (Steve Asmussen), Pass the Champagne (Weaver), Search Results (Brown), Secret Oath (D. Wayne Lukas)

Possible: Played Hard (Philip Bauer)

G1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun

Probable: Arabian Lion (Baffert), Drew’s Gold (Jim Chapman), Federal Judge (Rodolphe Brisset), Fort Bragg (Baffert), Fort Warren (Russell), General Jim (McGaughey), Gilmore (Walsh), Gun Pilot (Asmussen), Harrodsburg (Rob Atras), New York Thunder (Jorge Delgado), Victory Formation (Cox)

G2 True North

Probable: Anarchist [Doug O’Neill], Elite Power [Bill Mott], Fearless [Todd Pletcher], Strobe [Brad Cox], Synthesis [David Jacobson]

Possible: Dr Schivel [Mark Glatt], Little Vic [Juan Carlos Avila], Today’s Flavor [George Weaver], Twisted Ride [Michael Moore]

G1 Jaipur – BC WAYI

Probable: Arrest Me Red (Wesley Ward), Big Invasion (Clement), Caravel (Cox), Casa Creed (Mott), Front Run The Fed (Caio Caramori), Go Bears Go (Ward), Ice Chocolat (Casse), Mid Day Image (David Jacobson), Nothing Better (Jorge Duarte, Jr.), Our Shot (Terranova), Scuttlebuzz (Rudy Rodriguez), Thin White Duke (David Donk) Yes and Yes (Donk)

G2 Brooklyn

Probable: Bright Future (Pletcher), Calibrate (Jamie Ness), Forewarned (Uriah St. Lewis), Lone Rock (Robertino Diodoro), Next (William Cowans), Portos (Tom Morley), Red Run (Maker), Warrant (Cox)

G1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap – BC WAYI

Probable: Charge It [Todd Pletcher], Cody’s Wish [Bill Mott], Doppelganger [Brittany Russell], Far Mo Power [Louis Linder, Jr.], Hoist the Gold [Dallas Stewart], Repo Rocks [Jamie Ness], Slow Down Andy [Doug O’Neill], Taiba [Bob Baffert], White Abarrio [Rick Dutrow, Jr.]

Possible: Dr Schivel [Mark Glatt], Zandon [Chad Brown]

G1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan

Probable: Ocean Atlantique (Maker), Ottoman Fleet (Appleby), Red Knight (Maker), Rockemperor (Brown), Strong Quality (Casse), Up to the Mark (Pletcher), Warren Point (Appleby)

Possible: Strong Tide (Lauer)

Sunday, June 11 – Entries taken on Thursday, June 8

$150K Astoria

Probable: Closing Act (Asmussen), Golden Ghost (Casse), Hibernacle (Walsh), Youalmosthadme (Cox)

$150K Tremont

Probable: Factor U and Me In (Edward Coletti, Jr.), Gold Sweep (Asmussen), Vitement (Eddie Kenneally), Whatchatalkinabout (Ward)