Stonetastic makes Belmont debut in Pumpkin Pie; Beat the Benchmark headlines Chelsey Flower

by Brian Bohl and Najja Thompson

Stoneway Farm's Stonetastic will look to gain class relief as she headlines a field of nine fillies and mares in the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie at six furlongs on Sunday on the final day of the Belmont Park fall meet.

The 5-year-old gray mare, who is 7-5-3 in 20 career starts, will make her Belmont debut after finishing first-or-second in six of her last seven races. Stonetastic was the runner-up last out in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America on October 8 at Keeneland.

"She's doing quite well," trainer Kelly Breen said. "I'd rather be flying her out to California for the Breeders' Cup, but it just wasn't in the stars this year."

Stonetastic, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, drew post 6 with regular jockey Paco Lopez set to ride.

"She's having a really good year," Breen said. "I believe we'll be the speed of the speed, so we'll just need her to go to the front and hold the position."

Momameamaria, off at 5-2, weakened late in finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap on October 1. The Two Tone Farms' 4-year-old will be looking for her first stakes win for trainer David Cannizzo. Her best stakes finish came with a runner-up effort in the Shine Again on August 3 at Saratoga Race Course.

Momameamaria will depart from the rail in tandem with Manny Franco.

Saharan is also seeking her first stakes win. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, the 3-year-old, who had a wide trip in finishing fifth in the Dogwood on September 24 at Churchill Downs, will exit post 5 with Luis Saez as the 5-1 choice.

Let's Parlay registered a personal-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure in winning against allowance company last out on September 17 at Parx Racing. Trained by Gregory Sacco, the 4-year-old for Red Oak Stable is listed at 8-1 in leaving post 8. Jose Lezcano has the call.

Rounding out the field are a pair of Mario Serey, Jr. trainees in Disco Chick and She's Hot Wired, who will exit posts 2 and 3, respectively, with both at 20-1; Kelsocait, making her stakes debut for trainer Gary Contessa, departs post 9 with jockey Kendrick Carmouche set to ride; and First Charmer, who drew post 7 for trainer Richard Metivier.

Three races later in the card, 12 juvenile fillies will compete in the $100,000 Chelsey Flower, going one mile on the Widener turf course, the final stakes race of the 2016 Belmont fall meet.

Looking to win back-to-back training titles on the NYRA circuit and his second consecutive Fall Championship training title at Belmont, Chad Brown will saddle two runners: Beat the Benchmark and Create a Dream.

A daughter of Speightstown. for owners Klaravich Stables and William Lawerence, Beat the Benchmark made a winning career debut on August 15 at Saratoga before finishing third in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes on September 18 at Woodbine.

The 3-1 morning-line favorite, Beat the Benchmark will depart from post 4 with Jose Ortiz aboard.

Create A Dream, a British-bred daughter of Oasis Dream for St. Elias Stable, will be making her second start stateside following a fourth-place finish on October 2 in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo.

Set to leave from post 12 as the 7-2 morning line second choice, Create a Dream will be ridden by Javier Castellano.

Trainer Christophe Clement will enter two runners of his own in Warrior Hall, for owner Robert S. Evans, and Cheyenne Stables' Noble Ready.

Breaking her maiden in her third career start, Warrior Hall will face winners for the first time from post 3 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the irons. Noble Ready, a daughter of More Than Ready, will look to rebound off a second-place finish in the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard as the tandem leaves post 8. 

Rounding out the field is Zero Zee for trainer George Weaver and owner Matthew Schera, who will look to improve off a subpar running in the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes on October 12 at Keeneland; Accepting, for Allen Stables' and trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who enters off a 1 ½ length maiden victory in his first start on the turf on September 25 at Belmont; Chubby Star; Sensitive; Yorkiepoo Princess; Out of Trouble; Old Line Gal and About That Base. Little Miss Amy and Bellavais are also-eligibles.