New York-bred juvenile fillies seek stakes win in $100K Joseph A. Gimma

by Ryan Martin

A field of six 2-year-old fillies will attempt to add "stakes winner" to their resumes in Thursday's 27th running of the $100,000 Joseph A. Gimma going seven furlongs for fillies bred in the Empire State over the Belmont Park main track.

Trainer Mark Hennig will saddle a pair of contenders for the event named in honor of the late chairman of the New York State Racing Commission, including Alan Brodsky's Infringement, who earned black type in her most recent effort when rounding out the trifecta in the Seeking the Ante on September 4 at Saratoga.

The bay daughter of Temple City was compromised at the start of the Seeking the Ante, where she stumbled out of the gate and was 12 lengths off the pace but still managed to finish a distant third at 16-1 odds. On debut, Infringement was a three-quarter length winner going 5 ½ furlongs on July 11 at Belmont Park, where she was more forwardly placed.

"I was really pleased with her last effort in spite of the horrible stumble," Hennig said. "She kind of took a couple of strides on her knees and I was happy that she came out of it well. She's been training forwardly since. Hopefully this time she gets away a lot cleaner than last time. I just think it was one of those things where she didn't get the break."

Infringement will be stretching out to seven furlongs for the first time, but Hennig said the increase in distance is not a concern.

"I don't think she'll have any issue with the distance," Hennig said. "I've been saying I wouldn't mind trying her on grass one day, but for now this seems like a good spot."

Bred in New York by Barry R. Ostrager, Infringement is out of the stakes-winning Stormy Atlantic mare Aquapazza.

Jockey Jose Lezcano will seek his third triumph in the Gimma as he retains the mount from post 1.

Hennig also will send out Mashnee Stable's homebred Mashnee Girl, who broke her maiden at second asking in an off-the-turf maiden special weight going the Gimma's seven-furlong distance.

The daughter of first crop stallion Air Force Blue made amends after finishing a distant sixth on debut going 5 ½ furlongs at Saratoga, where she was beaten 13 ¾ lengths to Rossa Veloce.

Jockey Eric Cancel will be aboard from post 5.

Perrine Time Thoroughbreds and West Pace Racing's Irish Constitution will be back against New York-bred fillies after finishing fourth to Vequist in the Grade 1 Spinaway on September 6 at Saratoga.

Trained by Ray Handal, the chestnut daughter of leading second crop stallion Constitution defeated a talented field on debut on July 24 at the Spa that included three next-out winners. In the 5 ½-furlong event, Irish Constitution controlled the pace early on in tandem with Party At Page's but successfully out gunned her rival to win on debut by a nose under Joel Rosario.

Bred in New York by SF Bloodstock, Irish Constitution is out of the multiple stakes-winning D'Wildcat mare D'Wild Ride and was bought for $165,000 from last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Jockey Manny Franco will be ride from post 2.

Rounding out the field are Cashing Cara [post 3, Dylan Davis], No Mo' Spending [post 4, Javier Castellano] and Stimulus Check [post 6, Benjamin Hernandez].

The Joseph A. Gimma is slated as Race 8 on Thursday's nine-race program, which offers a first post of 12:50 p.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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