Elsa Lorieul Photo

Late-bloomer Ratajkowski to make seasonal debut in Thursday's Critical Eye

by Brian Bohl

Gary Broad's Ratajkowski started 2019 as an unraced 5-year-old and by the fall became a stakes winner when she captured the Empire Distaff Handicap. Transferred to the care of trainer Graham Motion, Ratajkowski will make her 6-year-old bow back at the site of her stakes win in Thursday's $125,000 Critical Eye for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old an up at Belmont Park.

Ratajkowski ran third in her debut in May 2019 at Belmont and broke her maiden at second asking at the same track the following month. That started a stretch of four wins in her next five starts, culminating with a victory by a head over Our Super Nova in the one-mile Empire Distaff on October 19.

The Drosselmeyer mare capped 2019 with a fourth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Fall City Handicap in November at Churchill Downs. After being transferred from trainer Brian Lynch to Motion, Ratajkowski has been training at Fair Hill in Maryland, breezing six furlongs in 1:13.20 on Wednesday.

"She's a really kind filly," Motion said. "She was already pretty far along in her training when I received her from Scott Hansen [who manages Broad's horses] from Keeneland. I've put the last two breezes into her, but she's handled it very well."

Ratajkowski has thrived at Belmont, winning three of four starts with a third-place effort, and will look to go 2-for-2 in one-turn miles in the Critical Eye.

"It seems like a natural spot from what I know about her," Motion said. "I couldn't be more impressed with how she handles everything. She's very classy. She did great last year and I can see why. Obviously, Brian did a great job with her."

Jose Ortiz, aboard for her first six starts, will have the return call from post 2.

Wise Racing's More Mischief will look to go 3-for-3 to start 2020 and post her fourth win in her last five starts. The Chad Brown trainee started her 4-year-old campaign with a 7 ¾-length score against optional claimers at one mile on January 12 at Aqueduct Racetrack and followed with a 2 ½-length win at the same distance and track in the Biogio's Rose on February 9.

In three Belmont starts, the daughter of Into Mischief has twice finished as the runner up, including 1 ½ lengths back to Cartwheelin Lulu in the Joseph A. Gimma in September. Manny Franco, who has piloted More Mischief to both wins this year, will ride again from post 5.

No Hayne No Gayne has put in consecutive competitive efforts to start 2020, finishing third in both the Biogio's Rose and the Heavenly Prize on March 8 at Aqueduct. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 6-year-old daughter of Haynesfield will be making her fifth straight start at one mile, drawing post 3 with Reylu Gutierrez aboard.

Calumet Farm's English Soul is a two-time stakes winner, hitting the wire first in both the East View and Fleet Indian for state breds last year. Trainer Jack Sisterson will send out the English Channel mare, who is seeking her first win in eight starts. Joel Rosario will have the mount from the inside post.

Rounding out the field is Mrs. Orb, the winner of the Bay Ridge in December at the Big A, for trainer Michael Miceli [post 4, Dylan Davis] and The Great Johanna, making her stakes debut in her 16th start, for trainer James Ferraro [post 6, Luis Saez].

Carded as Race 9 at 5:36 p.m. Eastern on Thursday's 10-race slate, the Critical Eye will feature on America's Day at the Races, produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, and airing live on FOX Sports and MSG+. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the broadcast and can be accessed at www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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