NYSS Cupecoy's Joy, Spectacular Bid highlight Sunday's 10-race program

by NYRA Press Office

Belmont Park's 10-race program on Sunday will feature a pair of competitive New York Stallion Series contests in the $100,000 Cupecoy's Joy and $100,000 Spectacular Bid, both for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on the Widener turf.

In the Cupecoy's Joy, carded as Race 7, Bourbon Lane Stable's Paz the Bourbon will try to build on her solid turf resume as part of a field of 9 fillies.

Trained by Mark Hennig, the chestnut daughter of Mission Impazible has posted two wins and a third since trying the grass last fall, including a 1 ¼-length victory at a mile over a yielding course in November at Aqueduct Racetrack. She closed out her juvenile year in an off-the-turf running of the Wait A While in December at Gulfstream Park. In her 2017 debut, Paz the Bourbon posted a close third against optional claiming company on May 21.

"We were able to give her some time after we ran her in that off the turf race back in December," said Hennig. "I thought her race coming back was a tremendous race. I felt like she would probably need the race, and I'm hoping she moves forward off of that. She's pretty versatile distance-wise, and she was closing nice going three-quarters last time. This should be a nice progression."

Paz the Bourbon will be ridden by Javier Castellano from post 3.

Also entered in the Cupecoy's Joy are Dreamy Margarita, a four-length maiden winner last time out for Rudy Rodriguez; Lover's Key, shooting for her fourth straight win for the Reid Nagle barn; and recent allowance runner-up Lady Joan. Rounding out the field are Toni Tools and Frosty Gal, each trying the turf for the first time since their respective debuts; and recent maiden winners Carry Your Heels and Silly Numbers.

A field of 10 is set to line up for the Spectacular Bid, going off as Race 9, including Hoffman Thoroughbreds' ultra-consistent homebred T Loves a Fight.

A 3-year-old gelding by Girolamo, T Loves a Fight most recently powered home to a 2 ¼-length victory on May 29 in the Mike Lee for New York-breds on a sloppy and sealed main track. The Mike Hushion trainee has won or placed in all six starts on the dirt this year, including a second-place finish to Gold for the King in the NYSS Times Square this spring. The Spectacular Bid will mark T Loves a Fight's first turf start since his September unveiling at Saratoga Race Course.

T Loves a Fight will have the services of regular jockey Kendrick Carmouche from post 4.

Also set for the Spectacular Bid are Crawdaddy, an impressive debut winner on June 8 for Jeremiah Englehart; NYSS Great White Way winner Bavaro for the Gary Sciacca barn; first-time gelding Ardmore Bay, who will also add blinkers for the first time for trainer Tom Morley; Heldatgunpoint, a 2 ½-length maiden winner over the turf for David Cannizzo; Terry O Geri, recently sixth in the Mike Lee for Gary Contessa; maiden runners You Like That, from the Bruce Brown barn and Patrick Kelly-trained St. Patrick Frost; as well as a pair of George Weaver trainees in Reason to Soar, third in the Times Square, and Bookew Bucks, fourth against allowance company last time out.

View the field for the $100,000 NYSS Cupecoy's Joy

View the field for the $100,000 NYSS Spectacular Bid