Coglianese /NYRA Photo

Highway Star looks to shine bright in G2 Gallant Bloom

by NYRA Press Office

Chester and Mary Broman's multiple graded stakes winner Highway Star will return to Belmont Park to headline a six-horse field in the 24th running of the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on Sunday.

Carded as Race 5, the Gallant Bloom is one of three stakes races on the day, encompassing the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole in the second and the $125,000 John Hettinger in the eighth and penultimate race.

The 4-year-old daughter of Girolamo has finished on the board in her last four starts - all graded stakes appearances - and is coming off a strong second-place showing in the Grade 1 Ballerina on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course, finishing behind By the Moon by a head.

Highway Star will be returning to Big Sandy for the first time since running third in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on June 10, Belmont Stakes Day, and will be cutting back to 6 ½ furlongs for the first time.

"She's been doing great and she's always been in good shape, so all is well," trainer Rodrigo Ubillo said. "She likes to win. She likes her job. She's consistent and always brings her 'A' game to every race. It's nice to have her, for sure."

Jockey Angel Arroyo, who has been aboard for all of Highway Star's stakes wins, will have the return call from post 1 with the highweight of 121 pounds.

"If you ask which track she prefers, it's Belmont, she trains well here and is happy," Ubillo said. "She likes to race, so it doesn't matter if they go fast or slow. She adjusts to the pace and pretty much the jockey doesn't have to do anything. She's smart and puts herself in the race. It doesn't matter with her."

Three Chimneys Farm's Carina Mia has registered Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or better in each of her last four starts, including consecutive 92 ratings for winning the Shine Again on August 2 and rallying for third behind Highway Star and By the Moon in the Ballerina last out. 

A 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, Carina Mia is looking to build on a 2016 campaign in which she won the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont and competed in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, finishing ninth at Santa Anita. Her current campaign saw her transferred from Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott to Chad Brown. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who was aboard for her last two starts, will depart from post 3 carrying 120 pounds.

Lucy N Ethel will look to make her first start in 11 months, which was a 12th-place finish in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland last October. The 4-year-old has been training at Saratoga, most notably breezing in company with Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit during his preparations for the Grade 1 Travers in August.

The Todd Pletcher trainee will make her Belmont debut in her six career starts. Lucy N Ethel won the first three starts of her career in a seven-week stretch but missed eight months due to an ankle chip following her Grade 3 Old Hat victory in January 2016 at Gulfstream Park. She made a triumphant comeback to win the Grade 2 Prioress that September at Saratoga.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will be in the irons from post 6 carrying 116 pounds.

Following back-to-back runner-up efforts, Quezon will look to notch her first graded stakes win in breaking from post 4 carrying 114 pounds. The 5-year-old Tiz Wonderful mare was third in the Grade 3 Vagrancy on May 5 at Belmont. Joel Rosario will ride for trainer Robert Ribaudo.

Absatootly, a two-time stakes-bred winner, drew post 5 for trainer Charlton Baker. Joe Bravo will ride at 112 pounds.

Friend of Liberty will face stakes company for the first time in her 15th career start. The 3-year-old filly, trained by Michelle Nevin, will have the services of jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 2 carrying 110 pounds.

in Race 2, Get Jets for Team D and trainer Anthony Dutrow will headline a field of seven in the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole for 3-year-olds and up, the first of a pair of New York-bred stakes races on Sunday's card.

Last out, the 4-year-old son of Scat Daddy won the West Point on August 25 at Saratoga Race Course. With three wins and three second-place finishes from seven starts at Belmont, he will look to win his third stakes will depart from post 5 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard. Entering for trainer Chad brown and Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence is Call Provision. The 4-year-old Lemon Drop Kid colt last out won an Allowance race at Saratoga on August 30.

With Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, the pair will leave from post 7.

Also entering is Cloontia for trainer Jimmy Jerkens and William Lynn; All Is Number for trainer Tom Bush and Andrews T and S Racing; Pat On the Back for trainer Ken McPeek and owners Harold Lerner, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables who most recently ran third in the Albany at the Spa on August 25 and New York veteran and fan favorite Kharafa for Tim Hills and owners Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch.

Capping off the day's stakes action in Race 8 is the $125,000 John Hettinger for New York-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf, led by Chad Brown-trained Fourstar Crook.

The 5-year-old daughter of Freud owned an eight-race win streak spanning 21 months beginning in her 3-year-old season and including wins in last year's Hettinger and Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial in July. Fourstar Crook suffered her first loss since October of 2015 last time out in the Yaddo on August 25 at Saratoga when she finished second by 1 ¼ lengths to multiple graded stakes-placed Bar of Gold.

Fourstar Crook will break from the rail with Javier Castellano aboard.

Rounding out the field is Flipcup, Bonita Springs, Feeling Bossy, Ack Naughty, Jc's Shooting Star, Summersault, Barrel of Dreams, and Tizzelle. Bonita Bianca and Literata are entered for the main track only.