Joe Labozzetta Photo

New York-breds help comprise Sunday's stakes slate with John Hettinger and Ashley T. Cole

by Brian Bohl and Najja Thompson

Hilly Fields Stable's Lady Joan will look to build on a close-running second in the Yaddo last out when she competes in Sunday's $125,000 John Hettinger for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on Belmont Park's inner turf.

The John Hettinger, carded as Race 7 with a post time of 4:46 p.m., is one of the day's three stakes, including the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole for state-bred 3-year-olds and up and the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap in Race 8, which will be part of Belmont Park Live's coverage from 4-6 p.m. on MSG+.

Lady Joan earned a personal-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure after finishing a neck behind La Moneda in the 1 1/16-mile Yaddo on August 24 at Saratoga Race Course. The ultra-consistent Phil Serpe trainee has finished on the board in her last four starts and in 10 of her last 11 starts. 

"She's doing very good and hopefully she can repeat her last race and get the win for us," Serpe said. 

The Courageous Cat filly has appreciated the stretch out in distance in her 4-year-old campaign, going 2-1-1 in four starts at a mile or farther, including a win at 1 3/8 miles against optional claimers on August 24 at the Spa as she readies for the 1 1/8-mile John Hettinger.

"Pedigree-wise, she should like more ground and she's certainly showed that in her last few starts," Serpe said. "I think this should be a good situation for her."

Lady Joan could be the speed of the race in the nine-horse field, though Serpe said she is capable of tracking pacesetters as well.

"She's won at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga, so we're confident in her. She really stepped up from her 3-year-old year to her 4-year-old year," Serpe said. "I think she's versatile, so if she's the speed, that can help us. But if not, she's more than capable of sitting off the pace a little bit if she needs to."

Luis Saez, aboard for all of Lady Joan's previous 15 starts, will have the return call from post 1.

Trainer Chad Brown entered Fifty Five, who ran third, a nose behind Lady Joan and a neck behind La Moneda in a blanket finish in the Yaddo. The 4-year-old Get Stormy filly will return to Belmont for the first time since winning an optional claimer on July 15, which came on the heels of back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Plenty of Grace on April 14 at Aqueduct and the Mount Vernon on May 28 at Belmont, respectively. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will ride from post 9.

Trainer Jason Servis will send out Bonita Bianca, winner of the Union Avenue on August 16 at Saratoga, and Feeling Bossy, the Mount Vernon victor, from posts 3 and 6, respectively. 

War Canoe, fourth in the Yaddo after running seventh in the Grade 1 Diana on July 21 at Saratoga, will go for her first stakes win in drawing post 7 with Dylan Davis aboard. She is trained by Gary Contessa.

Tizzelle, who finished second in last year's edition of the John Hettinger for trainer H. James Bond, enters off a fifth-place effort in the Yaddo, drawing post 5 with Jose Ortiz.

Rounding out the field is Out of Trouble, for trainer Brad Cox; Conquest Hardcandy, who won an optional claimer on August 22 at Saratoga for trainer James Ryerson; and Munchkin Money, making her stakes debut for trainer Brian Lynch.

Frostie Anne, winner of six straight, is entered for the main-track only, as is Take Charge Aubrey.

In the 43rd running of the Ashley T. Cole, carded as Race 9 with a post time of 5:50 p.m., 12 horses will be going 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf course, with salty veteran and fan favorite Kharafa will look to pick up his fourth career victory in the race.

Kharafa, a 9-year-old gelding for owners Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch and trained by Tim Hills, has been a model of consistency since breaking his maiden in his second start in 2011 at Belmont Park. Known for battling with now-retired thoroughbreds Lubash and King Kreesa, Kharafa enters off a victory in the West Point on August 24 at Saratoga Race Course.

Hills said he is confident the stalwart Kharafa is up for his latest challenge.

"He came out of the West Point fine and is very fit," Hills said. "I always work him in company with young horses to keep him interested and his last breeze in preparation for this race last Sunday was quite good. He always shows up. It's a credit to how well managed he is by his owners. He always has the winter's off and gets a vacation, and I think that speaks to his consistency and longevity as a 9-year-old."

Drawing post 2, Kharafa will be ridden by Dylan Davis.

Brown, the meet's leading trainer, will enter a pair of strong contenders in Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Call Provision, and Offering Plan, for owners Michael Dubb and Nantucket Thoroughbred Partners. 

Call Provision, who finished second in last year's Ashley T. Cole, opened his 2018 campaign with a pair of fourth-place finishes in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland and Grade 1 Man o' War at Belmont. After finishing second by a neck in an optional allowance race on June 24 at Belmont and winning am optional-claiming race on July 21 at Saratoga, Call Provision will again compete against state-breds after finishing second by a nose in the John's Call on August 22 at the Spa.

Call Provision will depart from post 11 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons.

Offering Plan will leave from post 4 with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano aboard. 

Rapt, who ran third in the West Point for trainer Bobby Ribaudo, will look to improve, breaking from post 12 with Manny Franco aboard.

Rounding out the field are Control Group, for trainer Rudy Rodriguez; Red Knight for conditioned by Hall of Famer Bill Mott; Winston's Chance; Leaveematthegate, for trainer Leah Gyarmati; Gucci Factor, trained by Christophe Clement; Hit It Once More; Black Tide and Tapitation. J J's Dreaming is entered for the main track only.