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Rebel’s Romance among Godolphin stars arriving in New York on Sunday for Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

by NYRA Press Office

• Rebel’s Romance among Godolphin stars arriving in New York on Sunday for Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
• New York connections abound in Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks
• Robin Sparkles set to shine in $100K License Fee
• Pick 6 carryover of $61K into Thursday's card at Belmont Park

A talented quartet of Godolphin runners trained by Charlie Appleby will arrive in New York on Sunday to prepare for starts during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival that runs from Thursday, June 3 through Saturday, June 5, headlined by the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.

The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the "Test of the Champion" for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

All four of Appleby's runners – Rebel’s Romance, Desert Peace, Summer Romance and Althiqa – are expected to run during the festival, with Group 2 UAE Derby-winner Rebel's Romance set to compete in the Belmont Stakes on June 5.

The sophomore son of Dubawi, an Irish homebred out of the Street Cry mare Minidress, Rebel's Romance has won 4-of-5 starts. He made the grade last out with a 5 1/2-length romp in the 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby on March 27 at Meydan.

"Rebel's Romance and Desert Peace are going to ship out on Saturday from Dubai," said Appleby, who will be saddling his first starters in New York. "The two fillies, Althiqa and Summer Romance, are going to join them on Sunday and ship into Belmont and New York on Sunday at some stage, hopefully."

Desert Peace, a 4-year-old son of Curlin, was a $1.3 million purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by Doug and Felicia Branham, the colt’s stakes-winning dam Stoweshoe is a full-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire mare Taris.

The lightly raced Desert Peace was a nose winner last out traveling one-mile on May 11 over the Meydan main track.

Summer Romance and Althiqa, who finished first and third last out in the nine-furlong Group 2 Balanchine on February 18 at Meydan, are targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Just a Game, a one-mile turf event for older fillies and mares.

"Althiqa and Summer Romance are going to both head to the Just a Game and it's undecided where Desert Peace will run during Belmont Stakes weekend,” said Appleby.

Summer Romance, a 4-year-old Kingman grey out of the Statue of Liberty mare Serena’s Storm, is a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning millionaire Rizeena.

Appleby said a good result in the Just a Game could propel the filly to a start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana, a nine-furlong turf test for older fillies and mares on July 17 at Saratoga.

"If Summer Romance were to run well, she has a second option of stepping up a bit farther at Saratoga in the Diana," said Appleby. "I'm looking forward to it. We're getting in there earlier so that we can acclimatize and get used to the track.”

Bred in Ireland by Roundhill Stud, Summer Romance captured the 1 1/16-mile Group 3 Princess Elizabeth in July at Epsom. Last out, in just her second start of the season, Summer Romance won the Balanchine by 2 ¼-lengths at Meydan.

Althiqa, a British homebred by Dark Angel and out of the Shamardal mare Mistrusting, won the Prix Amandine in July at Deauville in France ahead of a trio of group placings to close out her sophomore season. The grey filly launched her 4-year-old campaign in style with a score in the Group 2 Cape Verdi at Meydan ahead of her third in the Balanchine.

Appleby is a three-time Breeders’ Cup winning trainer, conditioning Outstrip [2013 Juvenile Fillies Turf], Wuheida [2017 Filly and Mare Turf] and Line of Duty [2018 Juvenile Turf] to Grade 1 scores.

For more information, visit www.BelmontStakes.com.

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New York connections abound in Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks

A number of New York connections will take part in Saturday’s Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on Saturday and Friday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Aqueduct Racetrack hosted five Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying races, including the Grade 2, $150,000 Remsen [10-4-2-1 qualifying points], $150,000 Jerome [10-4-2-1], Grade 3, $250,000 Withers [10-4-2-1], Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham [50-20-10-5] and the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino [100-40-20-10].

Brooklyn Strong, trained by Danny Velazquez and owned by Mark Schwartz, qualified for the Derby with a narrow score in the nine-furlong Remsen held December 5 at the Big A. Bred in New York by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, jockey Joel Rosario guided Brooklyn Strong to a neck victory over Ten for Ten. It was a further 8 3/4-lengths back to the Todd Pletcher-trained Derby contender Known Agenda in third.

Brooklyn Strong [50-1 on the morning line] will exit post 3 in Saturday's Kentucky Derby with Umberto Rispoli up.

The $150,000 Jerome, a one-turn mile contested on a muddy track on New Year's Day, was won by Bing Cherry Racing and Leonard Liberto's Capo Kane. Trained by Harold Wyner, the California-bred Street Sense colt romped to a 6 1/4-length frontrunning score over Eagle Orb. Capo Kane picked up two more qualifying points when third in the Withers to bring his total to 12, which would have been enough for a spot in the Derby starting gate. Unfortunately, following a sixth in the Grade 3 Gotham, Capo Kane was injured in training and retired.

The Chad Brown-trained Risk Taking captured the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers contested at nine furlongs on a fast track on February 6. With Eric Cancel up, Risk Taking rallied to a 3 3/4-length score over Overtook with Capo Kane in third. Following a seventh in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, Brown decided to point Risk Taking to the nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan on May 8 at Belmont, the traditional local prep for the Belmont Stakes.

Chiefswood Stables' Weyburn garnered 50 points for a prominent nose win at 46-1 over Crowded Trade in the one-turn mile Grade 3 Gotham on March 6. With Trevor McCarthy up for trainer Jimmy Jerkens, Weyburn held off a pair of Brown-trained entrants in runner-up Crowded Trade and third-place Highly Motivated.

Klaravich Stables Highly Motivated exited the Gotham to finish a game second to Derby favorite Essential Quality in the Grade 2 Blue Grass on April 3 at Keeneland, earning a spot in the starting gate for the Derby where he will exit post 17 under New York-based Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

Bourbonic, at 72-1 for trainer Todd Pletcher, posted a record upset in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3 with a head score over Dynamic One. Last-of-9 at the head of the lane under Kendrick Carmouche, Bourbonic rallied five-wide for the win over a fast main track. He paid $146.50 to win, eclipsing the $129.50 payout for Manassa Mauler in 1959. 

The 37-year-old Carmouche will guide Bourbonic from the outermost post 20 on Saturday in his first Derby mount. He will look for another upset victory, as Bourbonic is 50-1 on the morning line.

The Pletcher-trained Dynamic One earned his Derby berth by completing the Wood Memorial exacta in front of Crowded Trade. Weyburn finished fourth to bring his point total to 60, but will instead target the Peter Pan en route to a start in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 5.

The New York-based Pletcher has four Derby starters and will use New York-based riders Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Jose Ortiz, within his quartet which includes Known Agenda [post 1, Ortiz, Jr.], Sainthood [post 5, Corey Lanerie], Dynamic One, [post 11, Ortiz], and Bourbonic.

Other Derby starters with New York connections, include Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who will guide the Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit from post 8 [15-1].

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, who has stalls at Belmont and Saratoga, will saddle Helium [post 12, 50-1, Julien Leparoux] and Soup and Sandwich [post, 19, 30-1, Tyler Gaffalione] in search of his first Derby win.

Luis Saez, who rides at Belmont and Saratoga during the summer, will guide undefeated 2-year-old champion and 2-1 favorite Essential Quality from post 14 for trainer Brad Cox, who has a string at Belmont.

Aqueduct also hosted four qualifying races for Friday's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies.

The Big A hosted the Grade 2, $150,000 Demoiselle [10-4-2-1], $100,000 Busanda [10-4-2-1], $250,000 Busher Invitational [50-20-10-5] and Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle [100-40-20-10].

Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat, trained by Pletcher and piloted by Velazquez, captured the nine-furlong Demoiselle by three-quarters over a length over fellow Oaks contender Millefeuille on a sloppy Big A main track on December 5.

Velazquez retains the mount aboard Malathaat Friday from post 10 as the 5-2 morning-line favorite following a score in the Grade 1 Ashland in April at Keeneland. Malathaat graduated at Belmont in October ahead of a win in the Tempted in November at Aqueduct.

The Brown-trained The Grass is Blue, owned by Klaravich Stables, won the $100,000 Busanda at nine furlongs on January 24 at Aqueduct by one length over Coffee Bar.

But it was The Grass is Blue's stablemate, Search Results, who stepped forward in the final two local Oaks preps taking both the Busher Invitational at one mile on March 6 and the nine-furlong Gazelle at nine-furlongs on April 3.

Klaravich Stables' Search Results, undefeated in three starts, is listed as 3-1 on the morning line under returning rider Ortiz, Jr.

Other New York-connected horses in Friday's Oaks include Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche], a maiden winner in February at Aqueduct entering from a closing second in the Gazelle for New York-based trainer Rob Atras.

Ortiz will guide Crazy Beautiful from post 4 for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Pass the Champagne [post 5, Castellano], is trained by Belmont based George Weaver for owners R.A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rock Ridge Racing, BlackRidge Stables, and James Brown.

Cox will saddle OXO Equine's Travel Column [post 6, Florent Geroux] and Coach [post 9, Saez], while Hall of Famer Bill Mott sends out Juddmonte Farms homebred Millefeuille [post 14, Rosario], a maiden winner in October at Belmont.

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Robin Sparkles set to shine in $100K License Fee

Michael Schrader’s Robin Sparkles, a $30,000 purchase at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Sale, will be making her stakes debut in Friday's $100,000 License Fee at six furlongs on Belmont's inner turf for older fillies and mares. 

Robin Sparkles wintered at her owner’s farm in upstate New York.

"It seems to me she's come back better than ever," trainer Bruce Brown said. "This race might be a little tough as she's running against open company, but I think it will be a good indicator of where she's at. She's the kind that's going to run good fresh, so I think it's a good time to take a shot."

Robin Sparkles posted a record of 6-4-1-0 in a productive sophomore season, graduating at second asking in August sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs against fellow state-breds on the Saratoga turf on the heels of an off-the-board debut effort in July over a sloppy Belmont track.

The Elusive Quality bay finished a good second in an open off-the-turf allowance sprint on August 27 on a muddy Spa main track before reeling off a trio of allowance turf sprint wins to close her campaign.

The current win streak launched in September going seven furlongs in open allowance company on the Belmont turf and extended to a six-furlong state-bred sprint in October at Belmont. Robin Sparkles completed her season with a neck win in a six-furlong open allowance sprint in November at the Big A.

"She got unlucky here first time out and caught a sloppy racetrack which is tough for a first time starter," said Brown. "We took a shot with her at Saratoga and we always thought she'd get better on the grass and with every start she just got better and more mature."

Bred in the Empire State by Hibiscus Stables, Robin Sparkles posted a sharp 48.26 breeze solo Saturday on Belmont's dirt training track.

"She just does that automatic. The rider is just sitting there. She's very handy like that and can breeze pretty quick, pretty easy," said Brown. "She hasn’t needed company since we were getting her ready early on. She doesn't need any excuse to go fast

"We're just hoping it's a nice firm course on Friday," he added. "If that's the case, she should be plenty fit and ready to go."

Brown said a good result on Friday could see Robin Sparkles stretching out in distance in future starts.

"She's a long, rangy filly and I think eventually she will stretch out a little bit," said Brown. "She did win going seven-eighths and a flat mile might be within her range. I think a big thing for her will be maturing. In her early races, she was using her speed but not really knowing how to control it. Hopefully, with more maturity, she'll gain more control of that."

Listed at 6-1 on the morning line, Joe Bravo has the call from post 7.

Slated as Race 9 on Friday's Belmont card, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern, top contenders in the six-furlong inner turf sprint include Sweet Melania [post 9, Jose Lezcano, 7-2 ML], Lady Lawyer [post 3, Eric Cancel, 4-1] and She's My Type [post 5, Hector Diaz, Jr., 5-1].

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Pick 6 carryover of $61K into Thursday's card at Belmont Park

Thursday's Pick 6 will be boosted by a $61,085 carryover, as the multi-race wager went unsolved on Sunday at Belmont Park.

The $1 Pick 6, which launched on Thursday, Opening Day of the 48-day Belmont spring/summer meet, returned $1,131 to bettors who selected 5-of-6 winners correctly.

Thursday’s Pick 6 will begin in Race 4 at Belmont, a six-furlong claiming sprint, with a post time of 2:33 p.m. Eastern. The sequence offers four turf races, including a 10-furlong $94,000 allowance optional-claiming event in Race 8. First post on Thursday’s nine-race card is 1 p.m.

Featuring a $1 bet minimum and 15 percent takeout, the Pick 6 wager requires bettors to select the first-place finisher of six designated races on the card. A total of 75 percent of the full pool, minus takeout, will be distributed to bettors who select the first-place finisher of all six races. A consolation payout of 25 percent of the net pool will be distributed to tickets selecting 5-of-6 winners. In the event there are no tickets with six winners, there will be a carryover of 75 percent of the net pool into the next day of the meet with the remaining 25 percent of the net pool distributed as a consolation payout to tickets selecting the first-place finisher in the greatest number of races on the card. On carryover days, the Pick 6 is offered with a 24 percent takeout.

The $1 Pick 6 replaced the Empire 6, a jackpot style wager featuring a $0.20 bet minimum first offered in August 2019 at Saratoga Race Course.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.